This performance and moment of sharing focus on the ongoing development of Whispered Screaming, a practice that has been in progress since 2022. Initially conceived as a solo performance piece, it involves screaming under throat pressure, resulting in a whisper-like voice. This method disrupts the usual release of bodily energy through the mouth, creating physical struggle and a sense of « pain »—a reflection of the conflict between the urge to scream and the inability to do so. Based on personal experiences during the Asian Hate Movement in NYC, the piece serves as a form of micro-resistance against the increasing outbursts of rage, violence, and hate spreading across the world. The silenced pain, often hidden even from those who experience it, becomes tangible through this practice, transforming into performance.

During Tomoko Hojo’s residency at Q-O2, the focus lies on exploring the ‘whispered/silenced state’ that emerges only through real physical struggle. The act of utterance is blocked despite the attempt, yet quiet breath and inaudible screams escape through the face and body. This work examines the process of voicing, sounding, and screaming, and how the body and emotions transform in relation to that struggle. Here, silence is no longer passive; it becomes a powerful visual presence and an imaginative noise, even in the absence of sound.