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• Monday 18th March, 18:00–19:30
• Tuesday 19th March, 18:00–19:30
• Thursday 21st March, 18:00–19:30
• Friday 22nd March, 18:00–19:30

"They can lock up my body, but they can't lock up my mind."

My friend Siu Ming* and I have been sending letters to each other since he has been imprisoned two years ago for participating in the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019. 

In our letters, we share our everyday lives and our dreams and limitations with each other. We also tried to write about the political situation in Hong Kong, but the officers censored the letters thoroughly. We have learned to read between the lines, and our writing has become poetic. 

Even though I am writing these letters in a country that enjoys freedom of expression, staring at the blank paper, I feel the limitations of my own mind. What does mental freedom actually mean?

So far, we have exchanged 12 letters. 

GPO Box No.211* is a dream-like silent journey, inviting us to a visual reflection on topics such as liberty of mind, isolation and communication through the lens of object theatre. It is an attempt to keep a friendship alive straight through prison walls and across two continents – even if sometimes, the distance seems unbridgeable.

* Name is anonymized.
* GPO Box No. 211 is the address I send my letters to, in order to keep my own address unknown.


Morbid Symptoms
by Miguel Melgares

In his Prison Notebooks, written during imprisonment by the fascist regime in Italy from 1926 until his death in 1937, Antonio Gramsci articulates one of the most eloquent insights to portray a period of historical transition: “The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum, a great variety of morbid symptoms appear.” The sentence encapsulates Gramsci’s analysis of historical periods of crisis, when established power is in decline, but a new order has not yet emerged, leading to social, cultural, and political uncertainties. Central to his narrative is the Roman term interregnum, defining the legal and political in-betweenness that follows the death of a sovereign and precedes the enthronement of the successor. Gramsci uses these concepts to analyse the widespread crisis of authority in his era. The foundations of the old hegemonies crumbled while the masses had drifted away from traditional ideologies. The horizon appeared open to the morbid symptoms that paved the way for the foundation of authoritarian regimes in what we now recognise as history.

Nearly a century later, Gramsci's statements remain as relevant as ever. In the last few decades, the world has witnessed significant social and political upheavals. Instances of revolutions, regime changes, and mass protests indicate a dissatisfaction with existing systems. For example, the 2019 Hong Kong protests, sparked by the concerns about eroding autonomy and civil liberties under Chinese rule, fueled social discontent. This citizen movement evolved into a broader pro-democracy and anti-government campaign, marked by mass demonstrations, clashes with the police, and disruptions of daily life. This led to massive arrests of a young generation fighting for their rights.

Chun Shing's master’s presentation work, GPO Box no.211, tries to balance the delicate relation between poetics and politics. It transcends mere artistic expression to delve into the heart of cultural activism. Chun Shing’s work unfolds as an exploration of the profound implications of incarceration and the nuances of freedom. For this, Chun Shing takes as a reference the personal experience of his friend Siu Ming, a political prisoner in Hong Kong sentenced to four years and three months for participating in the pro-democracy protests of 2019. Rather than a mere representation of Siu Ming's situation, the work serves as a springboard to explore broader notions and questions about freedom and confinement. 

The project weaves together elements of political activism, personal correspondence, and artistic expression to delve into the complex interplay between physical and ideological imprisonment. The actual letter exchange between Chun Shing and Siu Ming, subject to censorship, serves as a testament to the resilient spirit against oppressive systems. Through masks, puppetry, and the orchestrated rustle of paper, Chun Shing invites the audience to reflect on the multifaceted nature of imprisonment, sparking conversations about freedom, resistance, and the blurred boundaries between personal narratives and collective struggles.

In the timeless act of correspondence from prison, Antonio Gramsci's historical epistles intersect with Siu Ming's letter exchange amid political turmoil. While today’s fascist powers continue to solidify a more palpable, unapologetic, and defined political position, the dangers surrounding freedom of expression, reunion, and demonstration persistently threaten contemporary narratives. The morbid symptoms of political crisis cast their shadow across the eras, reminding us that the struggle for freedom remains an enduring battle.

Credits

Concept / Performance / Mask Design and Builder / Breathing Papers Design and Programme: Chun Shing Au; In close artistic collaboration with: Carmen Lee; Dramaturgy Advice: Rebekka Bangerter: Light Design: Carmen Lee; Tutors: Miguel Angel Melgares (1st year), Marjorie Boston (2nd year); Advisors: Sodja Zupanc Lotker, Marko Ivic; Percussion Advice: Keith Ng; Choreography Advice: Jana Jacuka

Fund supported by AHK-Cross Academy Fund

Specials thanks: Kit, Pearlmi, Egle Simenaite, Wendy Van Wynsberghe, my potato classmates. Special thanks to the dogs that I babysat, who gave me so much happiness during the stressful period: Oskar the dog, Monya the dog, Scout the dog and Evie the dog.