Live: Art HK – part two

Day two of ArtAsiaPacific‘s Guerrilla Talks, live at Art HK, got underway with editor-at-large HG Masters in conversation with the self-described “mother” of conceptual art, Joseph Kosuth. The lively discussion covered Kosuth’s claim that artists after Duchamp can be measured according to how much they question the nature of art. 

Sydney-based collector and former gallerist, turned foundation director, Dr. Gene Sherman, talked about Australia’s early interest in Asian contemporary art, fueled in part by the numbers of artists who made Sydney their home after the June 1989 crackdown. Next, sculptor Michael Joo, who was joined by Philippe Vergne, director of Dia Art Foundation, explored themes such as simultaneity, animal-human relationships and Joo’s ongoing sculptural project in Morocco—tackling the 500 million year  history of life on earth. Delhi-based new media artist Sumakshi Singh and Yogyakarta-based painter Jumaldi Alfi both spoke of the importance of memory in their respective practices. They were followed by Lars Nittve, the new head of the M+ Museum of Visual Culture, which will be part of the West Kowloon Cultural District. While acknowledging the project’s influence on the local arts ecology, Nittve defended the need for a large collecting institution in the city.

Managing editor Olivier Krischer then took over the microphone, to chat with young Tokyo collector, Tetsuyuki Oishi, about his preference for young female Japanese artists, whose self exploration overcomes the importance of national identities. Also from Japan, Iida Shihoko, co-curator of the second Aichi Triennale next year, explained how her curatorial stints in Brisbane and Seoul inform her approach to the Triennale’s need to straddle international issues for a local audience. Unofrtunately, renowned France-based Chinese painter Yan Pei Ming was delayed at Shanghai airport, but will join us on Saturday afternoon instead. Aptly capping off day two’s diverse line up was local architect, artist and collector, the very active William Lim, who shared insights on his supportive role for Hong Kong’s artists and institutions. 

Thanks again to all of our guests, and the many people who stopped by. Day three will continue with another diverse group of art fair guerrillas . . .

Saturday, May 19th

1:00 pm – Arahmaiani, Artist, Yogyakarta

1:20 pm – Jeffrey Shaw, Artist and director of Creative Media Centre at Hong Kong’s City University, Hong Kong

1:40 pm – Cameron Robbins, Artist, Melbourne

2:00 pm – Steve Aishman, Photographer, curator and professor at Savannah College of Art and Design, Hong Kong

2:20 pm – Elizabeth Ann MacGregor, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

2:40 pm – Vahap Avşar, Artist, New York/Istanbul

3:00 pm – Paul Chan, Artist, New York

3:20 pm – Jayne Dyer, Artist, Sydney/Beijing

3:40 pm – Young Hae Chang Heavy Industries, Artists, Seoul

4:00 pm – Sidd Perez, Curator and founder of plantingrice.com, Manila

4:20 pm – Yan Pei Ming, Artist, Lyon/Shanghai