The beginning of Spring is the beginning of all things and rebirth, which means that a new year has come. February 4th is the first day of Spring in this year’s Lunar calendar, and ushers in a time of cleaning out the old to welcome in new opportunity in the Chinese tradition. Juliann Wang’s participatory performance, Spring Celebration, invites guests to a reimagined tea ceremony, in a transformed space, for a collective cultivation of harmony, respect, tranquility, and spontaneous joy.
Spring Celebration runs 90 minutes and takes place in four parts
春. 乐. 茶. 庆 (Spring. Music. Tea. Celebration)
间: Free engagement with the space
乐: Interpretive sound, chant, and meditation
茶: Social gathering over tea
庆: Cultural games that anyone can play
“Through these activities and dialog we can seek to relate to each other, and to all the elements of one’s environment, with directness, immediacy, and profound appreciation, and, in the moment, find the ‘life beauty’, which is ever-happening, once again.”
—Juliann Wang
About the Artist
Juliann Wang is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, tea-practitioner, and a 2022 Artist in Residency at High Concept Labs. She is originally from Eastern China’s Anhui Province, known for the Huangshan Mountains. She ingrains her artmaking with aesthetics from Chinese philosophy and spiritual practice. During her HCL residency, Juliann is developing a prototype of a highly-accessible multimedia immersive installation and performance that individuals may encounter in gallery, community centers, virtual spaces, and other settings.
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This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and by a Grant of U.S. Department of Treasury funds through the City of Chicago. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Treasury or the City of Chicago.
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Please be prepared to show a physical or photo copy of your vaccination record of an FDA-or WHO-approved vaccine and booster, along with photo ID.
All guests to HCL at Mana Contemporary are required to wear masks at all times inside the facilities. Be advised that some artists may be unmasked during the performance, but are following the same protocols.
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