Performance explores Indonesia's historical pain and intergenerational trauma

Grace Tjang's latest work, "The Garden of Earthly Disquiet," delves into the profound pain and lingering trauma of Indonesia's history. Presented at the Impulstanz festival as an Austrian premiere, the performance translates generations of suffering into an ethereal stage experience.

Tjang, born in Surabaya, Indonesia, a city that endured Dutch and British colonialism, Japanese occupation, and became a focal point of Indonesia's liberation struggle post-1945, channels this complex heritage into her art. The piece seeks to confront the restlessness embedded within her family's history and the nation's past.

"The Garden of Earthly Disquiet" is described as an exploration of the pain inflicted upon Indonesia. It grapples with how to process a legacy of conflict and displacement, translating these deep-seated issues into a performance that resonates with emotional depth and historical weight.