Meet Yi-Hsuan (Ant) Ma | Scenic designer & storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yi-Hsuan (Ant) Ma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a scenic designer and storyteller for live performances and film, I’ve been asked “What’s your design concept?” It is a hard question to answer but absolutely essential. I kind of an old-school person when I start my design process. I will start with a list of questions: what’s part of the story that connects you most? Why do we present this story nowadays? What are the messages we try to deliver? Who is the audience? Why do we care?

There is a quote from the playwright, MARÍA IRENE FORNÉS, “I never teach you how to write. I teach you how to transport yourself to the world.”
I thought it was beautiful. We are all trying to share our beliefs and open conversations. I wish I could be someone who is never afraid to ask questions and leave them unsolved.

For my recent design on OFF Boardway at Ensemble Studio Theater, Smart, written by Mary Elizabeth Hamilton, and directed by Matt Dickson. A show about three women seeking companionship turns to an Alexa-like digital presence “Jenny” in this family drama. I designed a space where characters including the audience are all trapped in a giant white container, filled with messy clusters which prop designer Caitlyn Murphy did an excellent visualization.

We are asking a question of technology and what risk we really face. I think that’s the charming part of making new plays because no one knows the answer.
https://www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org/20222023/2023/2/21/smart

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really like the tenement museum on Hester Street next to Chinatown in Lower Eastside Manhattan. If you are interested in East Europe immigrants in 18 century, definitely check out Ellis Island as well. From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America’s largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed.

Speaking of history, there is an interesting fact related to Taiwan, my hometown. If you walk around Chinatown, you will find there is a ROC (the Republic of China which is the official name of Taiwan) flag on the street.
The first generation of “Chinese” in that area from 1949 is actually called “Taiwanese” in nowadays’ context.

“In international events, Taiwan is banned from using the ROC’s name, emblems, and flags. In 2015, during a Washington DC event to commemorate the end of World War II in Asia, the Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai canceled his attendance at the last minute, due to a wreath displaying the ROC’s national emblem.
The two China flags are rarely displayed together, with overseas Chinatowns as one of the few exceptions.”

Quoted from BBC NEWS.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51129460

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Luckily, my theatrical installation work “Samuel” in 2021 has been nominated as NOTABLE EFFECTS SHOW in Hewes Design Awards. I appreciate the people who are working so hard to make theater still happen after Pandemic, especially in OFF Boardway — not the greatest environment in terms of low wages for the design fee. Thanks to there being a lot of organizations and groups do care about artists’ economic transparency and BIPOC designers’/ directors’ voices.
Design Action is one of the active communities. https://www.design-action.com/

Website: https://yihsuanma.wixsite.com/ant-setdesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ant_horsema/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ant.ma.73

Image Credits
“Smart” off Boardway show, photo by Carol Rosegg
/ Ellis Island photo by Yi-Hsiang Kao
/ “Little Amal ” public event, photo by Yi-Hsiang Kao
/ “Mud” written by María Irene Fornés, photo by Ant
/ Fireworks multiple exposures, photo by Ant (IG: @antma_photography)