Etiquette is a sonic art piece that includes eating-related gestures.

The aim of the project is to direct people’s attention to the sounds we often neglect. Quotes about eating from philosophers including Plato, Heidegger, Pythagoras, Confucius, and Zhuang Zhou constitute the narrating part of the piece, and a vocal quartet composition based on a poetry by Kahlil Gibran.

Sounds of eating, chopping potatoes and smashing wasabi peanuts in a stone mortar are used as composition materials. The audience also contributes to the sonic scene when they are enjoying crisps and wasabi peanuts during the show. As the piece progresses, the audience hears pre-recorded sounds that contradict what they see in the eating performance.

Eating is an essential part of life. To some, food is the part that takes a lot of getting used to when moving to a new country. At the same time, food is a compelling way to understand a culture as it tells you a lot about the history of the land. Hence, I find it very logical and fascinating to use food as the subject matter of my very first artwork in this new country.