Interview with Siu Kingchung by Leung Chiwo Warren

At the beginning of the interview, artist Siu Kingchung recalls his creative interests and extracurricular activities from his primary school days. By making toys on his own, he found freedom and joy in creating handicrafts. Siu enrolled in the Department of Extra-Mural Studies at the University of Hong Kong and the evening art foundation courses at the Hong Kong Polytechnic. He was a student of Wong Wobik and Leung Kuiting, from whom he learned photography and three-dimensional art respectively. In 1985, he studied in the United States, majoring in painting (00:00–28:00). During his sojourn in the United States, Siu became particularly interested in theory of painting, and focused on researching the Abstract Expressionism’s style of painting. He also took gender and film theory courses as electives. His graduation artwork was an installation piece, and he wrote a senior thesis using literary theories to discuss the origins and context of the artwork (29:00–39:00). His identity as a Hongkonger led Siu to return to Hong Kong, Siu recalls. As he valued the autonomy of practising art and becoming spiritually self-sufficient, he did not take the leap of becoming an artist. Siu also began to think about the role which he played in art, reflecting on the inter-relationship between cognitive art and art environment when he studied in the United States. Siu decided to return to Hong Kong because it would be easier for him to make an impact on the art environment in Hong Kong (43:00–56:16). In 1992, Siu joined the Hong Kong art scene, and co-founded the art group NUX with Sydney Pun and other members from different backgrounds. The group’s primary purpose was to create installation artworks, adopting a philosophy that privileged a casual, messy, and random approach to creating art (1:02:20–1:15:55). Siu thinks that NUX was developed out of individual and collective art practices, as well as curatorial organisation. As such, members of the art group raised questions and discussed the works in an exhibition, developed concepts and realised them in art pieces, communicated with one another and worked together (1:16:00–1:25:45). For Siu, practising art is a collective endeavour, as he prefers working with others on materials and in the environment (1:25:50–1:27:50).

此為梁志和與蕭競聰訪問之錄音

藝術家蕭競聰在訪問開首講述他的創作興趣及活動始於小學階段，在各種自製玩具的過程中尋找自由和樂趣；曾於香港大學校外課程部及理工大學的夜校學習藝術基礎課，在攝影及立體創作上分別師承王禾璧與梁巨廷；1985 年留學美國主修繪畫 (00:00-28:00)。在美國的學習過程中，蕭氏對繪畫理論特別有興趣，並專注研習抽象表現主義的繪畫風格，並修讀性別主義及電影理論等課程。他的畢業作品是一件裝置創作，畢業論文則以文學理論方式分析作品的成因及背景 (29:00-39:00)。蕭氏指出從美回流香港發展出於對香港人的身份認同，由於他很著重創作及心性上的自由，故沒有成為藝術家的打算。透過在美國學習時認知藝術與藝術環境的相互關係及影響，蕭氏開始思考自己在藝術上的角色，認為回港能有助在藝術環境裡作實踐 (43:00-56:16)。蕭氏在 1992 年正式投入香港藝術圈並和潘泝等來自不同背景的成員組織「八人入乂」，以創作裝置藝術為主，以隨性、不太認真做藝術的態度作為哲學 (1:02:20-1:15:55)；他認為「八人入乂」是根據個人、集體創作、策展組織等幾方面發展出來，其特點是對展覽裡的陳設提出發問及討論，以槪念實踐作品，以及成員間在溝通和分工上的協調 (1:16:00-1:25:45)。蕭氏又喜以集體創作的方式塑造物料和環境 (1:25:50-1:27:50)。