The Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been dedicated to promoting contemporary arts and culture within and across the border for over 35 years in the community. This year, the HKAC collaborates with 7 Asian organisations and Executive Director Connie Lam attends the “Setouchi Triennale 2013 – Fukutake House Asia Art Platform” with Hong Kong Art School Senior Lecturer Jaffa Lam and Graduate Bo Law to create on Shodoshima a community arts project to present the locals’ collective memory of their alma mater. Besides, the HKAC has invited renowned Hong Kong Chef George Tang (Founder of George Kitchen) to give culinary workshops on 8 July to inhabitants of Shodoshima at the “Fukuda Asian Diner”, teaching authentic Hong Kong cuisine to participants with Setouchi ingredients to promote Hong Kong's unique food culture.
The myriad islands of the Seto Inland Sea were initially populated by those who traveled from island to island from the archipelagos of Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Okinawa. The region was linked by water to the East China Sea, East Asia and Australasia, resulting in a rich cultural complex, distinct in character from the continent of Eurasia and unconfined by national borders. Today, Asia, together with its diverse traditions and cultures, has been engulfed by the wave of globalization and is confronted by many pressing issues.
This summer, the Setouchi Triennale brings these distinctive communities together again in Fukutake House (the defunct Fukuda Elementary School), provides a platform for collaboration among people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, and helps transform the ecology of the Seto inland regions. In the first year, the Asia Art Platform is launched by 7 organisations from Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, who are the representatives from various art-related institutions throughout Asia, including foundations, nonprofit organisations and universities. Participating institutions curate a joint exhibition with the theme “How have we responded to globalization?” at the schoolhouse, as well as invite renowned chefs from their countries to conduct a series of culinary workshops with the local inhabitants to develop the menu for “Fukuda Asian Diner”, which will be run by the locals during the period of the festival.
In addition, Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate Ryue Nishizawa, is the supervisor of the Platform’s exhibition spaces. He has also proposed the concept of revitalising the defunct School, and redesigned the pavilion as café-restaurants and community space connecting to the shrine adjacent to the School.
Setouchi Triennale 2013 is only just the beginning. Each of these partner organisations will continue to meet, exchange, and exhibit works on a regular basis (once or twice a year) with the aim of realising joint projects in the future. The project has the intention to increase the number of participating countries, regions and organisations over the years.
Date & Time:
20/07/2013 - 01/09/2013 From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
05/10/2013 - 04/11/2013 From 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
*image: © Hong Kong Arts Centre
