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Within our carefully constructed, beautifully painted body-cages is a darting, jumping, clamoring spirit longing to break the steel bars of its confinement. We lock our tiny demons in, fearful of breaching social mores, cultural norms, and all the unseen fences that define the parameters of our lives. Sometimes, though, the little imp breaks free and wrecks havoc and hilarity. The 1930s Shanghainese film star Wang Ying 王瑛 was known to have had strong ideas about her obligation to ‘pleasure events’ and tried her best to avoid them. One evening, Ms. Wang arrived at an engagement she could not shake, clad in nothing but a blue robe, and boldly strolled into the hall to the dismay of her admirers. She spent the night whirling fearlessly around the dance floor. The next day, newspapers tactfully described the actress’ outfit as ‘a blue cloth robe for ballroom dancing.’ Like the best mimes whose faces we read like an open book, Ms. Wang’s cotton threads eloquently narrated her protest, progressiveness and passion. [Lelia Pollett] |
