Willem Dafoe seems to move between kind of avante-garde theatre and film, and I think eventually that's what I'd like to do.

CNN: Piper Perabo

Also, just for my own curiosity and sense of exploration, I wanted to start playing more avant-garde works.

NPR: Music Abounds In 2008 MacArthur Grants

In part, Guan's popularity lies in a pragmatism not usually associated with the avant-garde: "After one year in Australia, I realized that many of my friends were sticking to Chinese ways, " he says.

CNN: THE EYE OF A BANNER MAN