"Văn Lang: reparations to the land of the tattooed" is a performance that offers reparations towards Văn Lang (the land of the tattooed)in the context of an art fair. With each redistribution made, one letter of tattooing is contributed towards the performance that would ultimately spell out Văn Lang. The performance remains unfinished

"a Myriad of Origins" parallels the origins of the tattoo traditions of Văn Lang and its demonisation through colonial occupations. paralleling my experience of inhabiting a queer body, it meditates approaches to contemporary exclusions.

Shown at Through the Window

This performance demonstrates the focal element of rhythm and music in tattoo traditions. A melody is repeated throughout the ritual. The audience hums along & amplifies the frequencies.

Trans*formation Tutorials, Other Futures Festival

photograph by Ju an Hsieh

“the land of the tattooed” is a semi-fictional ephemeral state that borrows its name from the ancient state of Vietnam: Văn Lang, which roughly translates to the land of the tattooed. As the name suggests, everybody was covered in tattoos from head to toe. Its origins were mainly attributed to the people who worked in the water, whom tattooed their entire body to resemble the scales and eyes of water monsters in order to be safe while at sea and as a wish to assume its form.

In a performance with long time collaborator Nash Caldera, we followed each other's rhytm.