The Vimalakirti Sutra, a foundational scripture of Zen Buddhism from the first century CE, understands illness as a path of spiritual awakening. Inspired by this visionary sutra, five virtuosic and singular artists--master calligrapher Wang Dongling, devotional singer Ganavya, improvisatory dancer Michael Schumacher, cinematographer Yu Lik-wai, and director Peter Sellars--came together in the autumn of 2020 to create this work. The film explores the deepest of human experiences--health and mortality, spirituality and transcendence--all heightened by the pandemic. Filmed during the 2020 lock down in real-time via a specially created digital platform, with the artists collaborating remotely from Portland, Amsterdam, and Hangzhou, China, this work's purpose became all the more immediate as illness changed the world in a matter of months. The screening is followed by a talk with director Peter Sellars, Dr. Craig Blinderman, and Carol Becker
New York City, NY; NYC