Video Installation of the Performance in Shanghai by Juliette Mc Cawley sponsored by KLM airline, Novotel Atlantis Shanghai & Liliu Gonfang

Lita Chow Yuen is a Belgian-born Chinese performance artist, fashion designer and photoJournalist, who believes her work offers a deeper insight into our world.

“Everything works in cycles. Life turns to death; beauty to dust, ripe fruit to moldy refuse.”

But equally, believes Lita, the world offers us an opportunity to turn to the other side of those cycles.

A world where hope is reborn, where dust turns into earth and nourishes the shoots of a new flower. Where a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, and spreads its beauty on wings that, although destined to fade and crumple within days, offer a glimpse of elegance and grace that most can only dream of.

Her message is simple : to encourage people to appreciate life and enjoy it as much as possible. Now.

Her performance, which revolves around a giant balloon, illustrates Life as a bubble, which can burst and end at any moment.

It also represents the cycle of rebirth, with her act taking her back into the maternal womb, where security and peace is absolute. And ultimately, when she re-emerges from the bubble, Lita comes back into the world like a new person. Like a butterfly reborn.

The act starts with a giant bubble which extrudes itself from within Lita’s Hat Bag.

Lita first plays with the bubble, like a child, and becomes curious and interested by a delicate flower that lies inside.

She pushes her head into the bubble, and finds herself inside a new world. She squeezes and twists, dancing as she does so, gradually forcing her whole body through the narrow birth canal of her new experience.

Once completely inside, the new air inside the bubble starts to work its magic on her, and she begins her dance of bubble happiness. She rolls and twists, leans and bends, and begins a magical metamorphosis.

A new skin bursts out of her chest and covers her in a glossy sheen.

But all the time the bubble is shrinking and becoming more opaque. Lita’s world is becoming smaller and harsher; her air is running out. Her life is being extinguished. As the bubble closes in on her shaking body, the view is obscured and the beautiful animal inside is completely hidden.

Lita is fixed, held, imprisoned by the tough skin of the shrunken bubble, like a fly in a trap. She stays dead still. All hope, all beauty and all air is gone.

Then suddenly, the ugly skin splits open and Lita emerges like a new joyful butterfly, dancing slowly and happily on the wings of her new hope.

The cycle is complete.

Love & Peace 4 all.

This act can be dangerous and should not be shown to children without warning. Lita also performs this act to raise awareness and funds for children in need. She always associates her performance art and creations with charity foundations in order to help those that need assistance to emerge from darker worlds.

Jeremy Torr – Singapore March 2004.