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The Nameless is about a person known as Lai Teck, which was one of the 50 known aliases of the Secretary General of the Malayan Communist Party from 1939 to 1947, when he was killed in Thailand after being exposed as a triple agent, working first for the French and British secret forces, then with the Japanese Kempeitai during the years of the Malayan Occupation.
But The Nameless is also about cinema, and acting. Of all the great cinematic cultures of the world, it is perhaps Hong Kong cinema that has shown the most intense fascination with ‘compromised’ individuals, as evident from the constant stream of Hong Kong films about ‘stool pigeons’, ‘double-agents’, ‘informers’, and ‘traitors’. A film about a shapeshifter, told through a series of pilfered images, featuring an actor from a land of multiple allegiances.
Ho Tzu Nyen makes films, video installations, and theatrical performances that are related to his interests in philosophy and history. His works have been shown internationally in museums, galleries, film and performing arts festivals. Numerous film festivals have presented his work, including Cannes, Venice, Locarno, Sundance, and Rotterdam.
Contact: www.galeriemichaeljanssen.de
Format: 2-channel video installation, colour, sound
Running time: 20 min
