As part of the SISU FORMOSA Festival’s program, the curator Chih-Tung Lin works with the MIR trio in developing a durational live art performance titled “Klang”, translated as “musical tone” from German, that continues for 2 hours without a designated pause. The performers, three musicians with their distinct instruments, inhabit the space during the performance span as they talk to each other, interact with their surroundings, play music, negotiate things like they usually do. The musicians’ personal items spreading across in the space, await a new conversation to take place upon interaction.

The three musicians, I-Han on percussion, Maimu on accordion, and Repkat on guitar has started to work as a trio since 2022. The three met for music, while they each carry different backgrounds and the musical languages. When they practice together, they go through their ordinary communication on numerous subjects as they switch between verbal languages, silent glances, body postures, and many unspoken signals. In this durational performance, the psychological process of perceiving, observing, adjusting, as well as mirroring, leading, and harmonizing when one tries to adapt to an unfamiliar situation, a new concept, a foreign encounter, or anything that resembles these occasions will be unravelled under the witness of the audience through the performers’ musical depiction.

The durational performance has no strict starting and ending point, hence the audience are welcome to arrive and leave at any moment of the performance. The performance is interactive. The performers interact between each other, as well as the Elämä photography exhibition that is on in the space. They might also directly communicate with the audience on certain occasions. The audience can decide on how they wish to engage with the performance. They are welcome to interact with the set as well as the performers themselves. If they wish to add some “klang” to the background, they can contribute by interacting with the tiny instruments and a synthesizer placed in the space.

MIR trio

Together, the musicians form the MIR Trio, which was founded in 2022. 'MIR' (Russian мир) means the Russian word for 'peace' and 'world'. The concept of the MIR trio is to bring inspiring and beautiful music from different cultures and distribute it peacefully to people around the world. Three musicians from different backgrounds, connecting East and West and meeting in the middle of music through the universal language.

Percussion, I-Han Fu

Accordion, Maimu Jõgeda

Guitar, Repkat Parhat

Curator: Chih Tung Lin (Photo credits Noora Lehtovuori)

Chih Tung Lin is a curator and artist based in Taiwan and Finland. They graduated from Praxis Exhibition Studies Master Programme at University of the Arts Helsinki in 2021. They curate, do performance art, and make illustrations, but mostly their practice lies between these mediums. They like to deal with communication, social relations, and play in their works. Chih Tung Lin is currently appointed a co-artistic director at Catalysti, a non-profit art organization dedicated to transcultural art workers in Finland.