The Lost Golden Lotus, by Chisato Minamimura

The Lost Golden Lotus is a powerful new immersive film installation that reimagines the haunting legacy of China’s traditional foot binding cultural practices through a richly layered, sensory experience.

Enter a world shaped by beauty and pain, where projected film, scent, taste, and tactile soundscapes converge to unearth the hidden histories of the “three-inch golden lotus”, once a symbol of femininity and status, now a site of reflection and resistance.

With the air scented by lavender and agarwood, traditional Chinese teas inviting quiet ritual, and vibrotactile sound allowing you to feel the story, this installation engages the body as deeply as the mind.

At its core is Visual Vernacular, a Deaf-led performance language of movement, gesture, and sign, creating a shared space for both Deaf and hearing audiences alike.

Transforming spaces into a living digital archive, The Lost Golden Lotus invites bold conversations and reflections around our identity, our autonomy, and the enduring impact of cultural memory.

A note on tickets

The film installation lasts for 15 minutes. It will be played on loop from 12-3pm, and 4-5pm.

Booking a ticket means you can join any time during opening hours, and can stay in the installation for as long as as little as you would like.

You are invited to book tickets, but you can also join us at any time without a ticket.

If a particular time is crowded / at capacity, we may ask you to wait until others have left the installation.

Access

The film installation includes English and Chinese captions. A small number of seats offer vibrotactile technology through Woojer Belts, and visual vernacular is used throughout the film. Headsets offering audio description are available.

If you have any questions about access during the film installation, please email team@cripticarts.org.

Alternatively, if you have question about access at the venue, please email info@taratheatre.com or call the team on 020 8333 4457.

Content & Health Warnings:

Content Warnings: The work explores the traditional Chinese culture of foot binding. Some images and animations depict this in creative ways.

Health Warnings: Other Strong scents; oils, diffusers, Food/drinks given to audience members.

About Chisato Minamimura

Chisato Minamimura is a Deaf performance artist, choreographer, and BSL art guide. Born in Japan and now based in London, Chisato has created, performed, and taught internationally. She is currently a Work Place artist at The Place. Chisato originally trained at Trinity Laban in London and holds a BA in Japanese Painting, as well as an MA from Yokohama National University.

Chisato’s choreography and performance work are shaped by her unique perspective as a Deaf artist. She is continually exploring ways to visualise sound and music through movement, using dance and technology to share her experiences of sensory perception and human connection.

About Liberty Festival

Liberty Festival is the Mayor of London’s flagship disability arts festival, platforming some of the most exciting disabled creatives, showcasing bold, innovative work for free that excites, challenges and reframes disability for audiences across the capital and hosted in each London Borough of Culture.

CRIPtic Arts is a disabled-led arts organisation creating an artistic landscape where disabled people can flourish

Join us for a Artist Q&A with Chisato Minamimura

Join us for a Q&A with The Lost Golden Lotus artist Chisato Minamimura from 3-4pm at Tara Theatre. If you wish to join the Q&A please book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1500599265799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Any questions?

Email the team at team@cripticarts.org and we'll be happy to help.