Premiere New York Premiere
Production Language English
Country of Origin United States
Description A Letter to My Nephew (2017) is an intimate and impressionistic collage, setting a portrait of Jones’ beloved nephew Lance T. Briggs—a talented dancer who struggled with illness and addiction—against the current political landscape. Composed like a series of postcards sent home, A Letter to My Nephew launches a swirl of images around Briggs––a vogue ball, a breathtaking vista––as he lies in a hospital bed. Flashing like a feverish hour of the evening news, this work is an evocative composition of imagery, movement, and sound. Drawing from conversations with his nephew––as done in the parallel work, Analogy/Lance: Pretty aka the Escape Artist––Jones continues to navigate familial relationships within the context of a larger socio-political history. Performed in Paris, Singapore, Boston, and Macau, each iteration of A Letter serves as a snapshot of life in a specific place, incorporating references to local culture, customs, and architecture as they relate to world events. Through a delirious mix of live music by composer Nick Hallett, whose score is performed by baritone Matthew Gamble and Hallett, and a barrage of battleground imagery from video designer Janet Wong, Jones’ words to his nephew are brought to vivid life.
Identifier 2017f.01004
