Words by Katie Hagan.
The film opens with Shiho Yokoyama taking us into a secret garden. Plush with greenery, the sun’s rays flicker between tree branches, as Shiho moves bewitched through a walkway adorned with the brightest of flowers.
Whilst this happens, a voiceover begins. It is Shiho speaking to herself. In this monologue of sorts, that feels improvisatory, although Shiho feels good and can smell the warmth of the sun, there is a pervasive and lingering anxiety.
Her anxiety is exemplified by the film’s quick frame cuts to Shiho with her fist in her mouth, moving in a more jolted and frantic way. The feeling you get from experiencing this scene is markedly different to the earlier serenity in the garden; it’s way more sinister.
The shift in scenes though points to what the film is exploring: the complex, labyrinthine journey to inner peace in a world where obstructive forces are constantly pushing against you. During the film, Shiho is fighting this battle between listening to the birds and surviving the city; between finding solitude all the while facing demons.
Yet the garden, in all its resplendence, is a metaphor for seclusion and safety. Towards the end of the film, the shift between scenes of solitude and anxiety is less frequent. We see more of Shiho happy in the garden. The choreography reflects her feeling; gradually becoming more freeing and expansive. Has Shiho found the comfort that she has been looking for?
Using dance and text, the film highlights the difficult journey we take as individuals to find a more peaceful existence.
Creative Credits
Dancer: Shiho Yokoyama. Direction / Video / Camera / Editing: Michael Naylor. Voice: Shiho Yokoyama. This was a collaborative concept video created with Michael Naylor and nature’s stage.