I am proud to share a look back at Wrapped Presence, a unique shadow-puppet performance that recently debuted at the Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University. This project was a deeply rewarding collaboration, inspired by the intricate beauty of Wonju Seo’s textile exhibition, Through the Light: Contemporary Jogakbo.
The show traces the moving history of four generations of Korean women, using the cultural tradition of jogakbo—patchwork wrapping cloths—as a lens for stories of prosperity, happiness, and resilience.
This production was brought to life by a wonderful creative team. I would like to give special credit to Caroline Borderies, who wrote the original script and performed as a lead puppeteer alongside Madeleine Borderies. Their spare, intricate illustrations and shifting lighting palettes created a stunning visual narrative, beautifully voiced by narrator Tessa Souter.
For this performance, I composed an original score designed to mirror the delicate, layered nature of the textiles on screen. Rather than a static recording, I performed the music live using a setup of live electronics, allowing the soundscapes to breathe and evolve in real-time with the movements of the puppets. The result was a dialogue between digital sound and the ancient art of shadow play, weaving together electronic textures with the show's heartfelt storytelling.
It was an honor to contribute to such a multidisciplinary work that celebrates both artistry and tradition.