Déjà vu Sonata

即逝奏鳴

Photo by Ding Liyan

Déjà vu Sonata is a dance film and narrative space based on the reencounter with my remote family stories, a family of violinists in Shanghai in the 1930s-1940s.

Commissioned by Rockbund Shanghai

for the exhibition “Reminiscence: 9 Latent Episodes Behind the Bund”

(Dec 17, 2021 - Feb 27, 2022)

Artistic Concept, Performance, and Film Editing: Jess Chiayi Seetoo

Film Direction: Yan Hao

Cinematography: Wu Songhao

Music: Zhou Dong

Violin: Sun Yiqi

Cello: Zhao Yiyang

Luthier Re-embodied

回身

Photo by Ding Liyan

In Luthier Re-embodied, a short dance film installation that’s part of Déjà vu Sonata, I try to re-embody the spirit of precision, perfection, and detail-orientation that describes my great grandfather Fucheng Seetoo (1888-1954; a naval architect, Chinese and Western music lover, and violin maker in Shanghai) in this short dance film. The overhead shot seeks to approximate the viewpoint of an architect facing his blueprint, or a luthier crafting over his work table. The dancing re-interprets the process of violin-making: planning, sculpting, sanding, paint-brushing etc., as well as the curved shape of the violin; it also creates association with mathematics, geometry, measuring, drawing etc. My look makes reference to his look in the photograph taken when he was a young man: slicked hair, old-fashioned glasses, and a dark suit.

Artistic Concept, Performance, and Film Editing: Jess Chiayi Seetoo

Film direction: Yan Hao

Cinematography: Wu Songhao

Luthier: Wang Jianhua

Music: Zoltán Kodály, Duo for Violin and Cello, op. 7 II. Adagio, Da-Hong Seetoo, violin and David Finckel, cello