Afterwards, from
Inside-looking-out Exhibition Catalogue
I have an unforgettable memory from the last Venice
Biennale when one of the artists I met asked me the question “Are there
any Hong Kong Artists?” For me, this sounded like, does your city have
dreamers? Where is your art and culture? I paused, I was shocked and
I felt naked. I want to fight back. But how?
This project was initiated
last summer when I was in London. Before moving to London, I had started
my art profession with a group of friends in a studio located in Fotan.
The experience of setting up the studio and sometimes discussing art
or whatever, has always been the most precious moment of our early 20s.
So, why not start a project with the artists and friends I am familiar
with? I think history brings us together. There is continuity of passion,
commitment to art and a desire for developing the art profession among
us all, which I think are the core elements for forming a good exhibition.
This year marks the 10th
Anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. There has been a lot of
questions/crisis/discussion about identity in the past 10 years, not
only in the field of contemporary art, but also in economic and social
issues. I am not trying to top-up the question, but would like to share
what I have found among us, even though it can’t be said to represent
Hong Kong, but more as a kind of reference.
Undergraduate
study at Chinese University is focused on both Chinese and Western art
practice as well as both art histories. The influence of the American-European
avant-garde and the variety of these art forms and presentations has
long been an important reference for local artists and art students.
With the help of language, media, publications and political power,
its culture spread all over the world. Hong Kong has had its doors open
to the West for over a hundred years; one of the mainstreams in Hong
Kong contemporary art is engagement with the American-European avant-garde.
The Chinese ink movement is another mainstream. Duchamp opened up the
possibility of using ready-mades and playing with the context of art
in different situations, Rauschenberg’s and Kiefer’s paintings constructed
using materials rather than pigments and brushes, Gerhard Richter’s
photo-based painting technique, Agnes Martin’s minimal paintings recalling
the spirituality of human endeavour – all of these had an influence.
The development of the art market also raises questions about the relationship
between art and money, and the conflicts between individual and society,
private and public.
However, the
various art forms among us were not tied to American-European society,
but rooted in our own Chinese traditional spirit and values. One of
the most important spirits in Chinese Art is the direct correlation
between the artist’s accomplishment and his natural endowment, scholarship,
moral character, personality and ideological state of mind. The emphasis
on artistic aptitude is linked to practical experience of life. This
means a reading of the artwork cannot be isolated from the artist himself.
The personality and ideology of one’s self always relies on one’s own
daily life or personal emotions. The artists always keep themselves
at a distance from society in order to achieve their distinctive artistic/moral
quality.
I am not sure if there is
there any link between the idea of the reclusive Chinese literati (artist)
and the studio space in a highly commercial capital city like Hong Kong.
Among the works present in this exhibition, there are various styles
and art forms but the spirit of the works behind is always personal,
poetic and sensitive. The subjects of the art are found by personal
feelings on daily life rather than social movements or global issues.
If we see all these artists
in a group, even though they are working on their individual themes,
there will be interesting questions like: Why didn’t they find a full
time job like other graduating students? What they are fighting for
if there is no art market for Hong Kong contemporary art? What values
do they hold? What is their dream living in a city like Hong Kong?
There is plenty of room
for discussing all of these art works from many different perspectives.
I hope these works and the exhibition itself could open up a new discussion
on the young generation artists and give inspiration for us to understand
the art and the life we possess (in, but not only in Hong Kong).
This exhibition could not
have been realized without the support of Osage and their fabulous industrial
style gallery space at Kwun Tong. On behalf of all the artists I would
like to express my warmest thanks to Ms. Agnes Lin, Director of Osage.
She pushed the boundaries of this project further with her motto “Think
out of the Box”. Special recognition also to Mr. Jonathan Thomson, Art
Historian and Osage Art Consultant, for contributing the title of the
show and his perceptive essay written for this publication. We are very
grateful to Carmen Ho, Janet Fong and Anne Chan whose cooperation and
support have been invaluable throughout the preparation of the exhibition.
Last but not least, it is our honor to work with the artists and friends
who have shown their enduring commitment to this project. We are equally
grateful to Jeff Leung, Gordon Lo, Sam Tang Siu-nam, and Li Tin-lun
who have given advice and shared the happy times with us in the development
of the studio.
Finally my writing
is coming to an end here, but it’s just the start of the project. We
are looking forward to see more new-comers from the younger generation
and hope there may be a possibility to take this exhibition somewhere
outside of Hong Kong.
Lam Tungpang
Artist