Description
An artist collective can be loosely defined as a group of three or more artists who make work together. The emphasis here lies not in the work but in the sense of "togetherness", of articulations formed through friendship. This sense of what is mutual and social can also be more strictly defined as a system of conferring value and resource sharing. In “From the Critique of Institutions to an Institution of Critique” (2005), Andrea Fraser wrote of artists, “We are the institution. It’s a question of what kind of institution we are, what kind of values we institutionalize, what forms of practice we reward, and what kinds of rewards we aspire to.” In continuation of the questions raised in Dismantling the Scaffold, this conversation is centred on issues around collaboration, identity politics, and individual autonomy. What does it mean for a group to articulate itself with one voice?In 1990, Mel Chin began his ecological work "Revival Field", which sought to remove heavy metals from the soil using plants. The grant Chin initially received from the National Endowment for the Arts in the US was retracted, with the concern being “this is not art.” Following this, the Asian American art collective Godzilla advocated with Chin in redefining what could be considered art and defined Godzilla’s voice in the New York art scene. As a form of collective organising, Asian-American artist collectives formed a critical mass in the New York art scene, raising visibility for each other’s work as well as projecting a voice that takes part in writing art history.
This conversation brings together five members of New York-based Asian American art collectives Godzilla, Asian American Network (1990-2001), Epoxy Art Group (1983-1988, 1989-1992), and Tomato Grey (2008-present), as well as Hong Kong-based art collective Visual Arts Society (1973-present) to discuss methods in which artists make work together. Panelists include Bing Lee, Samson Young, Teresa Kwong, Kaho Albert Yu and Kwok Mang Ho (Frog King), as moderated by Hera Chan. The conversation will be conducted in Cantonese with English interpretation available.
| Period | 20 Jul 2018 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong, China |
| Degree of Recognition | Local |