Note from Sheep I Met at The Dawn

Maiko Kikuchi’s Note from a Sheep I Met at the Dawn is a multidisciplinary performance that premiered in July 2024 at the KinoSaito Arts Center in Verplanck, New York, in collaboration with La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. The piece unfolds through six short vignettes, each lasting 3–5 minutes, featuring Kikuchi as a solo performer dressed in a business suit and glasses. Each vignette is accompanied by pre-recorded narration resembling diary entries, which, while seemingly nonsensical, evoke the essence of dreams

The performance begins in a neutral white space (Studio 1) and gradually transforms into an immersive installation filled with “visible daydreams.” After the fifth vignette, audience members receive envelopes containing notes instructing them to “follow the footsteps now.” These footsteps, made of cut sheets, guide the audience to a second performance space (Studio 2), where the final vignette is presented. Post-performance, the installations remain on view, accompanied by video recordings that provide context to the exhibited objects.

Thematically, the performance explores the boundary between reality and dreams. Kikuchi’s character symbolizes societal norms and common sense, while the “notes” from an invisible sheep represent the dream world. As the character follows these notes, the realistic world is gradually deconstructed and reassembled into a dreamscape, prompting the audience to reflect on where reality ends and dreams begin

Creator, Director and performer : Maiko Kikuchi

Sound Composer : Yoshinori Aoki

Sound Designer : Sean Devare

Production Manager/ Assistant : Taylor Wood