This March, Asia Art Archive (AAA) presents a series of exhibitions and talks on art collectives and independent art spaces. Currently on view at AAA’s newly renovated library until 1 April 2023, The Collective School features works by Gudskul and eight other collectives from across Asia that explore artist-driven and collective models of learning. On 22 March 2023, AAA welcomes Ade Darmawan and farid rakun from ruangrupa to the Annual Artist’s Lecture to speak about the historical conditions for, and recent debates on, collectivity and resource sharing in the arts. From 21 to 25 March 2023, AAA’s booth at Art Basel Hong Kong showcases new works by six Hong Kong–based artists that draw on AAA’s Collections to create a “portrait” of fellow artists of their choosing.
As a Cultural Partner of Art Basel Hong Kong, AAA’s booth at the fair presents works by C&G, Leung Chi Wo, Tozer Pak Sheung Chuen, Wong Wai Yin, Ricky Yeung Sau Churk, and Samson Young. Titled Life-Size, or Not: Another Portrait of Hong Kong Art, the exhibition invites each artist to create a “portrait” of a fellow artist of their choosing, using materials from Asia Art Archive’s Collections. The selection criteria was subject to the whims of the invited artist. One chose an artist known more as a writer; another attempted to portray an artist who doesn't want to be remembered. Every pair is deeply personal—and this personal link, in turn, informs the portraits themselves. Together, they point to that which exceeds the logic of the archive, and challenge the way we write art histories about Hong Kong. During the exhibition, a series of talks and conversations with the artists will be held at the booth.
Hosted at Asia Art Archive on 22 March 2023, this year’s Annual Artist’s Lecture welcomes Ade Darmawan and farid rakun from ruangrupa as guest speakers. ruangrupa is a Jakarta-based contemporary art collective that provides platforms for exhibitions, workshops, critical thinking, and research. Most recently, ruangrupa provided collective artistic direction based on the core values of lumbung for documenta fifteen in Kassel, Germany. In this conversation, Darmawan and rakun reflect on the historical conditions that make independent art spaces necessary, as well as recent debates on collectivity and resource sharing in the arts.
On view at AAA’s CCG Library until 1 April 2023, The Collective School is an exhibition and a series of programmes that explore artist-driven and collective models of learning. Developed in collaboration with the Jakarta-based collective Gudskul, The Collective School presents Gudskul and a cohort of collectives’ responses to materials from the archives of other collectives found in AAA’s Collections, in the form of video, sculptures, games, and zines. The project aims to provoke debate about what makes collectivity necessary for survival today, and how collectives remain adaptive and relevant to their respective contexts. The Collective School is supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Wendy Lee & Stephen Li, and Virginia & Wellington Yee.
Exhibition | Life-Size, or Not: Another Portrait of Hong Kong Art
Date: 21–25 March 2023
Related talks programme
Conversation with the artists (Cantonese)
21 March 2023, 6–7pm (Tentative)
Conversation with the artists (English)
22 March 2023, 6–7pm (Tentative)
Conversation with Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art (English)
24 March 2023, 4:30–5:30pm
Location: Cultural Partners and Bookstores Area on Level 1 Concourse, Art Basel, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Annual Artist’s Lecture | ruangrupa
Date: 22 March 2023
Breakfast Reception | 10–11am
Artist’s Lecture | 11am–12:30pm
Location: CCG Library, Asia Art Archive, 11/F Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
*This event is free and open to the public with registration
Exhibition | The Collective School
Date and time: From now until 1 April 2023, Mon–Sat, 10am–6pm
Location: CCG Library, Asia Art Archive, 11/F Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan