***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
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   [Date]: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 17:13:06 +1000
   [From]: "Kim Machan" <kma@b130.aone.net.au>
     [To]: "Cultural Exchange via Internet" <forum1@hkw.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Re: America?


Dear Olu
This reply comes a little late - pressing work and the want to consider your
response and contribute in a meaningful way. After not picking up emails for
4 days there has been a lot of water under the bridge!

I did not intend to act in a police role and have been following the list
with genuine interest in the debates that have been raised. Not having been
to Paris London Berlin or New York to see the show puts me into the category
of Asia Pacific visual isolation from the discussion - which in part brought
up my comment.
The Internet discussion ignited by  The Sensation show has raised much
discussion that is based around the function of art and a full range of
comments on the function of an artist. These issues do effect all, however
this discussion could easily be happening on a list about "new British art
of the 80's 90's" (not to ignore that artists with different cultural
backgrounds are involved). That really was the reason i put in a comment.
Again, I am not trying to police the list, just to note the sense of
isolation for someone that has not had the experience of being involved in
the exhibition. The discussion that lead into very broad issues were
extremely interesting and valuable , but to refocus, specific questions,
problems and communication related to artists working outside of the
euro-newyork dialogue pervades.

Currently in Brisbane the Third Contemporary Art Asia Pacific Triennial
www.apt3.net  at the Queensland Art Gallery is showcasing 70 artists from
the region and MAAP participated in providing Online art content and
partnered in the screen culture program for this event. MAAP curated
"Missile Web Launch Site" within the main site
http://maap.org.au/maap99/missile99/missindex.html
 which holds 30 on-line art and associated projects from the Asia Pacific
region. There was a list set up to discuss the exhibition and conference and
it ran for a month or so, unfortunately, (in my opinion,) it did not have a
strong faciltator and the debate trickled away - although the forum is
officially still active.
The exhibition  did raise debate - the APT3 curatorial policies  (each
country partnering a curator with an Australian counterpart) - the idea of a
large museum show trying to present a survey of the region and what is the
best curatorial design to do this.
The exhibition incorporated it's own "Virtual Triennial" - the importance
and emphasis that went into this aspect was essentially because of the
physical isolation that is experienced living in a country such as Australia
and a want to be "connected" with the region and the rest of the world in
dialogue. A childrens APT and web component was also incorporated.
Living in the asia-pacific region with so many different countries and
cultures begs dialogue - and is necessary to overcome the habit of
generalisations about "asia" which are of no real use - and so, as with your
comments on Ofili's work, the benefits of the indepth analysis/story are the
key to a fuller dialogue.
What can  I say about the APT3 exhibition in the same way? - one of the
controversies that arose were the effect/influence  of international
exhibitions selecting work that presents a western interpretation of
contemporary art in asia. This was generally directed at all Curators
selecting artists that were perceived as  comfortably  readable in a
contemporary art dialogue. And this was further argued - for instance, some
artists were actually criticised for building large installation works when
none of their previous practice incorporated this. Installation artworks
were read as a sign of western cultural branding. (For me, this is not a
problem, for a list of reasons ... an artist creates work for different
contexts and budgets and the work is ultimately the object in question.)

After just reading the posting from Beral Madra about the Istanbul and
Israel Biennale's
the APT3's curatorial structure is worth underlining - each county has there
own curator who works with an Australian curator - this actually builds more
curators into the exhibition than artists! Alas, this is then criticised for
being an unfocused pot pouri - but in the political sense it is consciously
building relationships between people and is an attempt to prevent the
individual curator (probably western?) from creating a top down model.

The way the internet was used in this exhibition is a good example of the
reasonably quick evolution and adaption of the technolgy into more
traditional models of art presentation.
When high (and niche) profile exhibitions incorporate the internet as an
intergral part the excercise the use and definition of the technology is is
developed. ( a model of Documenta X)
This allows the extension/influence/presence of the physical exhibition and
in the case of APT3/ MAAP collaboration,  also introduces a body of work
essentially created for the web and hopefully a place to discuss it!
Networks are slowly building, but it must be said that the personal physical
exchanges (eg. at the time of the official opening and conference) are
extremely important in the acceleration and strengthening of uses of the
internet.


thank you for your energy and postings
best
Kim

Kim Machan
Festival Director
MAAP99
Multimedia Art Asia Pacific Inc.
MAAP is a not for profit organisation promoting creative endeavors in Art
and Technology.
 http://www.maap.org.au





> Kim, I don't think that such policing slashes are useful to insightful
> discussion and exchange. The nature and geography of themes discussed here
> ultimately depend on who is willing or disposed to contribute.