time/life/beauty

A unique integration of hip-hop mixology, new music, dance theater, and integrated media visuals, this world premiere of time/life/beauty by Michael Sakamoto and Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) is inspired by the music and artistry of legendary composer, musician, and activist Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952- 2023), whose long and varied career in multiple genres and media surpassed definition. This project channels the artists’ shared and distinct approaches to interdisciplinary performance, intercultural dialogue, and social concerns.

Tracing Sakamoto’s creative, cultural, and social concerns, the artists unpack and embody the nuanced connectivity among languages and forms of expression, environment, science, and culture. How do shared languages form between creators and communities? How do individual and collective human behaviors influence ecologies small and large? What is the relationship between community, place, and the larger environment over time?

Duke Arts is proud to sponsor this production and host the dance-theatre premiere of time/life/beauty.