Movana Chen Presents Wearable Sculptures At London's Coronet Theatre

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Artist Movana Chen is showcasing her performance featuring interconnected wearable sculptures at the Coronet Theatre in London's Notting Hill. Titled Questioning the Line, the performance runs from October 14-17 and presents seven of Chen's paper-woven sculptures, which were developed between 2005 and 2025. This presentation marks the largest iteration of the series to date and coincides with Frieze London.

The performance features seven performers, including Chen, each wearing a“Body Container” sculpture knitted from shredded maps. Through coordinated movement, these static sculptures are transformed into dynamic entities, exploring themes of human connection. Chen stated from her studio in Lisbon, her main base since moving from Hong Kong five years ago, that paper, though fragile, becomes strong when woven together.

Chen, who has practiced this intricate weaving technique for over two decades, views the process as a metaphor for human relationships.“When you knit paper shreds together, you have to do it in a soft, gentle motion, giving it space, just like relationships between humans,” she explained, adding that this“breathing space makes the bond strong.” Her work has been exhibited globally, including at Contextile 2026 in Guimarães, Portugal, and is part of significant public and private collections, such as M+ in Hong Kong and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane.

The concept for Questioning the Line emerged in 2023 as Chen considered the social distancing and travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. For 21 days, Chen traveled across European landscapes in a van with performer Francisco Borges and cinematographer Tyler Weinberger. During this journey, she used her“Body Containers” to narrate stories and communicate, recreating the experience of borderless travel and reconnecting with nature.

The performance was previously featured in the Encounters sector of Art Basel Hong Kong 2025, presented by Flowers Gallery, where it drew the attention of Anda Winters, chief executive of the Coronet Theatre. Chen visited the London venue in September and began planning the UK capital's staging.

This London performance, taking place in the theatre's black box studio, is her largest yet and offers a more intimate experience than previous iterations. The 50-minute performance features seven sculptures worn by five performers from Portugal and two from London, acting as a“second skin.” The audience participates by sitting in a circle around the performers.“When the audience enters the space, they become a part of the performance as well,” Chen said.

The performers, enveloped in knitted paper shreds, move subtly to convey trust and care. Chen also curated the soundtrack, incorporating ambient nature sounds.“It's about connecting without separation,” Chen said.“It's about listening to ourselves, caring about the earth and nature.”

Source: The Art Newspaper

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