In our fast-paced and dissociative reality, "Like Water, Like Clouds" offers a transformative encounter with softness in all its forms. Softness, as defined by Annika Hansteen-Izora, is the practice of holding deep, slow, and intentional presence with the bodymind, and our collective bodyminds. The core of this project engages in the exploration of how softness can potentially be embodied in interaction and performance design, and how sound can serve as an integral space within physical and social architectures. Using a custom-designed paintbrush instrument, which translates the fluid gestures of Chinese calligraphy into a richly-textured spatial sonic landscape, this performance aims to dissolve the traditional divide between performer and audience. By engaging in Buddhist meditation practices and drawing from Pauline Oliveros’ deep listening practices, softness becomes a conscious, collective practice. Through this improvisational dialogue, the work becomes a living temple — one that encourages a return to gentle attentiveness amidst the pressures and fragmentation of contemporary life.

This piece uses an ESP32 paired with gesture sensors to generate and spatialize the sounds live during the improvised performance. Further developments in implementing AI-based gesture detection for specific calligrpahic strokes and exploring latent space, is currently in progress.

This project is currently on a world tour and has been showcased in major cities including New York City, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and The Hague (NL). If you are interested in curating this performance or collaborating, please reach out via email senaidaxoxo (at) gmail (dot) com.

For more information on the project, click here.

Watch the recording of my MA thesis presentation here.

Performance Tech Rider & Specs