‘In Between’ art forms: A cross-disciplinary journey inspired by Wu Guanzhong

In the fluid space between ink and movement, a new stage work seeks to translate brushstrokes into motion.

This May, the Hong Kong Dance Company will premiere In Between – Wu Guanzhong’s Ink Odyssey at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Running from May 22 to 24, the production forms part of a broader cross-disciplinary initiative celebrating the legacy of the accomplished modern Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong, whose work bridged Eastern and Western artistic traditions.

Jointly presented with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and curated in collaboration with the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the production brings together dance, original music, and light art in a layered exploration of Wu’s visual language. French artists Dominique Drillot and Sophie Laly contribute visual elements that extend the performance beyond choreography alone.

At the heart of the work is the idea of inhabiting the “in between”—a space where artistic disciplines intersect.

Choreographer and Artistic Director of Hong Kong Dance Company Yang Yuntao describes the production as an effort to bring together artists from different fields into a unified whole, not merely to interpret Wu’s paintings but to move toward the artistic realm they evoke, allowing dance to unfold within the “blank spaces” of his works and sketch out a sense of poetry and imagery through movement.

Wu Guanzhong, widely regarded as a defining figure of 20th-century Chinese art, spent his life navigating the tension and harmony between tradition and modernity. His paintings, characterized by dynamic compositions of dots, lines, and planes, sought to build what he described as a bridge “between East and West, between the people and the experts, between the figurative and the abstract.”

That philosophy is echoed throughout the production. Original music by singer-songwriter and composer Ivana Wong Yuen-chi forms a central layer of the experience, with Wong also appearing as a special guest performer. Her composition draws on the notion of “in between,” moving between structured melodic lines and more conceptual expressions to reflect Wu’s lifelong dedication to art.

Wong’s approach extends beyond composition into dialogue with movement. By responding to the dancers’ breathing, gestures, and spatial dynamics, the music is designed to expand and contract alongside the choreography, creating a shared rhythm between sound and motion. The result is a convergence of artistic forms shaped by a common conceptual core.

Beyond the stage, the production unfolds across the city through a series of public programs.

In the lead-up to the performances, dancers will, in April and May, stage site-specific works at the Wu Guanzhong Art Gallery in the Hong Kong Museum of Art and at Harbour City, linking the artist’s visual language with everyday urban space. A thematic exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from May 8 to 25 will further unpack the creative process, offering audiences insight into how visual art is translated into performance.

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The project is supported by the Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship, established through major donations from the artist’s family. With more than 450 works and archival items, the Hong Kong Museum of Art holds the most extensive collection of Wu’s works globally, reinforcing the city’s role as a key platform for revisiting and reinterpreting his legacy.

For museum director Nadia Lau Sheung-ying, the connection between Wu’s art and performance lies in rhythm and structure.

She notes that Wu’s use of dots, lines, and planes reflects a sense of movement and cadence, and that his writings often drew parallels between visual art and music in terms of form and rhythm. Through dance and music, the museum hopes to introduce his work to wider audiences in new and accessible ways.

As Hong Kong continues to position itself as a cultural crossroads, In Between – Wu Guanzhong’s Ink Odyssey offers a reflection on dialogue across disciplines and traditions.

It is an attempt to translate not just images, but ideas—tracing the invisible lines that connect movement, sound, and light within a shared artistic space. In that space between forms, the stage becomes a canvas once more.

marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com