Movana Chen's 'Questioning the Line' Brings Seven Woven Body Containers to London's Coronet Theatre
From 14 to 17 October, Movana Chen presents her performance series 'Questioning the Line' at the Coronet Theatre in Notting Hill, London, aligning with Frieze London. This work showcases seven interconnected wearable sculptures, known as Body Containers, crafted from shredded maps and created between 2005 and 2025. Seven performers, including Chen, don these sculptures, enhancing their impact through synchronized movements. Among them, five hail from Portugal and two from London. The 50-minute performance unfolds in a circular arrangement for the audience. Living in Lisbon since her departure from Hong Kong five years ago, Chen draws inspiration from themes of social distancing and travel restrictions. This piece was previously featured in the Encounters sector at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025.
Key facts
- Movana Chen's 'Questioning the Line' runs at the Coronet Theatre in Notting Hill, London, from 14 to 17 October
- The performance features seven interconnected wearable sculptures called Body Containers, knitted from shredded maps and made between 2005 and 2025
- Seven performers appear, five from Portugal and two from London, including Chen herself
- The 50-minute performance is staged in the theatre's black box studio with the audience seated in a circle
- The work began in 2023 during a 21-day van journey across European landscapes with performer Francisco Borges and cinematographer Tyler Weinberger
- It was previously featured in Art Basel Hong Kong 2025's Encounters sector, presented by Flowers Gallery
- Coronet Theatre chief executive Anda Winters saw the work there, and Chen visited the London venue in September
- Chen has been based in Lisbon since relocating from Hong Kong five years ago, and her work is held by M+ in Hong Kong and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane
Entities
Artists
- Movana Chen
- Francisco Borges
- Tyler Weinberger
- Anda Winters
Institutions
- Coronet Theatre
- Frieze London
- Art Basel Hong Kong
- Flowers Gallery
- Contextile 2026
- M+
- Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art
- The Art Newspaper
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Notting Hill
- Lisbon
- Portugal
- Hong Kong
- Guimarães
- Brisbane
- Australia
- Europe