Tianzhuo Chen’s Powerful performance at Festival d’Automne

Author : Lucille Enel
Published on : September 18, 2026 | Last modified on : September 24th, 2026 at 10:05 am

Ritual, Mythology and the Ocean

Eleven years after his first solo show in France at the Palais de Tokyo, Chinese artist Tianzhuo Chen returns to Paris with Ocean Cage, presented with Indonesian performer Siko Setyanto at the Festival d’Automne. This powerful performance brings together dance, music, video and visual art. It draws inspiration from Lamalera, a fishing village on the island of Lembata in eastern Indonesia. In 2022, the artists spent several months in the village. They met with the local community and discovered a strong ancestral culture deeply connected to the ocean and traditional whale hunting. They interviewed local people and filmed their daily life, rituals, Siko Setyanto’s performances in the surrounding landscape, as well as underwater footage. This material later became part of the performance.

Tianzhuo Chen’s Vision of Parallel Realities

In Ocean Cage, these experiences become the starting point for a world where ritual, mythology, spirituality and contemporary culture meet. The performance moves between human, divine and animistic figures. Indonesian musicians Kadapat and Nova Ruth contribute to its immersive soundscape. Their music reinforces the connection between the performers, the ocean and the ancestral traditions of Lamalera. Through this combination of live performance, sound and moving images, Tianzhuo Chen creates a powerful environment where different realities can coexist.

About Tianzhuo Chen

Tianzhuo Chen is a Chinese multidisciplinary artist based in Shanghai. His practice combines performance, installation, video, fashion, music and digital art. He explores spirituality, mythology, pop culture and contemporary technologies. His work creates immersive worlds where different cultures, traditions and realities coexist.