JCNAP Mobile Theatre: Between Sounds & Silence

“Innovation” and “a strong stylistic identity” are the credo of Wuji Ensemble. Since its establishment in 2003, the group has pursued its commitment to creating a performing platform for local musicians, cultivating cultural insights and artistic endeavours. It regularly commissions new works, as well as rearrangements of Chinese and Western classical music, putting together innovative, cross-disciplinary and multimedia theatrical productions. The Ensemble is now a fully-fledged professional group. It aims to continue paving new paths for creative expression using tradition as the axis and drawing inspiration from both East and West, with myriad possibilities for interpretation and technology.

Wuji Ensemble has presented many large-scale multimedia performances and activities, with productions such as When Petals Fall in Serenity, Beyond the Senses, Sands and Beyond, Śūnyatā and Tranquil as a Chrysanthemum.  It has released two CDs, The Impression of Wuji Ensemble and Ruan’s Touch of Fancy. In 2012, its “Images of Dunhuang” project presented themed concerts, lectures, cultural workshops, and masterclasses. The Ensemble has also established Taiwan, Beijing and Shanghai subgroups to further its musical exchanges and reach out to wider audience.

In 2019, Wuji Ensemble presented Boundless Groove, its first foray into jazz, using a fusion of Chinese and Western instruments and styles. The production was staged again at the inaugural Freespace Jazz Fest in the same year.  Its latest project, Boundless Groove—Recurrence was streamed online in January 2021.

A professional and unique local percussion group, Run-around Ensemble was established in 2013. “Eco, Innovative and Arts” is their mission and always will be. Combing the cajon and other ethnic and self-made eco-friendly instruments with own creative musical works, the ensemble would like to share with audiences of all ages, not only on stage but bringing their music to the community as well.

The “run-around” element started in their debut street performance on 2014 in Causeway Bay. A year after, they have visited Tycoon Percussion in Thailand to explore and study in-depth the cajon’s manufacturing process. In the same year, Percussive Arts Society Hong Kong invited them to participate in the Rhythmic Spectrum 1.2 performance. In 2015, they were invited to perform at The Hong Kong Percussion Competition 2015.

In addition to giving a well-qualified performance, Run-around also contributes to the community by offering a Cajon Workshop for Music Children Foundation in 2016 with the intention of sharing the enjoyment of music families. In the same year, Run-around was invited to perform at The International Hong Kong Percussion Convention. In 2019, they also performed in the Hong Kong Pavilion of the Chinese International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Jaffa Lam (b.1973) is a sculptor specializing in large-scale site-specific works of mixed-media sculptures and installations, which are primarily made with recycled materials. She is interested in non-verbal conversations and dialogues exploring issues related to local history, culture and current affairs. She contemplates themes such as public art, loss and revival of traditional craftsmanship, the cycle of human beings and objects, and capturing seemingly trivial human stories in the greater flow of history.

Lam has been involved in various public art and community projects in Hong Kong and overseas, including the Fukutake House Project of the Setouchi Triennale (2013) in Japan, Hong Kong Week (2015) in Taiwan MOCA, China 8_ New Figuration – Narrative Scupture (2015) in Germany Lehmbruck Museum ,  A New Dynasty- Created in China (2015) in AroS Aarhus Art Museum, Denmark, Wuzhen International Contemporary Art Exhibition (2016) in China and Lyon Lumières (2018) in France, 2020 Women Artists International Biennial of Macao . She received the Désirée and Hans Michael Jebsen Fellowship from Asian Cultural Council  in 2006. In 2010, Perspective Magazine listed her in their 40 UNDER 40, recognising the next generation of design talent. She was also one of the awardees of the Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Scheme as a result of her long-term contributions to the promotion of art and culture.

She is now the Academic Head of Hong Kong Art School and Chairperson of Hong Kong Sculpture Association. She was the founder of former Hong Kong International Artist Workshop (2004–2010), guest host of a weekly art programme on Metro Radio (2014–2020) and column writer for Delta Magazine (2014–2020).