Wood Fire, Fire Wood with Phoebe Tsang
Join violinist Phoebe Tsang for a performance of her original compositions created in response to Kapwani Kiwanga’s exhibition Remediation. Tsang’s “sound poems” play with the elemental themes of fire, wood, earth, air, and water, and reference specific sounds made during the process of developing shou sugi ban (焼杉板) planks, a material that appears in Kiwanga’s work Scorch.
Wood Fire, Fire Wood takes inspiration from yakisugi (焼杉), a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation that produces shou sugi ban. In yakisugi, wood undergoes incomplete combustion, which paradoxically causes the wood to become fire retardant. Wood Fire, Fire Wood explores the synergic potential of the two elements, and how their interactions can lead to destructive or (re)generative outcomes. Accompanying this piece are Breathe, Ground, and Channel, three miniature “sound portraits” of plants included in Kiwanga’s Keyhole that filter either air, earth, or water.
Tsang’s performance is free with general admission and will take place on Floor 2 of MOCA in proximity to the artworks Scorch and Keyhole.
About the Artist
Phoebe Tsang is a Hong Kong-born Chinese, British and Canadian violinist and writer. Her debut short fiction collection, Setting Fire to Water (Thistledown Press) was published in 2022. Tsang is the author of the poetry collection Contents of a Mermaid’s Purse (Tightrope Books), and her original music, including the avant-garde album Button Music, can be found on Off record label (Belgium). She is currently working on Death of a Father, co-commissioned by Nightwood Theatre and Necessary Angel Theatre Co. Her libretti have been commissioned and premiered by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Sinfonietta, Continuum Contemporary Music, Tapestry Opera, and Hamilton Philharmonic. She holds a BSc in Architecture from the Bartlett School, University College London (UK).
