Ix
wong thien pau

Dance artist | Designer | Ritualist of memory

My journey began as a Sabahan, Malaysian Dance Artist,
Living with HIV positive, honor my late spouse, out at 11:11pm 19 Jan 2019.
My art reflects a quest to Making space for dialogue, to explore,
The in-betweeness, the “Ma”, of the relationships within us all.Dance in various settings both evoke and provoke,
Theater, film, technical art, I express how I feel.
And with costumes, props, sets and lights installations,
I create thought-provoking images that are more than mere words.Exploring the "What is LOVE?" of constant basis,
I find joy in connecting to family & society, and to nature & humanity.
My passion is grounded in every artistic practice and ritual
Gracing us with our own divine truth and knowing.

Short Bio:
Dance artist | Designer | Ritualist of memoryWong Thien Pau, known as Ix, is a Sabahan-born dance artist and self-taught designer whose work drifts between movement, memory, and materiality. A graduate of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, he performed with Hong Kong City Contemporary Dance Company (1998–2000) and Singapore Arts Fission (2000–2002).In 2002, he co-founded Ah Hock & Peng Yu (AHPY) with his late partner Aaron Khek Ah Hock, crafting works where choreography emerged from intimacy, space, and shared breath. Together with Nirmala Seshadri and Leslie Tan, they initiated Lalu Lalang Lab (L3) in 2016—a transdisciplinary movement laboratory.After Hock's passing in 2019, Ix began shaping a body of work as ritual and remembrance: the 7749Unknown series and 11:11 A Tribute to Loving emerged as a choreography of grief, tenderness, and quiet rebirth.His presence extends into cinema, performing in Glen Goei & Christopher Doyle’s short film Always Together Forever Apart (2018), Gavin Yap & Aaron Khek’s Smiling Tiger (2016), and Jessey Tsang’s Ward11 (2019) and VR piece Chroma 11 (2022). In Kitty Yeung’s A Missing Scene from Floral Princess (2023), he reimagines operatic ghosts in motion. As art director, he shaped the haunting terrains of Woo Mingjin’s feature Stone Turtle (2022), premiered at Locarno Film Festival and winner of Critics’ Prize, FIPRESCI.Ix’s design works blur stage and screen, having won the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards for Best Lighting Design (2020) and Best Costume Design & Styling (2024–25). In 2025, he serves as a Preliminary Jury member for Hong Kong’s Jumping Frames – International Dance Video Festival.Ix moves through the world quietly—stitching stories into light, gesture, and fabric, conjuring new rituals from what was once lost.

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Temporary Manifesto

I no longer see myself simply as an artist.Or even as a creator.I am becoming an observer, an accompanier, and a practitioner.My work is not to invent something new, but to cultivate the conditions in which what has always been present may reveal itself.I believe creation does not begin with imagination.It begins with observation.Observing how bodies carry memory.Observing how materials remember.Observing how time leaves its traces.Observing how space shapes movement.Observing others, while observing myself—until the observer, too, becomes part of what is being observed.Dance, costume, film, installation, ritual, anthropology, and meditation are not separate disciplines.They are different languages.The true medium of my practice is transformation.Not transforming the world,but accompanying transformation as it unfolds.Not expressing myself,but allowing the world to speak through bodies, materials, relationships, time, and space.I have come to believe that art is not an object.It is an encounter.A shared presence.A way of making space for the unknown to emerge.I no longer seek to make works.I seek to cultivate a practice.Each work is only a temporary skin—a trace left behind by an ongoing inquiry.When its time is complete,I am willing to shed it,observe again,and begin again.My research is not about dance.Nor film.Nor costume.Nor ritual.It is a continuous inquiry into a single question:What exists before we give things their names?What remains beneath every form?What is present before observation itself begins?If art can lead us back to these questions,then it becomes more than art.It becomes a way of living.A way of knowing the world.A way of knowing ourselves.And perhaps, one day,even the self will no longer need to remain.What will remainis observation.Accompaniment.Presence.For now,this is enough.

《一的同行》Walking with One

A Living Field Guide

This is not a book to finish.
It is a practice to accompany.
We begin by observing.→ Begin

因果園
THE ORCHARD OF KARMA

Story by Andrew Gooi

1. APERITIVOAt about 11:11 p.m. on January 19, 2019, my partner took his last breath after a short battle with Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) complications due to nose and throat cancer (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma). Three days later, on January 22, is his birthday. Aaron Khek Ah Hock, or Hock as he was known to many, was not only a colleague and best friend, but also the love of my life.2. ANTIPASTIHock and I met at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He came to one of my performances and saw something in me that I couldn’t see. Not long after, he was appearing more and more in my life—he thought he could have someone to look up to, to be inspired by. Dancing meant a lot to me. I realized at a young age that dancing helped calm my nerves and that my dance was my best artistic expression tool because it did not require much talking or a high cost; everything was already built into my own body. You see, Hock didn’t look like someone who would strike out as a dancer; he was a dropout from Singapore, where he had studied finance, while I was a boy from Sabah, from a very simple family. Yet here he was, seeing something in me that I could not see—and that’s when the hard chase started. He started appearing more and more in my life, although I was already with someone else, and somehow I ended the relationship that I was in. Even when he was not that ready to accept his sexuality, in my naiveté, I decided to give Hock a try. And he gave me a name – IX, which means Alpha & Omega to him, I’m his Beginning and The End.Without paying much attention to time, years just passed. We stayed in Hong Kong a little longer before moving to Singapore, where Hock is from, where we lived and worked on shows together. The most illustrious of our endeavours was Ah Hock and Peng You, a dance company we founded together. Hock, who was gifted in language, did most of the talking, while I was quietly working on the executions. We were rolling out shows after shows, some of which got us to new places and found us new meanings and friends. We even made a collaborative dance-based art film with Christopher Doyle, an Australian-Hong Kong cinematographer who shot some of the most outstanding work with Wong Kar Wai. Directed by Singapore Director, Glen Goei.3. PRIMIHock and I also took up a love for Chinese teas after a life-changing experience sipping tea in Taiwan. The poeticism and practice transported us to the grandeur of history, where the gestures and conversations felt compelling yet exciting—we saw ourselves going really deep with them. In fact, the excitement caused us to look at love from a variety of perspectives. We've always been very curious people who see ideas as something to be challenged. One could either think it’s a pain for pleasure or vice versa, and some may think it's forbidden. We thought love transcended everything, and as it turns out, we were among those who engaged in free love from time to time. In one of those exchanges, I started to question if I was doing okay. While inundated with shows, people, and more, I had fallen so ill to the point of dying. Somehow life has its way of offering a second chance.4. SECONDII was treated in Singapore at AIDS state, and in doing so, a change is looming. They had a strict rule against foreign residents coming down with such illnesses, and it didn’t take long before I was deported; this was circa 2008. As soon as I recovered, I had to move across the causeway. Without plans or a “home”, I ended up “wandering around”. My mind took me to places I had never been before; I had gone mental. Neither of us, not even our closest friends or enemies, would wish this upon us. We felt truly separated; how could a system in which we were rooted banish the “weak” just like that? Should we ever discuss race, religion, sexuality, and other issues, we will be silenced so easily. This drove us mad, especially Hock. To him, it felt very much like a legless bird, flying in the sky but unable to land.A Singaporean extended family & friends , an arts supporters - Glen Goei and Tommy Tan
were kind enough to give us a place to live in Kuala Lumpur, where I have been living until today and Singapore for Hock. I had to leave behind our comfortable life there and start anew. Although Malaysia was home, I felt more like a stranger than a citizen, a literal nobody. Trapped in the system, we had to find a way to still make it work—Hock travelled back and forth, as I was never again allowed to enter Singapore unless under special circumstances.After all that has happened, we can only think that we are always together but forever apart. To make a living, I continued to work on production, creating set and costume designs. Meanwhile, Hock, who was living in Singapore at the time, had growing hatred towards his own country. Coupled with his own upbringing, I could understand where all these traumas came from. At times, we spent our days reevaluating everything; our conversations could sometimes take a turn for the worse—although I suppose challenging moments are what art is made of, we continued to train.One day, we decided to make a new movie with Hong Kong director Jessey Tsang. This is when Hock's health took a turn for the worse, and we started going to the hospital more often. The film was to be a visual story about dance but instead turned out to be about Hock's death. While he was still as passionate as ever, there were days when he was not fit enough to do anything else. As a dancer, it only meant his career and training had come to a halt, with his body weak and his legs useless. He drew much inspiration from our “home”, where we both enjoyed gardening. Of the various plants we’ve had, some may wilt and some may live, but those that were left to die are now living again, and life seems to always go on, as he would observe. Interestingly, this is how he found that by making tiny gestures and movements with his hand, he was already dancing; he was already living.Hock did not leave the world by just being sick. In fact, he and I had established our last rights from the beginning, and either one of us could be the first to go. It was me at first, but now it's him. He would very much like for his dying days to be spent being productive. The movie got to the heart of our story, which is that we complete each other just by being together. It showed us dancing passionately instead of being held back by our constant fear of death and the fact that we were going to be apart soon.Before he left, he had whispered to me, “Dar, I am sorry for all the lies I have told you.” I just simply nodded and said, “It is okay; I have always known." By 11:11 p.m 19Jan 2019. my duet had finally taken its last breath. Upon Hock’s death, we held a funeral party in remembrance of our good times. Our friends and loved ones gathered around us as we bid him farewell; it was a more joyful death than most would have expected. It was exactly what he desired: an endless stream of dialogues and conversations. There is more to the truth than we already know.5. INSALATAIn celebrating our 21 years of life together and the death of Hock, I have taken upon myself a journey I would very much like to call “49 Months." This ceremonial ritual is meant to be completed as I turn 49 years old, and it introduces the concept of 7 x 7 months, a time frame I would use to deal with the loss of Hock. I have many questions for myself about what Hock's afterlife is like, especially in the area of Re:Birth. Can there really be life after death? My life in particularDuring this time, I gathered information to make a plan that would help me fully understand where my path was taking me. I call on Kundalini awakening, which is a long-term spiritual practice that includes taiji, yoga, breathwork, tantra, and other ways to connect the body with the divine feminine energy. The result of these practices is a deep sense of connection to one's body, which makes it easier to feel like oneself again, reduces stress and anxiety, encourages self-appreciation, and improves the way the mind and body work together to keep things running smoothly.To be awakened, there are 7 known chakra points that must be activated; they start from the bottom up. I found myself delving into it more. Each of the 7 points seems to connect more and more to my state of grief and possibly my Re:Birth.

To see more details in the documentation of my findings, please click:

6. FORMAGGI E FRUTTA
In my next phase, I explored the symbolism of the body as a vessel. If death only means the vessel is expiring, will the soul still be around? If so, may I allow his soul to coexist within my body?A Possession - Opening of The BoxI created a show after 7 months of Hock's departure, “11:11: A Tribute to Loving,” and introduced a box with 7 shirts inside for the first time. Opening the box brings the memories alive again, and when I peel it back to reveal the shirts, I bring them out with the same care and respect as I would with a person. I caress it; I dance with it, layer by layer, button by button, seam by seam. This is me paying homage to our final dance film together—except this time, it is without Hock. Instead, it is the metaphor of him enveloping and possessing me.Each time I explored this format, I received many mixed reactions. Sometimes people prompt me to let it go. Thus, I was compelled to ask if this could really invoke a new beginning, a new life, or a Re:Birth so to speak. I felt a bereavement for Hock’s presence, he was always the one who could present better. How will I be able to speak better to relate the message of death or rebirth? Will anyone want to hear them anyway?Nonetheless, this has brought me to places. Chroma 11, a VR led project by Jessey Tsang, produced in Hong Kong during the height of Covid-19. She was again inspired by our story and along with her students as well as collaborators, put out an amazing work of art which we showcased recently at The Venice Biennale 2022. I too reenacted “11:11: A Tribute to Loving”, which took place on a smaller yet fascinating scale. It included a projection mapping by Faris Nazir and sound artist, Greg Chua and was directed by myself and Gavin Yap.7. DOLCEAn Exorcism - Closing of The Box (UPCOMING)The final 49th month denotes the final closing of this life’s chapter. In looking forward to this juncture, I am seeking the idea of Re:Birth as something of a resilient plant—just as Hock said in one of our videos together before he passed on. I'm moved to present the final concepts in a series of programs inspired by Kundalini awakening and nature itself. The sessions are held under the close supervision of an impartial and certified therapist. "What better way than to host this on a farm, so we can better identify ourselves with the ideas of dying, living, and, most importantly, growing as well as regrowing?" I reasoned. I personally would like to shed light on it and believe many would find it impactful.As I hold space, we will go through a few stages together to unpack our "unwanted energies"—the taboos, the stigmas, and the repressive cultural and systemic values that seem to have left us behind.I'm hoping that sharing my own story will give us a potent jolt, an act of “borrowing the mirror” for self-reflection, empathy, and to start healing ourselves, and possibly the weaving of a new "fabric" through art, dance, and movement—one that represents each one of our stories.Participants will experience 3 parts of the program, all in 7 stages. Through my recent trips to Hong Kong and Taiwan, I was very lucky to learn and see how our lives and pains are linked. I also saw the many beautiful facets to their stories in which I wish to channel it through this chapter, The Orchard of Karma.ORCHARD OF KARMAi) PART 1 - SOWING THE SEEDS
2 Stages: Root To Sacral Chakra[ I AM > I FEEL ]In the first two stages, the artist will tell the story of their self-healing journey and explore cultural, familial, systemic, and self-conjured taboos and stigmas. During this stage, the artist will use the information from the "49 Months Rituals" to conduct a sharing session.ii) PART 2 - CARING FOR THE SEEDS
3 Stages: Solar Plexus To Heart To Throat Chakra[ I DO > I LOVE > I SPEAK ]The second stage is to invigorate a collective platform. We will explore the farm and learn a little about permaculture design. This is meant to be a safe place where people can tell each other their most personal stories, experiences, and feelings. In this section, we would have an open discourse about the concept of a new beginning, our rebirths. We will add to our research by using our voices, multiple movements, breathing exercises, the verticality of the orchard, and other methods. We will take this time to explore and discover materials we can upcycle or Re:Purpose into something useful to prepare us for our final stage.iii) PART 3 - HARVESTING & REPLANTING
2 Stages: Third Eye To Crown Chakra[ I SEE > I KNOW]The final stages are comprehensive and intensive. To make our final showdown come to life, we'll use what we’ve made and what we've learned from each other. I also want to build a "temple" where all of our struggles, lies, manipulations, pains, traumas, stigmas, and so on can be laid to rest. The ultimate goal is for each of us to realize that we are not just here to survive this brutal reality; we are here to capture the essence of the beauty that life has to offer. I believe when we’re clearer, we’re more inspired, hence more creative, and that’s where we can find our true purpose.Final WishShould this little art experiment find good traction, I hope that it’ll pave an opportunity to Re:Grow them in different interesting locations. I am sure many would seek out this concept as a powerful message, tool and practice. I would very much like that this could eventually find its way back to Malaysia, where my artistic circle
and I am currently rooted. Interestingly, we are all going through some changes and can very well benefit from having more creative initiatives. However, Malaysia has a variety of farm options, some of which are rather creatively led, and it also welcomes people from all over the world.

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