Raffia Li 那/那儿 ~ Keywords: 讠word-rituals 司/寺 -all 讠 breaking 吾 /yǔ/ in -directions co-creating in-between writing-typing-signing-speaking-listening-touching -bodylands in changing breaths and minor edges/senses 氵（游） play pauses 脉搏 / 暂停 小 （乐）slow-play (hills)heals (山)疗愈 yù 昜（场） dialoguing melting f i e l d s 田 / 野 / 域 yù 雨 /yǔ/
Raffia Li (TA/they/she), works with poetry melting in minor edges/senses, in forms of performances, videos or installations. In their research, they explore the physicality of languages as actions/rituals/sites, to sense the gaps/gates under the signs, disrupt the ableist hegemonic knowledge and norms bounded by the speaking/written words, nurture/hold the in-between meanings and remake the poetic space of relations.
/They tilt in slow dialoguing/
Their art practice is deeply influenced by poetry, theatre of the oppressed, reading of Zhuangzi, field research over shadow puppetry and their rituals in China, Thailand, Indonesia and India, their learning experience of being in a sign language art collective Shape of Language & their actions in the hutongs and streets, running a community art festival Mini Shadowplay Festival, diary/letter exchanges with friends, their MA study at DAI, observations of their dreaming state, and the river near Grandma 芹’s yard. Their individual and collaborated projects have been presented in Today Art Museum, Guangdong Times Museum, Wuzhen Theatre Festival, Kunstinstituut Melly, Museum Tinguely, Gasworks, Centre Pompidou, and others.
Learn more about Raffia Li's 20 minute performance I-我 we/us-我们 you-你/你们 They-TA/TA们 for UNDERSTORY CHANT ~ Aeroponic Acts 2021, August 2021 in Arnhem.
Learn more about Raffia Li's written MA thesis: The Under-sign: Languages as sites to be with, as they are\
Since 2023 Raffia Li returns to DAI as a member of the Admissions Committee.
Follow Raffia's "Life after DAI" via their website