/ After sea-level rise, I… 

—— The present forum is an artwork's introduction of the video collection 《Last Words》 ——

《After sea-level rise, I…》
Coutesy of National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts



Imagine a world where the sea level rises, and humanity finds itself trapped in a powerless predicament. The end of the world is of our own making, and everything is eventually lost, slipping through our fingers. Picture a world gradually erased by human hands until it becomes a colorless echo of its former self. In this moment of reckoning, we ask ourselves how can we make changes, starting from now?

After Sea-level Rise, I… is a dance film created by Shu-Yi Chou during the outbreak of COVID-19, when many live events were being canceled or postponed and the internet became an alternative arena for many artists. As a a choreographer, performer, and curator, Chou was forced to contemplate the role of the arts during times of great political, social and economic challenges, and what can be expected from theater in these circumstances. Set on the rooftop of Weiwuying, the film imagines a future world where extreme climate change and sea-level rise have caused many cities to submerge, and rooftops become refuge islands for people seeking shelter, rescue, and a path forward. Based on this idea, the film explores the theme of survival, and invites viewers to contemplate our shared future.

First Edition Premiere: November 14, 2020
Commissioned by National Kaohsiung Centre of the Arts (Weiwuying), Taiwan for the 38th Annual Conference of the Federation for Asian Cultural Promotion, using Weiwuying online screening platform.

Special Edition Premiere: March 2021
Commissioned by Weiwuying for the “Dance en Scene – an Initiative of Commissioning New Dance Films in Asia”, launched by Esplanade–Theatres on the Bay (Singapore), joined hands with Tai Kwun–Centre for Heritage and Arts (Hong Kong), National Taichung Theater (Taiwan) and Weiwuying (Taiwan).
In 2022 this film was also exhibited in Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles.