Belle Chen is one of the most uncategorisable artists of her generation, traversing the realms of classical, avant-garde, electronica, world, and sound art. Her work to-date has gained plaudits from industry heavyweights, including Brian Eno, James Rhodes, and BBC Radio 3.

She makes her new audiovisual show premiere at Kings Place, collaborating with designer Nick Robertson (Coldplay, Brian Eno), and with realtime visual performer, Mario Radev (nominee Grand Jury Prize – Sundance Film Festival).

Drawing influences from nature and the process of desertification, glacier melt, wildfire, and coral bleaching, the stage transforms into a shifting ‘environment’ through projections.

The pianist live-paints a journey through shifting environments around the world: from the Gobi Desert to the Great Barrier Reef.

In this show, Chen performs an acoustic piano (prepared and unprepared through improvisation), synths, and kalimba, whilst sampling electronics and found sound through a laptop.

Expect works by Debussy, sampled Mongolian folk songs, re-imagining of J.S. Bach, and improvisations on prepared piano.

This new work has been commissioned by Chinese Arts Now, and is presented with Kings Place as part of their CAN 2020 Festival (3-23 February).