Fragile! Human Inside
04-10.04.2025 | 7:30PM – 8:40PM
(Except 07.04.2025)
In Cantonese with Chinese and English surtitles
JC Cube & Laundry Steps, Tai Kwun
$280
Remarks
- Duration: approximately 70 minutes
- In Cantonese with Chinese and English surtitles
- Recommended for ages 6 and above
- No latecomers will be admitted
- Audience is required to walk around various locations during the performance. Comfortable clothing is recommended and please assess your physical condition if it is suitable for participation.
- Programmes are subject to change without prior notice. Tai Kwun reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the arrangements.
This is a journey about migration, existence, and illusion. A carton box is not just a container—it is a metaphor, holding not only objects and memories but also human desires and states of flux. In this era where the physical and virtual intertwine, our dwellings are no longer built from bricks and mortar but take the form of temporary "vessels"—perhaps a carton box, a pixelated space on a screen, or even a game we have yet to realize we are playing.
I have never been a gamer, yet in this work, I found myself drawn to virtual games as a medium. Perhaps only through the surreal and absurd nature of a game can we truly capture the essence of this era. This bizarre "game" has no fixed script, only countless possible pathways. The virtual world offers us a space where reality and imagination blur, allowing us to step outside our usual perspectives and rethink: could this world still hold other possibilities?
Carton Boxes as a Metaphor of the Times—Interview with GayBird on Fragile! Human Inside
Featured at Tai Kwun is Fragile! Human Inside where the audiences are drawn into an explorative journey that blends installation art, music and moving images, and virtual gaming. The project’s core imagery of carton boxes originated with multimedia artist GayBird's exploration of the physical space: “It was initially a response to Tai Kwun’s architecture.” As the concept developed, he realised that this fragile material unexpectedly mirrors the contemporary state of being: “Carton boxes are not just containers for packaging. They are also containers of our memories. As a symbol of mobility and migration, they are not sturdy yet a vessel of desires and emotions.”
While deconstructing the symbolism of carton boxes, GayBird gradually touches upon the metaphorical dimension of the digital age. Carton boxes remind him of pixels, their infinitely reconfigurable nature reflecting the ever-changing logic of the virtual world. This prompted him to introduce the medium of gaming in his works, constructing a virtual space that defies the laws of physics. As a self-proclaimed non-gamer, he finds that the absurdity of virtual games closely mirrors the irrationality of the real world: “For example, game characters can float against gravity, die and come alive again. All these break away from common sense.”
The narrative of Fragile! Human Inside is a nuanced exploration of the concepts of “home” and “belonging,” touching on deeper contemporary issues. GayBird believes that the audience can either become the characters or take the stance of detached spectators when witnessing the digital characters' eternal state of pursuit. “This constant state of 'searching for something' is perhaps the epitome of our times.” Tearing open the seams of reality with games, he adds, “There is perhaps more in the fantasy world as it could hold more possibilities.”
Compared to his past works involving mechanical installations, GayBird believes the shift to be attributed to a double awakening: his life has become increasingly mobile in recent years, relying on electronic screens to connect with family. At the same time, he is aware of the unsustainable nature of material creations-mechanical hardware quickly becomes outdated, eventually turning into waste. “Perhaps because of getting older, I do not want to involve too many physical materials,” he reflects. The virtual world does not require tangible materials, yet it has the capacity for vast imaginations.
Artistic & Music Director, Installation & Programme Design, Live Performance:
- Gaybird
Interactive and Moving Images Design:
- Jenn Leung
- Mick Yip
- Kaitlyn Hau Ka Kei
Set and Spatial Design:
- Bill Cheung*
Lighting Design:
- Allen Fung*
Sound Design:
- Jason Wong
Producer:
- Alice Wong
Production Manager:
- Carmen Cheng
Live performance:
- Emily Cheng
Assistant Lighting Design:
- Jil Chiu
Costume Design:
- Sam Cheung
* With kind permission of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
GayBird
Artistic & Music Director, Installation & Programme Design, Live Performance
Leung Kei-Cheuk, aka GayBird is a multi-disciplinary media artist and composer. GayBird’s career is defined by his versatility as a music director, composer, and producer. He has produced hundreds of works in music, concert and theatre since 1996. His compositions and productions have been recognised with nominations and awards from major music organisations including the Asian Composers League Young Composers Awards, CASH Golden Sail Music Awards, Hong Kong Film Awards, Taiwan Golden Horse Awards, and Chinese Music Media Awards. He was recently awarded the Artist of the Year (Media Arts) at the 17th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
In recent years GayBird has focused on exploring the possibilities of sound through media art. He has been commissioned by various museums and art institutions, including the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, M+, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre, and the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. His installations have been exhibited at major events such as Ars Electronica in Austria, OzAsia Festival in Adelaide, Australia, Athens Digital Art Festival, EXIT Festival in France, Hong Kong Art Basel, and the International Symposium on Art & Technology Taiwan. In 2017, he was commissioned to create a large-scale outdoor installation Home in Australia, and his sound installation From the Heart won the 3D / Interactive Award at The Lumen Prize.
Since 2011, GayBird has formed an artistic interrelationship among theatre space, media installation, visual imagery, immersive sound and live music. His recent works include 18 Ways to Create or Mute Sound commissioned by M+ in 2021, Breathing At Zero commissioned by the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, One Zero, a collaboration with renowned director Tsai Ming-Liang, presented by Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival, 18 Scenes in a Cage, a site-specific work presented at historic building, commissioned by the Hong Kong Visual Art Centre in 2018, and Emergency Kit & Swimming Pool, a site-specific performance that took place at a swimming pool.
Jenn Leung
Interactive and Moving Image Design
Jenn Leung is an educator and technical artist specializing in game engine simulations and real-time streaming tools. She is a Lecturer in Creative Technology & Design at London College of Fashion, UAL, and a Researcher at Antikythera's Cognitive Infrastructures Studio in 2024, supported by the Berggruen Institute. She is also a member of Off World Live, an engineering and research group for Unreal Engine creators, and served as a Programme Head at Architectural Association VS Unit 5 Xalon.
Her work has been exhibited at Epic Games Innovation Lab, Ars Electronica, W1 Curates, CIVA Festival, DAE Research Festival, PAF Olomouc, TICK TACK, BSMNT Gallery, and was featured on Dazed, TANK Magazine, DIS, SHOWStudio, Art Asia Pacific, COEVAL Magazine, and AQNB.
In collaboration with Daniel Felstead, she has produced three short film commissions from DIS (The Metaverse In Janky Capitalism / Literally No Place/ Always On My Mind) that explore the myths, ideologies and realities of the metaverse, AI, and Neuralink. She also regularly collaborates with dmstfctn on simulation projects for Serpentine Arts Technologies and the Leonardo Supercomputer at Bologna’s Tecnopolo. Her research focuses on biological neural networks and agent behaviour simulation, with two upcoming papers in the MIT Antikythera Journal.
Mick Yip
Interactive and Moving Image Design
Mick Yip (aka Siu Keung) is a multimedia artist and designer. He graduated from the School of Creative Media at the City University of Hong Kong in 2002 as the inaugural graduate of the program. During his university years, he received a scholarship to further his studies in 3D animation and visual effects at New York University.
In 2000, his theatre work was invited to perform at the Taipei Guling Street Avant-garde Theatre Festival. Apart from that, his media art pieces have been commissioned to exhibit at various occasions such as ifva and Para site art space. Through the past decade, Mick collaborated with various local performing, media and visual artists, including Chen Ping-chiu, Ellen Pau, Gaybird Leung, Kingsley Ng, Keith Lam, Choi Sai-ho, Lam Tung-pang, and Angela Su.
Currently, Mick is a partner at Jervois X Limited, with clients ranging from museums and theme parks to Luxury brands, both domestically and internationally. He is also a guest lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Kaitlyn Hau Ka Kei
Interactive and Moving Image Design
Kaitlyn, media artist based in Hong Kong, is a 2022 School of Creative Media graduate with a BAS in New Media. She is driven by an insatiable curiosity for new technologies. Her pivotal internship at the AR Lab sparked a passion for mixed reality and immersive media, leading her to focus on real-time, interactive content creation.
In 2025, She published her first personal VR project, Dear My Fear, with the support of the “Young Arts Tech Talents Residency Scheme.” Through her work, she seeks to offer people a lens through which they can experience the world through someone else’s eyes.
Bill Cheung
Set and Spatial Design
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in Set and Costume Design. Stage productions he was involved include “The Impossible Trial – a musical” and “May” by the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre; “Electric Girl (Rerun)” by the Hong Kong Dance Company x The Autistic Genius. Other companies and festivals that he has worked with include the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Ballet Group, Utopia Cantonese Opera Workshop, Macao Arts Festival and Hong Kong International Arts Carnival.
Allen Fung
Lighting Design
Allen Fung is the Head of Media Design and Technology at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Lighting from the HKAPA and completed a Master of Fine Arts at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong.
Fung is recognised for his cross-disciplinary approach that explores the intersection between media arts and performing arts, utilising innovative technologies to create immersive live experiences. Fung has collaborated with GayBird on “Breathing at Zero” and “Another 18 Ways to Create or Mute Sound”, and with Edward Lam on “Hello, Baoyu” and “NJ’s Journey to Atami”.
Jason Wong
Sound Design
Jason graduated from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Kwun Tong) majoring in Digital Music and Sound Technology. He is currently the sound operator of Miso Tech Ltd.
Jason has experience working with various Hong Kong and overseas performing arts groups, music festivals and concerts on audio design and live mixing. Productions he was involved in include Wow and Flutter: The Weekend, Meanwhile Music Festival, Tat Ming Pair ‘Re:play Live’, Panther Chan Live 2024 ‘Mindfulness’, ‘Solo Play’ Series: LI(N)ES by Annie Cheung, Gaybird ‘A Human Concerto’, HK Phil × HK Ballet Co-Present ‘Carmina Burana’.
Emily Cheng
Live Performance
Emily completed her BMus (Hons) with first-class honours and Master of Music with distinction at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She was the recipient of several scholarships.
She has participated in performances across styles and forms, including solo, chamber, orchestra, opera and multimedia. She has collaborated with pop artists including Ivana Wong, Panther Chan and Yo Yo Sham etc. In 2014, she became the first female drummer in collaboration with the Hofesh Shechter Company and garnered praise for her performance in Political Mother in the New Vision Arts Festival. In 2019, she was selected as one of the artists of World Percussion Group 2019 directed by Maraca2 for a tour in Europe, and was invited by the Shatin Symphony Orchestra to perform percussion concerto Frozen in Time as a soloist. In 2020, she presented her solo Metamorphosis — Emily Cheng Multimedia Percussion Recital, supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council’s Emerging Artists Scheme. In recent years, she has participated in Gaybird’s works including “18 Ways/Another 18 Ways to Create or Mute Sound”, “Music for 9”, Taichung NTT Arts Nova “Keep Breathing at Zero”, also performed in the New Vision Arts Festival 2022 《HACK》created by GayBird and Ata Wong.
Emily is an active freelance percussionist for many professional ensembles, including Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, etc. She is currently one of the percussion instructor of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Junior Music Programme.
Jil Chiu
Assistant Lighting Designer
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2023, specialising in lighting design. He has been actively involved in lighting design and programming for different types of performances. His recent lighting design works include ‘FreeSpace Ensemble: Yellow Magic Orchestra’ and 'Freespace Noise Fest' organised by the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), ‘Jazz Excellence’ organised by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, etc. He is now a freelance theatre artist.