SPACE TRAFFIC: A weekend of art events bringing together alternative
art spaces from around the world to discuss, tackle and explore
issues surrounding non-mainstream art and culture with a special
focus on Asia Pacific.
Press
release - updated September 25, 2001
Space Traffic
Symposium of International Artists' Spaces
Symposium
Hong
Kong Visual Art Centre
7A
Kennedy Road, Central, Hong Kong
2-5pm,
Dec 7, 2001
10am-1pm,
2-4pm, Dec 9, 2001
Documents
Exhibition:
7.12.2001
- 22.12.2001 Para/Site Art Space
2
Po Yan Street (224 Hollywood Road), Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Gallery
hours: 12-7pm (till 8pm on Thur), close on Mon & Tue
A collaborative
project between art organizations from more than 10 cities
around the world, Symposium of International Artists' Spaces
will be held in the Hong Kong Visual Art Centre from December
7 to 9, 2001.
The name given to the Symposium, 'Space Traffic', is based
on the email correspondence between the participants of the
different artists' collectives, which began in March this
year. The symposium will be separated into 3 sessions, focusing
on the areas of artistic practice, strategy and management;
cultural exchange and networking; and cultural geography.
It will see over 15 presentations by artists and curators
from different parts of the world.
Performances by participating artists will be held during
these different sessions. A slide-screening marathon featuring
over 100 artists represented by different organizations will
be also presented together with an exhibition of documents
at Para/Site Art Space from December 7 to 22, as resources
and references for the symposium.
A special publication of Space Traffic will be co-published
by Para/Site of Hong Kong and West Space of Melbourne after
the symposium, as a record of the activities and exchange
that have taken place during this week, and will be circulated
in different cities to make others aware of the issues raised
and to ensure that they continue and develop.
Symposium of International Artists' Spaces is supported by
the Hong Kong Development Council and is coordinated by Para/Site
Art Space with logistic support from the Hong Kong-based organizations,
Asia Art Archive, Artist Commune and Videotage. The venue
of the symposium is sponsored by the Leisure and Cultural
Services Department.
Inquiry: (Hong Kong +852) 2517-4620. Email: wleung@para-site.org.hk
Website: http://para-site.org.hk/_ias/index.html
About
the participating organizations (representatives):
Artist
Commune, Hong Kong (Tam Wai-ping)
Artist
Commune was established in mid-1997, a non-profit making organization
of local artists devoted to the development of visual art
in Hong Kong. At the beginning, the Commune had only been
able to find its humble workshops in industrial buildings
and subsequently we settled down at the present site in the
Cattle Depot Art Village in Tokwawan with a spacious 5,000
square-feet exhibition hall under a 30-feet-high tile roof
of a unique architectural structure. To date, Artist Commune
has fledged to become a diversified civic art organization
providing not only exhibition venues for local visual artists
but also a zealous promoter of various art forms and artistic
collaborations. Artist Commune has in the past co-organized
exhibitions with foreign art groups, hosted and participated
in exchange programmes of various scales and natures. By the
year 2000, Artist Commune has organized or hosted more than
280 activities, with more than 50 of them being exhibitions
and including serial and thematic releases of work of art.
In addition to the strengthening of interactive relationships
with nearby regions, the establishment of an ever-growing
regional network of artistic connections is another major
endeavour in our development plan.
Baguio
Artists Guild, Baguio (Santiago Bose, Sonny Balanga, Desiree
Caluza)
The Baguio
Arts Guild (BAG) was established in 1987, as a non-government
organization that sought to actively involve itself in the
country's cultural events. Starting out as a small group of
Baguio-based artists, it has now expanded to cover the fields
of fine arts, photography, crafts, film and video, installation,
performance art, theater, music and literary arts.
Centre
A, Vancouver
(Hank Bull)
The Vancouver
Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (Centre A) seeks to achieve
international recognition as a centre for contemporary Asian
art. Reflecting the culture of a city with a large Asian population,
it presents the work of both local and international artists.
Operating from a downtown gallery space, Centre A produces
exhibitions, performances, conferences, residencies, and publications.
Centre A partners with contemporary arts organizations, including
artist-run centres, university art schools, festivals and
museums. The organization functions as a non-profit society
and registered charity controlled by a board of directors,
professional staff and volunteers.
FADs
art space, Tokyo
(Yoshiaki Kaihatsu)
In August,
2000, FADs art space was established in Kunitachi-shi, Tokyo.
We engage in various projects mainly on modern art. Because
this space plays a role of a studio, before playing the role
of a commercial art gallery, we offer it in non-profit basis
for them to concentrate their expenses on their work production.
Instead, we request the artists to be involved in the administration
of space. The space opens only on Saturdays and Sundays as
most young artists have a job on weekdays, however the exhibition
session spans for one to two months to supplement the few
opening days during the week and make their art work public
as long as possible to the artists' satisfaction. In addition,
a shop is attached to the space, in which artists could freely
plan and design to sell their work and other merchandized
goods. We currently deal not only with Japanese artists but
also with foreign artists such as those from the United States
and Hong Kong.
instantcoffee.org,
Toronto (Jinhan Ko, Jenifer Papararo)
Ultimately,
instantcoffee.org has a utopian vision. They have faith in
people1s ideas and their earnest desire to communicate them.
In coming together, they want to facilitate artist production
as well as participate in it. They place all of our energies
into the proliferation and dissemination of the visual artist.
In keeping with contemporary culture instantcoffee.org sees
the need to consistently reinvent themselves. This venture
aims to grow into other areas of interest, such as new media
and time-based work while also continuing to host events at
a variety of locations in order to exhibit new work and champion
the artist as producer.
IT
Park, Taipei
(Chen Hui Chiao)
Now in
its' thirteenth year, IT Park is one of the few surviving
alternative spaces presently in the Taipei metropolitan area.
IT Park is a place where artists can exchange artistic experiences
and a location where they can exhibit new work, allowing audiences
to have regular access to fresh cultural experiences outside
of the mainstream. Established in 1988 by photographer Liu
Ching-Tang and several colleagues, IT Park initially provided
a forum where artists could meet and discuss their ideas.
By early 1990 it had also become an exhibition space where
artists could display work without the financial and curatorial
restrictions of more conservative or commercially orientated
institutions. It has since reached out to an international
audience through invitational shows and encouraged many leading
Taiwanese contemporary artists to participate.
Konstakuten,
Stockholm (Sofie Sweger)
Konstakuten
(The Art Emergency Room) is a non-profit, artist-initiated
organisation that strives to provide opportunities for artists
to realise and present work. Konstakuten was founded in conjunction
with its first exhibition in May 1995 . It has since presented
a great number of exhibitions and projects in different venues
in Stockholm. These include The drawing exhibition 'The Bible
of Networking' (1998) which presented drawings by 147 artists
from over 15 countries. The exhibition has since travelled
to London Tokyo, and Korea where more artists have joined.
In May 1999 Konstakuten arranged 'First European Seminar for
Artist Run Spaces' (FESARS), which brought together over 70
representatives from 36 artist-run organisations from 13 countries.
In February 2000 Konstakuten started the project 'Curatorial
Mutiny' , which investigates new curatorial practises by inviting
participating artists to be involved in the curatorial formulation
of their exhibition.
United Net-works.org, Stockholm
(Sofie Sweger)
Founded
in 2001 by Sofie Sweger (former co-director of Konstakuten).
'United Net-works' is an international network of artist-run,
independant, alternative organisations, spaces, and groups
that has grown out of contacts, collaborations, research and
experiences following the FESARS ('First European Seminar
for Artist Run Spaces') seminar that Konstakuten arranged
in Stockholm in May 1999. United Net-works has incorporated
the international network and electronic mailing-list for
artist-run, independant organisations and groups (FESARS)
as well as the archive of artists documentation (KONSTBANKEN)
that were formerly housed by Konstakuten.
Loft
New Media Art Space, Beijing (Qiu Zhijie)
Founded
in 2001 and located at the Loft Restaurant & Bar in downtown
Beijing, the Loft New Media Art Space is the first of its
kind in China. The design of this specially created space
has been tailor-made to meet the needs of displaying and presenting
all new media-based art. It is dedicated to exhibit and promote
experimental art that employs various new media. The space
will also be used as a focal point of exchange for innovative
and challenging art concepts. The opening of the Loft New
Media Art Space is timely. Within the context of an information
society, where technology is remodeling people’s way of thinking,
artistic creativity is heavily influenced by the interaction
between all disciplines and art forms, and by the melding
of elite ideology and mass culture. The Loft New Media Art
Space provides a space in which both artists and audience
can explore the effect of these changes.
Para/Site
Art Space, Hong Kong
(Tsang Tak-ping, Leung Chi-wo)
Founded
by seven Hong Kong artists in 1996, Para/Site Art Space was
originally a response to the limitation of conventional exhibition
space in Hong Kong. In a derelict shop space in Kennedy Town,
Para/Site had appeared shortly for a series of 3 site-specific
exhibitions. In 1997, Para/Site 1996 was published as a conclusion
of the first series of projects and also the beginning of
a new space as Para/Site re-appeared in Sheung Wan. In 1998,
its branch space, Para/Site Central was opened inside Hanart
TZ Gallery in Central. However it is “hosted” by a commercial
gallery, it is curated and managed independently by Para/Site.
Plastique
Kinetic Worms, Singapore
(Yvonne Lee, Juliana Yasin)
Plastique
Kinetic Worms was formed in April 1998 and was registered
as a non-profit art society on April 2000. Plastique Kinetic
Worms is an artist initiative formed by a group of people
comprising of artists, curators and professionals. This initiative
was sparked by the idea from the desire to create an alternative
art space to the commercial and institutional art scene. While
the local art scene has focused mainly on the mainstream and
established art, Plastique Kinetic Worms’ objective is to
create awareness for the young contemporary artists. Plastique
Kinetic Worms seeks to establish a contemporary art space
dedicated to the fostering of contemporary art in Singapore.
The society aims towards establishing a contemporary art space,
which is able to create greater professionalism in the arts
and establish Singapore contemporary art on the global art
scene.
Project
304, Bangkok
(Michael Shoawanasai)
Functioned
as a non-profit art space, Project 304 was founded by a small
group of Thai artists and art lovers in July 1996 to bridge
the gap between art and society and to integrate art into
the community. This visual arts organization is dedicated
to providing exhibition space and promoting public access
to the contemporary art. Project 304 focuses on nurturing
artistic dialogue. Its goals are to use art as a means of
uniting the contemporary arts community and bring greater
awareness and appreciation of the arts to Thailand. Project
304 provides a forum for emerging local artists, as well as
for well-established national and international ones. Artists
will be able to develop and hone their skill, exchange information,
execute collaborative projects, and exhibit their works in
an interdisciplinary setting. While not shy away from aesthetics,
exhibition will be concept-oriented, focusing on social, cultural
and political issues. They will range from painting, sculpture,
installations, prints, and photography.
Videotage,
Hong Kong
(Ellen Pau, Elaine Ng)
Founded
in 1985, Videotage (the name composed of the words "Video"
and "Montage") is an interdisciplinary artist collective
that focuses on the development of new media in Hong Kong.
Starting out as a facilitator for collaborative projects,
Videotage has evolved into an operation dedicated to the production,
development and study of film, video and other alternative
time-based media arts.
West
Space, Melbourne
(Brett Jones)
West Space,
established in 1993, has been centrally involved in Australian
contemporary art as an independent organisation. West Space
strives to provide the best possible support to artists, while
managing a professional venue for the public to access their
work. West Space
recognises and nurtures artists who have recently completed
tertiary studies and those with established careers. West
Space provides a meeting point for artists and the public,
presenting over 35 exhibitions each year with work by more
than 170 artists.
West Space
is a not-for-profit incorpoarted association, governed by
a committee of artists with support from legal and accounting
professionals. An alternative venue to commercial galleries,
it also actively provides channels for collaboration, exchange
and hybrid practices through its Projects Program. West Space
also provides special support for audio visual based work,
and artist produced publications and recordings. Co-ordinated
by Brett Jones, West Space sustains itself financially through
fundraising, subscriptions, in-kind labour, and
funding from local, state, and federal government.
Western
Front, Vancouver
(Jonathon Middleton)
The Western
Front was founded in 1973 by eight artists who wanted to create
a space for the exploration and creation of new art and new
art forms. It quickly became a focal point for poets, dancers,
musicians and visual artists. As a focal point of experimental
art practice through the 1970's and 80's, the Western Front,
and other centres like it, played a major role in the development
of the electronic art form. This includes video-art, sound-art,
the use of
telecommunications
to explore a global arts network, and the use of computer-interactive
technologies
to explore the connection between the art-viewer and the art-space.
From the outset, the Western Front has been linked to similar
ventures in other countries. Over the years the organization
has become the training ground and springboard for many young
artists, especially those working outside the commercial art
market. With a staff of ten people plus students and volunteers,
the centre now produces over 100 events a year. It's artist-in-residence
program invites artists from many different countries to produce
new works in media/electronic art.
YYZ
Artists’ Outlet, Toronto (SiSi Penaloza, Kelly McCray)
At its
inception in 1979, YYZ was a collective of students from the
Ontario College of Art who exhibited local work not shown
in commercial galleries or institutions. Shortly thereafter,
YYZ expanded program boundaries, presenting work by artists
from outside the Toronto area and mounting large collaborative
exhibitions (Monumenta, New City of Sculpture, the Interpretation
of Architecture) with other artist-run centres and galleries.
During the 1980s, single-channel video became one of the media
of choice among artists for communicating new ideas about
identity and narrative. YYZ was a leader in showcasing this
work and in 1987, the organization moved to1087 Queen Street
West, where the creation of a screening room allowed for a
permanent time-based arts program - film, video and performance.
In 1988, founded YYZ's publishing program, YYZ Books. YYZ
Books has published fourteen titles by some of the most important
writers on art and culture in Canada and has become a national
and international forum for exploring issues in contemporary
art. One of YYZ's three main program areas, YYZ Books now
produces two to three books a year. In 1997, we moved to the
heart of Toronto's Queen Street West's gallery and shopping
district, where we successfully undertook a major capital
campaign. Community and corporate support were an invaluable
part of building the new gallery.
Logistic
support
Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong (Claire Hsu)
The newly-founded
Asia Art Archive is a non-profit organization and registered
charity in Hong Kong dedicated to the research, promotion
and intellectual exchange of Asian contemporary art. To ensure
continued support for and raise the level of appreciation
and understanding of, local and regional art, the Asia Art
Archive believes that it is of the utmost importance that
information in this area be systematically documented and
made easily accessible. A record of the new and exciting creative
impulses, amidst increasingly variable
political, social and economic conditions of this region,
is vitally important for present and future generations. At
the same time, the Asia Art Archive wishes to heighten the
awareness of the remarkable innovations taking place in Asia
through the organizations of symposiums, lectures and exhibitions
and the development of an educational programme.
|