From Heart to Hearts for Hearts

A multidisciplinary multimedia online performance

Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLeJL9qDFbU&feature=youtu.be

Beverly Yuen, a theatre director and physical theatre artist, expresses with movements and songs resonating from the heart to visual artist Kylie Boo’s 15 drawings and paintings on congenital heart defects to raise awareness on the struggles of congenital heart defects (CHD) patients. Kylie Boo was born with a rare congenital heart condition, and she hopes to portray the daily struggles of the patients through this project. The director will conceptualise the performance together with filmmaker Goh Ying Sheng and present it digitally in the form of a video online from 29 July to 10 Aug.

Apart from Beating: We Are Purple Humans – Kylie’s first online exhibition. The heart beats of the CHD patients should remain beating. It will continue to beat, to beat to a new platform where Kylie has never explored.

The artworks was an inspiration to Beverly Yuen, an artistic director and performer of Grain PR Lab, to create a solo multidisciplinary performance – align with Kylie’s hope and dream.

Beverly Yuen, an artistic director of Grain Performance & Research Lab, and a lecturer of Republic Polytechnic encountered her student, Kylie Boo at The Star Vista on one of the weekdays in November 2018. Kylie Boo who was born with congenital heart disease (CHD) had skipped school to sell her merchandise, hoping that she could raise some funds to create the awareness of CHD by using her art making skills, which was her forte. Kylie later created an online exhibition – Beating: We are Purple Human which was initially a physical exhibition, but was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“My thought of spending my entire life to make this exhibition happen was fulfilled so much earlier! All thanks to the encounter with Ms Beverly – who was my Understanding Directing and Performance lecturer when I was a student of Republic Polytechnic.

On that day, one of my assistants was not able to turn up for work due to personal commitments. As my pop-up store was a week long, I could not afford to lose any days unopened. Left with no choice, I skipped school to open the store.

It was then, I saw Ms Beverly who just had her lunch in StarVista.

Immediately after I set my gaze on her, I was so excited to share with her about my idea and the purpose of having a pop-up store! Being so engrossed in our conversation, I forgot the fact that I’d actually skipped school on that day…” said Kylie.

The school learnt about their brief encounter. Kylie was later counselled by the school for skipping lesson although her intention was motivational.

“I saw Kylie Boo Kai Ni Kylie at a pop-up store selling artworks at The Star Vista on one of the weekdays in November 2018.”

“What are you doing here? You don’t have school today?”

” Hmm… No… But I am now going to school for my FYP meeting.”

She rushed off after the brief encounter. I browsed through the pop-up store which sold various products (shirts, stickers, bags) with her artworks.

As there was no chance for a longer chat, I WhatsApped her to ask her more about the pop-up store. She answered:

“I am trying to raise some funds for my upcoming project. I’m a congenital heart disease (CHD) patient. So, last year I underwent 2 major heart operations. And after this incident, I feel like I need to do something for the congenital heart patients, especially the pediatric patients.
So, I intend to draw 15 different hearts defects, to raise awareness among the public— don’t ignore the CHD patients just because they look normal.”

Wow, a really meaningful motivation, I thought!
I bought a few items, and excitedly told my RP colleagues about it… And it turned out that… She really skipped her lesson…

She was counseled by the school (hmm, skipping school is not good, even though the reason is “noble”), but also received support to realise her dream! The school did not know about her notable venture before this incident. Thus, with assistance from RP and the lecturers, she is currently working on a visual arts exhibition showcasing the struggles and dreams of individuals with CHD!”

Kylie was encouraged and supported by the school to create her very first exhibition, Beating: We Are Purple Humans. The school also supported her with two Final Year Project Teams, Management and Technical Teams. Coincidentally, Beverly Yuen who was her Understanding Directing and Performance, was also the supervisor of the management team!

After seeing and learning more about the exhibition, Beverly was greatly touched by Kylie’s artwork. As the director of Grain PR Lab, she decided to take on a new project – From Heart to Hearts For Hearts, to explore and share the awareness Kylie intended to, transforming and adapting “Beating: We Are Purple Human” into a brand new performing art which no one has ever touched on.

“This performance sourced from my heart, as the director and solo performer, to the hearts of many around us. This project is for those who are struggling with the situation, be it emotionally, physically, or financially. This is probably the most meaningful arts project that I have undertaken in my 25 years of pursuit in theatre!” Beverly added.

Get your tickets today: http://heart2hearts.peatix.com