If the Sky Could Dream: Dragonatomy

We search for dragons in art, in movement, in music, and in ourselves. Reflect upon the Year of the Dragon in this exploratory performance by Irene Hsiao in collaboration with Paige Brown, Hunter Diamond, Menghua Guan, Penny Li, Amanda Maraist, Scott Rubin, Darling “Shear” Squire, and Peter Wong at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art.

If the Sky Could Dream combines drawing, painting, dance, found materials and found spaces at the museum to reveal and celebrate the dragons among us—structural, ancestral, architectural, internal, and environmental. Because the dragon is a water deity in Chinese culture, this work also features projections of the waters of Chicago: Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and the lakes, ponds, and lagoons of Chicago Parks.

For more information about the full-bio of performers, please visit: https://irenechsiao.wordpress.com/2024/12/28/if-the-sky-could-dream-dragonatomy/

If The Sky Could Dream: Dragonatomy is generously funded by the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation as part of the Dragon Within: Loong and Global Symbols event series. If the Sky Could Dream is supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant. Irene Hsiao is the 2024 Resident Artist at Heritage Museum of Asian Art.

Please note tours may be canceled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

About Irene Hsiao

Irene Hsiao creates performances in conversation with visual art in museums, galleries, and public spaces, a practice that includes site-specific interaction with visual artworks and experimental engagement with artists, institutions, and the public. She is the resident artist 2024 at the Heritage Museum.

Image collage of photos by Kristie Kahns and Jasmine Carter

Accessibility

The Heritage Museum of Asian Art's Entrance is on West 35th Street. Take the elevator to the third floor and turn right to the Museum Reception Desk. Accessible and standard toilets are located on the same floor. Free parking space is available next to the museum via West 35th Street.

If you have any programming questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with [email protected] or 312-842-8884.

Host or Publisher Heritage Museum of Asian Art