FUSE#1

Element# 1.2 Power of softness
Post-Colonial Tactics
by Chloe C. Chotrani
My place in the post-colonial present is hybrid, ambiguous and native.
Hybrid—identity is complex, especially when we try to define it based
on nation-state borders. The term “third culture children” has come into
mainstream, a generation of children with multiple rooting, which give
us ancestry that is never linear. As a Singaporean, Filipina and Indian –
at the end of the day, I feel it is irrelevant. However, in the constructs
that we live in today, race matters. The color of your skin or the tone of
your voice dictates a level of privilege. As much as it would be
convenient to ignore race, or see faces in neutrality or worse, accept
fair beauty standards. The only way to confront it is to have a soft
strength, that can handle the brutality of racism. Thus, hybridity is a
way of not-defining my cultural context.
Ambiguous—Openness requires one to sometimes, straddle the
in-between. Some people impose, dominate, and control. The power
dynamics have to now shift to bring a sense of balance to the
eco-system, a more horizontal approach. Thus, being open to
diversifying, to a plurality of perspectives is essential to my practice, not
only as an artist, but as a person.
There is a term that is becoming quite trendy among artists that is
called radical softness. I find that important at the moment, as a
quality that takes material philosophy into an idea of politics. Where
you think about a different way of acquiring power, sharing power,
averting power positions… I saw something in your piece that is
energetic without being speedy, it was powerful without being
aggressive, it was a lot of in-between things that keeps me really
hooked, but I am never sure what I am looking at.” – Daniel Kok,
Independent Artist
“What I loved was the use of dirt… I saw a grounded-ness and
rootedness reflected but at the same time I saw something
extraordinarily modern… using your voice feels much like a child at
play, rather than something you would expect from something so
evocative and ritualistic. That together within being held in a space,
creating a space for us, it was mesmerizing in itself.” – Anlin Loh,
Producer, Pink Gajah Theatre
Chloe’s movement notes.
Native—Rather, nativity, is slightly indulgent. I feel a spiritual connection
to my Motherland, the Philippines. The abundant resources have been
and still are abused by war, capitalism and colonial powers. As so, the
rest of what is defined as the “third” world. Having lived in Manila for
over twelve years and constantly returning, having a third world
perspective has truly shaped my daily routines and it has brought me
into an ever-grounded approach to both my practice in work and life.
More voices and spaces need to be created from this perspective of
the third.
The solo piece that I worked on during this residency is entitled, Talking
Third Circle, which is a work-in-progress shared during SCOPE #1.
Responses from the sharing, as follows:
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