Realness: Luk Kreung by Phittaya Phaefuang (NO/TH)
Performance:
26 June 19:00 at Kilden teater og konserthus
Suitable for: Everyone
Tickets: Click here to book!
REALNESS: LUK KREUNG is an intimate work that explores family dynamics while addressing cultural forms, performing categories and societal issues. Phitthaya Phaefuang incorporates New York LGBTQIA+ underground ballroom culture with Buddhism, Thai political and cultural phenomena, and gender as a concept into the story of his mothers past as a sex worker. He views the work as a gift for her and also a performance about gaining deeper insights and examining suffering and compassion closely.
“Luk Kreung” is a term used to describe individuals who are of Thai and another heritage. Mainly used on people who were Thai and caucasian. Phaefuang's mother, who is Thai, and his father, who is French, made him a Luk Kreung. There was a time when being a Luk Kreung was stigmatized because their mothers were often sex workers. Nowadays, the history of this group of people has faded, been forgotten, and is rarely talked about. As a Luk Kreung, Phaefuang openly expresses his mother's past as a sex worker through various forms of gender performance, including catwalk, sex sirens, voguing, Thai female dance, dharma practices, and walking meditation.
With his experiences as a monk in Thai culture, ballroom father in the ballroom culture, academic dance trained from the western culture, he is looking deeply into his mums past as sex worker and going beyond the binary male and female gender.
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Phitthaya Phaefuang aka Aurora Sun Labeija obtained his bachelor's degree in Modern and Contemporary Dance from Oslo National Academy of the Arts in 2011. He moved to Thailand the following year and initiated projects throughout Asia, primarily in Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. With a keen interest in LGBTQ subculture, Sun delves into the vibrant world of vogue and ballroom culture, and he is recognized as the trailblazer of the Thailand ballroom scene. In addition, Buddhism has served as the inspiration and driving force behind Phaefuang's choreographic journey.
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Performer and choreographer Phitthaya Phaefuang
Dramaturg Arco Renz
Artistic advisor Tang Fu Kuen
Outside eye Melanie Fieldseth
Light designer Jui-Hsuan Tseng (Ray Tseng)
Music composer Pisitakun Kuantalaeng, Cheryl Ong
Thai Dance mentors Kornkarn Rungsawang, Patcharin Bundit, Zack Kampanath Ruangkittivilas
Costume design Vorapol Suporn
Special credit Rungtawan Kongnuj, The LGBTQIA+ Underground Ballroom community of New York
Bodhisattva Japanese paintings Kimura Ryoko
Funded by Norwegian Art Council (Kulturrådet)
Co-production BIT Teatergarasjen, Taipei Performing Arts Center, RISK - Rimi/Imir Scenekunst
Residencies Nordic Residency Exchange Program 2021, 2019 Tttifa (Tua-Tiu-Tiann International Festival Of Arts) Residency Artist