The four acts of Current/y
Chen Yi Studio: Current/y
Book tickets for Chen Yi Studio: Current/y | 17-19 Sep
What happens to our sense of self when attention, popularity and influence can all be measured? In Current/y, Taiwanese artist Chen Yi explores the pressures of life in a world increasingly shaped by the pursuit of digital validation.
The story unfolds in a virtual space governed by data and algorithms. The dancer’s virtual twin symbolises her digital self, and with each step in her journey, the audience witnesses how social networks reshape personal identity and value. The performance is divided into four acts:
The four acts of Current/y
Act One: Digital Twin
The birth of the virtual twin marks the dancer’s initial entrance into the digital world, detached from reality and immersed in a space filled with boundless possibilities. Here, traditional social frameworks disappear, leaving only metrics, clicks, and attention. Visuals and sound are infused with data symbols, representing technology’s grip on humanity.
Act Two: The Pursuit of Metrics
The dancer becomes increasingly lost in the world of self-media and influencer culture, endlessly chasing clicks and followers as a measure of self-worth. As her fixation on metrics intensifies, her sense of personal value rapidly diminishes. Visually, the stage projects streaming social media comments, subscription notifications, and data dynamics, capturing the fragmentation of identity in the digital age.
Act Three: Digital Self-Creation
Amid the anxieties of the digital era, the dancer’s virtual twin is ensnared in relentless self-curation and refinement, striving to create a flawless image. She meticulously crafts each move and expression to convey a vibrant, multi-faceted life that aligns with digital standards of validation.
Act Four: Lost and Reborn
When the virtual twin is finally engulfed by a vortex of metrics and data, the dancer experiences profound self-doubt and anxiety, as though bound by invisible chains. The stage lighting dims, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Yet, amid this turmoil, the dancer begins to rediscover her true sense of self-worth, reconnecting with the real world and gradually journeying toward rebirth and awakening.
Moving between the physical and virtual, Current/y turns the familiar language of feeds, followers and algorithms into something tangible. Chen Yi invites us to see the digital world from inside it – a space of possibility and self-invention, but also of pressure, judgement and uncertainty – and to consider how deeply it has begun to shape the way we see ourselves.