Every Thought I’ve Ever Had: Contemplating the Origin of the Sun
Collateral Design; Scenography
(Lighting Design, Multimedia Design), Performer
Tung Jit Yang,
The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur
2022
A 12-hour performance from sunset to sunrise by Arief
Hamizan, Bryan Chang, and Tung Jit Yang—a curious
experiment in capturing and examining the pristine inner experience, inspired by the work of
psychologist
Russell T. Hurlburt and their personal
relationships to Japan.
Presented as part of Kaleidoscope Japan: Online Exhibition by The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur.
The initial idea—to explore the stream of thought—gained focus after encountering Hurlburt’s work on pristine inner experiences. Over a period of time, Bryan would call either Jit or Arief at random, prompting them to speak about whatever was on their mind just before the call. These pre-recorded video calls were later played back during the performance, with Jit and Arief taking turns to interrogate and dissect the mental moment captured.
With bare, deliberate staging, the lighting design took inspiration from articles about inner experience and inner speech. The graphic design followed suit—minimal, with the key visual element illustrating the ephemeral nature of consciousness and thought.
Performance photos by Lim Su-Ann (1
– 4), Bryan Chang (5).
Response Article (Arts Equator)
Article on inner speech (BBC)
Article on inner experience (Psychology Today)