Flock, when trees shake and the sky drops

Participatory Performance at Powerhouse, Brisbane, Australia,
2High Festival, Nov. 2010.

We are just like birds, we each have our own call that we are born with, and asked to repeat.

Placing ourselves as flock of birds on a tree with extreme volume and multiply of same bird calls in competition. Each audience members were given different instruction cards, in which they work from and express it in a vocal call to lead. The leading role takes turns and travels through the audience in the order of standing positions. While not leading, the rest follow the sound of the leader and repeat until the next voice is led.

We sound so we are heard, whether it is a bang, a dong, a ahhh or a la, whether we are being understood or not, interpretation is there.

An instruction card. Flock. Abstraction. Birds. Human voice. Following. Whisper. Repeat. Vertical stairwell. Stationary. Sun. Movement. Calls. Sunset. Soundscape. Barks. Urban light. Screams. Vibration. Listen. Silence.

Thanks to
Every and each of the performing participants for both days
Lionel Jackman and Adam Rothwell for festival invitation
Toby meadows and Anthony Toci for recording and editing

Artist: Alice Hui-Sheng Chang

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