Chisato Minamimura in a white knee-length robe. To her left and right, she is bordered by two oversized green hands that are projected onto the dark wall behind her. She looks strained and, with her hands held up, gives the impression of wanting to push the projected hands away from her.
Chisato Minamimura in a white knee-length robe. She kneels on the stage with her back bent forward, looking down at the floor. At the same time, her right hand rests on one thigh. Three oversized hands are projected onto the dark wall behind her, lying flat on top of each other. Compared to the projection, Chisato appears very small.
Chisato Minamimura in a white knee-length robe. To her left and right, she is bordered by two oversized green hands that are projected onto the dark wall behind her. She looks strained and, with her hands held up, gives the impression of wanting to push the projected hands away from her.

Scored in Silence

Chisato Minamimura

London

Forgotten, isolated, overlooked - how can the Deaf "Hibakusha" be remembered? Scored in Silence is a solo performance that unpacks the hidden perspectives of Deaf hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The work is based on their untold histories and the interview testimonies of these elderly Deaf people. Chisato Minamimura brings these previously unknown narratives into stark relief, touching upon the atrocity of the event and its aftermath, including the layers of discrimination experienced by these isolated members of Japanese society.  

At the heart of the show is a special technology that creates a fascinating visualization: vibrating straps worn by audience members offer a tactile experience of the haunting sound composition. A 3D holographic illusion reflecting the live performance, visual vernacular, crafted animation, and film footage of Deaf survivors are also used. Scored in Silence blends images, light, animation, vibration, and sign language and touches the audiences’ imagination as what Chisato Minamimura calls “visual sound.”


Chisato Minamimura is a performance artist and choreographer born in Japan and now based in London. Minamimura approaches choreography and performance making from her unique perspective as a Deaf artist, experimenting with and exploring the visualisation of sound and music. By using dance and digital technology, she aims to share her experiences of sensory perception and human encounters. Chisato Minamimura often uses mathematical scores to create her choreography with professional dancers and aims to enhance the experience of dance and performance without music but instead, creating "visual sound".

 

This event is part of A Sign For The Future. You can find more information here.

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Rita Mazza shares insights about Scored in Silence in DGS.

Production credits

Artistic Direction, Performance Chisato Minamimura Producer Michael Kitchin Lighting, Production Management Jon Armstrong Animation Dave Packer Sonic Artist Danny Bright Audio Description, Writer, Mentor William Elliot Vibrotactile Specialists David Bobier/Jim Ruxton (VibrafusionLab) Sign Mime Specialist Tetsuya Izaki Sign Language Mentor Steven Webb BSL Interpreters Lian Duan, Sumayyah Si-Tayeb Translation Karen Witthuhn Operator Yvonne Griesel Photos Mark Pickthall


Funded by the Arts Council England, Canada Council for the Arts, The Great Britain SASAKAWA Foundation and British Council Supported. Partnered by VibrafusionLab, Fanshawe, Ovalhouse Theatre, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and Cuspinc. Special thanks to Mayumi Bono (National Institute of Informatics), Mami Kaneko, Tomoe Kurokawa, Fumie Nakagawa, Susumu Oya and Nursing Home: Awaji Fukuro No Sato.