Dust, again

Taking inspiration from Li Bai’s poem The Old Dust and the moon rabbit who ‘pounds medicine in vain’, this performance examines ancient China’s fixation on immortality and the passing of time.

For half an hour, the artist lies face down with a long white wig draped over them. A mortar and pestle overflowing with dried osmanthus flowers is placed out of reach from the artist’s outstretched hands.

All ages.

Image: Frankie Chow, Dust again, 2024, performance motif. Image courtesy of the artist

This performance is part of the Council curated exhibition Passage of Night; Luminary Rising. This event is part of Chatswood Year of the Dragon Festival, the North Shore’s premier Lunar New Year celebrations presented by Willoughby City Council.

About the artist

Frankie Chow is a Hong Kong-Australian multidisciplinary artist based in Sydney. Chow holds a BVA Honours (First Class) from Sydney College of the Arts, and was a recipient of the University of Sydney Honours Scholarship. They have been a finalist for the China Residencies Locality/Reality Residency Grant and the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize of Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.

Chow has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Australian and international galleries – Art Spot Korin, 2023; ShangYuan Modern Art Museum, 2019; CICA Museum, 2019; Gaffa Gallery, 2019, and Galerie Pompom, 2016. Chow was the recipient of the NAVA & Create NSW Artists’ Grant in 2018, and their work and writing was published by CICA Museum, South Korea in 2020.