2025

Car, monitor, phone, costume (red silk dress, jeans, black and white shirt, sunglasses, fishing vest), brush, face paint, toothbrush

Deej Fabyc, founder and CEO of Live Art Ireland, performed at the 13th UP-ON International Live Art Festival, Chengdu, Sichuan. Deej is a performance video and installation artist/curator. They have been creating work globally for over 40 years.

Deej made a film with artists participating in the Up-On festival and artists local to Chengdu. Deej asked the artists to speak about a moment that changed the direction of their life or a life changing experience. For example Deej was on a plane that nearly crashed. The film was translated in both English and Chinese, titled ‘Secret Distortion’. Deej worked with a Toyota Highlander. This film was shown to 6 people at a time in 5 minute slots. People moved in and out of the car, the car becoming the cinema. Deej performed outside the car. Their performance outside the car suggested issues of gender. Deej is determinedly non-binary. They feel comfortable dressing in gender neutral clothing but they like to express femininity at times. Deej intertwined a joke with their performance, portraying the Cis femme image of a woman on the bonnet of the car.

These are some photos of Deej’s performance and some stills from their film.

Photo credits: Feng Fei Fei and Sun Xiao Lei

Related Links

2025 Festival Review & Publication of Accounts｜ The 13th UP-ON International Live Art Festival