THOUSANDS SILK THREADS

three transforming experiences

We are in Suzhou, the land of white surfaces and magical shadows, of transparencies and handicrafts, the land that meets water. This is where trade routes begin and end, a

place of refinement and excellency, where Value Retail is nesting.

STORYTELLING

STORYTELLING

The story starts in the village along the two main axes jade and lapis roads. These two lines represents the trade routes where the thousand silk threads are connecting and sharing

the great energy of all civilizations encountered from Europe to China, from Italy to Suzhou

YI IN BLOOM : The performance metaphor – to bloom – should be

used to express the idea that a new day has come to Suzhou and a new idea (shopping tourism) has come

to China. The flower is also a symbol of sharing, of new

ideas multiplying through cross-pollination between people of all types.

YI IN MOTION motion as an expression of change, development and

elevation. To travel is to change, to rise (transcend) is to change.

YI SPIRIT – DARING Yi is the spirit of openness and the courage to go

beyond the status quo; Yi has an international outlook and looks for innovation in the

intersection of fashion, art and culture. Where the east meets the west and vice versa.

September Activation The Themes for activation

Activation September

To express the beginning of traveling experience (East to

West) we have developed a series of 3 formats that will create a powerful sense of

animation.

Experiences that can be played in succession or can be played

separately.

1st experience: DYNAMIC MULTI PATTERN CUBES will become the structure to build multicolor objects and polyvalent architectural structures

2nd experience: DYNAMIC LABYRINTH that customizes the idea of being surrounded by different cultures impressions

3rd experience: KUN-OPERA the meeting point of two traditional culture where the east meets the west and vice versa. Tradition flows

into a new contemporary artistic context

Activation September - Yi in Bloom

1st experience DYNAMIC MULTI PATTERN CUBES that will be transformed by the creativity of the dancers

Multi face cubes performance intervention

All performers use the boxes recreating different shapes of objects than can be easily recognized by the imaginary of the public. For ex: sitting on them, build new shapes with them like a podium, a tower, a table or anthropomorphic shapes. Some of the boxes are empty inside and can be used like objects where dancers can dive inside.

Activation September - Yi in Motion

Labyrinth designs are found all around the world in many cultures and civilizations. They are found carved in rock, ceramics, clay tablets, mosaics, manuscripts, stone patterns, turf, hedges, and cathedral pavements. The earliest known designs are about 3000 years old. In the various cultures their significance was part of the story of how they developed from one place to another (or simultaneously appeared in several) and is often mysterious and hard to comprehend.

Labyrinth - an interactive installation for spiritual journeys

2nd experience: DYNAMIC LABYRINTH

Activation September: Yi in Motion DYNAMIC Sensorial LABYRINTH

To better express the idea of traveling the dancers will drive clients into a path from one side to another of the village, let them experience a walk trough a partially movable labyrinth of brocades that express the concept of “real time” transformation.

The input of the labyrinth is to put in evidence a real concept of transformation that will make the connection

between Yi in Bloom to Yi Spirit. We will have a double intervention to make this

transformation possible.

PERFORMING THE INSTALLATION In one side the six dancers will drive part of the

labyrinth structure while letting the “customers” move from one side to the other and while recreating a real

multi shape structure to let the customers walk in, dance nearby, generating the effect of creating a sensorial

walk through.

INSTALLATION LIKE SCENOGRAPHY On the other side we will place structures along a corridor that will be moved later, making a real

theatrical scenery effect that introduces the following scene.

Labyrinth intervention Yi in motion toward Yi Spirit

Yi Spirit 3rd experience: KUN-OPERA East meets West

Kunqu Opera singer comes out from a visionary scenery, she sings the beauty of life, for new experiences, willingness to meet again her beloved lover that left sometime ago for a long trip. Meanwhile the scenery will change. A long tail will come out, two amazingly long and soft “water sleeves” will fly through the air and beside the customers.

3rd experience: KUN-OPERA West meets East

Meanwhile the Kun Qu Opera singer is performing, a man, dressing in Opera Lyrica costume will slowly start sings and walking on the direction of her. He walks under the brocade corridor installation. This is the meeting point in between East and West and vice versa. It’s also the moment where theatrical installation will play a synergy in between different cultures, mixing into a new and uncommon style

3rd experience: KUN QU - LYRICAL OPERA

The intersection of culture