PuSh 2010 Curatorial Statement: William Yang’s China

December 17, 2009

By PuSh Festival Senior Curator Sherrie Johnson

My relationship with William Yang dates back to the 2001. I have had the privilege of presenting William on several occasions in Canada. What first struck me about William Yang’s brilliance was how he could capture a story with a single image. It’s a remarkable feat for any photographer to capture their subject with such a discerning eye, but William has the artistry of world-class photographer and the refinement of a masterful storyteller. His narrated monologues take audience members on the most insightful and extraordinary journey.

The ingenuity and craftsmanship of his performance is something to behold. William magically interweaves and interconnects his stories and photographs with such seamlessness one often forgets he is performing. There is such a delicate and understated virtuosity to his performance that you always feel as if William is your best friend and he’s letting you in on the most personal and intimate details of his life.

There is something life affirming when I watch William perform and given the last year of economic downtown and funding cuts in B.C., William brings me a great deal of comfort and affirmation in humanity.

China is part of the 2010 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and is presented with 2010 Cultural Olympiad and Theatre at UBC. Feb 2-6, 2010 at 7:30pm, Frederic Wood Theatre, UBC. Click here for full details.