formaldehyde (2025)
formaldehyde begins with a mortal body hypnotized by fantasies of material preservation.
In a soundscape of sparkling commercials, the body is seduced and disciplined by materials that resist decay - nail polish, Botox, embalming, competition dance.
As the body processes each encounter, it contends with the inevitable decay of flesh, ultimately arriving at a plea for eternally preserved death.
This state, inherently untenable, cracks at its edges as the body is consumed and alchemized by rot and fungi - offering a re-entry into a different eternity.
selected for Triskelion Arts Split Bill Fall 2025
dramaturgy - Benja Thompson
sound collages - Benja Thompson & Akane Little
original sound - Onu Kang
photos + video - Benja Thompson
choreography, direction & performance - Akane Little
Duration: 25 minutes