antonym: scenes of childhood is an all-ages installation and performance that juxtaposes the past, present, and future.

Surrounded by Vendil’s performance scores, floating dresses by costume designer Harriet Jung, and piles of origami stars, audiences are invited to take part in grown-up versions of childhood hobbies prior to the performance. Guests can dismantle an envelope sculpture repeatedly stamped with miniature Kerropi stamps from the 90s to write their own letters to their past or future selves; fill out a friendship file; make their own stars; lovingly vandalize a wall with stickers; or pick up one of the watercolored giant fortune tellers to see what lies ahead.

Sugar Vendil/isogram activates the installation with a 25-minute performance that shares memories of a lonely yet hopeful childhood under a cloud of hand-painted postage stamps; embarrassing teen poetry; and layered electro-acoustic music (toy piano, analog cassette tape loops, live-processed effects), voice, and dance rooted in somatic memory. Full video here.

Artistic Consultant: Mei Ann Teo, Pink Fang
Lighting: Hao Bai
Costumes and Dress installation: Harriet Jung

Activation performed by Katherine Paola De La Cruz, Benedict Nguyễn, ayo ohs, Annie Wang, and Sugar Vendil

antonym: scenes of childhood is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and JACK.

Past Shows
November 15-16 2025 - antonym: scenes of childhood installation at JACK, Brooklyn, NY - performed by Katherine Paola De La Cruz, ayo ohs, Benedict Nguyen, Sugar Vendil, and Annie Wang