bruha:chou, a Tagalog:Cantonese word ratio, translates to “witch:clown” – a brown witch:clown ventures through the gallery, alien-izes and de-neutralizes whiteness, attempts to wear whiteness (with a simultaneous nod to painted Cantonese opera clown aesthetic), explores the puzzling white box that humans refer to as the Vancouver Art Gallery. bruha:chou responds, ponders, releases, and takes nothing for granted. Flailing, going through the motions, trying to understand, they put their knowing onto the place, and—confused albeit grounded—leave; it’s like it never happened.
Through a show curated and facilitated by Carmen Papalia, aly de la cruz yip was granted permission to film inside the gallery after-hours.The performance was neither advertised nor promoted as programming, yet patrons on private tours did witness parts of it, and non-verbal interactions also occur between the artist and gallery staff and workers.
This piece honours the artful labour of poor and working class people, especially racialized, queer and disabled people.