This theatrical and cinematic scenography stems from a passion for paper art, shadow theater and storytelling.

It was after the creation of MoonGARDEN in 2012, that the idea of taking shadow theaters out of the spheres and into the open came to us.

Shadow Play was presented for the first time in Shanghai at the Museum of Modern Art in 2018. For this performance, we recreated the city of Shanghai with its parks, bridges and buildings, but this installation is completely customizable!

The show lasts 5 minutes and is followed by 20 minutes of interactivity where the audience is invited, using the light from their cell phones, to come and discover the sounds of the city. The set is then transformed into a giant garden of cut-outs, and the audience can reactivate moments from the film and listen to the sounds of the city.

Here’s the story of Shadow Play…

As night falls, a Shanghai man returns home. He crosses the turbulent city and a park before arriving in his residential neighborhood. As soon as he opens the door, he goes upstairs to his workshop, puts on his outfit, grabs a pair of scissors and starts cutting.
What he cuts out are little beings. Dropping them into the background, their shadows come to life, allowing them to invade the city. Running, heckling, climbing buildings…

But interrupted by knocks on the door, they come to a standstill. The landlord wants his rent… Lurking in the dark, they wait for him to leave. As he moves away, they feel euphoric.

Now that they’re free, they’ll use paint to overwhelm the sleeping city.