The fascinating universe of Chinese artist Tianzhuo Chen returns to Portugal following his striking debut appearance at the opening of BoCA 2017.

“Baleo! Baleo!” When this call echoes down the coast of Lamalera, in Indonesia, it means the fisherman have spotted a whale and that their ancestors will appear to give their blessing to the village. The ocean opens up to present its gifts. This destiny-defying summoning has existed for centuries, between struggle, devotion and redemption.

The performance “Ocean Cage” is inspired by the stories of the inhabitants of Lamalera, revolving around questions of solidarity, economic coexistence and ecosystems on their way to extinction. The audience is invited to dive into this world and rethink the interdependent relationships between species and a kind of justice that goes beyond the human.

In an immersive set created by the visual artist and director Tianzhuo Chen, “Ocean Cage” combines installation, dance and cinema, establishing a performance space in which Siko Setyanto takes on a range of characters. This vortex of visual art, choreography and music — featuring contributions by Indonesian musicians Kadapat and Nova Ruth — weaves together tradition and ecology, spirituality and technology.