Shanghai, September 25, 2015 – Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) and HUGO BOSS are excited to announce the Home City Conversations, as part of the research and education efforts of HUGO BOSS ASIA ART: Award for Emerging Asian Artists, a biannual award which aims to honour emerging contemporary artists who are in the early stages of their artistic creation and exhibition practices.
The Home City Conversations consist of public talks and studio visits organized by RAM, in collaboration with one renowned local art institution and one art professional in Beijing, Manila, Yangon and Taipei respectively. The series of events will take place between September and November 2015, prior to and during the group exhibition at RAM in Shanghai, which opens on 30th October, 2015.
HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award is a platform and an on-going process of investigation into the concept of Asia and the transformation of art in this region. Through education and exhibition programs, each edition explores new territories towards mapping contemporary art in Asia in multiple facets and layers. Following the success of the first edition focusing on Greater China, the 2015 Award goes on to look at Southeast Asia and on Greater China, which represents a response to the shifting geo-political situations in this area and a further move of the Award towards its mission.
Larys Frogier, RAM Director and Chair of the HUGO BOSS ASIA ART jury, states, “As part of the 2015 HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award education program, Home City Conversations attempts to look at the immediate contexts for the shortlisted artists’ works – from the cities they live and work in through studio visits and public conversations.” The conversations aim to engage with the public and art community in each of the cities, and to shed new light on the artists’ work as well as on the regions for an international audience.
The six shortlisted artists for the second edition of the HUGO BOSS ASIA ART Award are; Guan Xiao (China), Huang Po-Chih (Taiwan), Moe Satt (Myanmar), Maria Taniguchi (Philippines), Vandy Rattana (Cambodia), and Yang Xinguang (China), selected by an art jury which comprises a strong mix of independent and institutional members who have deep knowledge of artists and their projects in Asia. Their insights into the development of the contemporary art scene in Asia today, and their clear visions of the challenges and opportunities of the future, will stimulate a strong contribution to the evolution of contemporary art in Asia, through the Award.
Conceived and curated by RAM, the HUGO BOSS ASIA ART group exhibition will be shown from 30th October 2015 to 3rd January 2016, with newly commissioned artworks that are currently being created by the artists, and will be unveiled specifically for the Award. The winner of the Award will be announced in November, and will be chosen based on the exhibition, receiving a stipend of ¥300,000 to further develop the artist’s practice.
Home City Conversations
BEIJING
Public Talk: 25 September 2015
Time: 19:30 – 21:00
Venue: Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA)
Speakers: Guan Xiao (artist), Yang Xinguang (artist)
Guest speakers: Robin Peckham (Chief Editor, LEAP), Li Qi (Senior Curator, Rockbund Art Museum)
Language: Mandarin Chinese
MANILA
Public Talk: 6 November 2015
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD), Manila
Speaker: Maria Taniguchi (artist)
Guest speakers: Joselina Cruz (Curator, MCAD), Liu Yingjiu (Deputy Director, Rockbund Art Museum)
Language: English
YANGON
Public Talk: 13 November 2015
Time: 19:30 – 21:00
Venue: To be confirmed
Speaker: Moe Satt (artist)
Guest speaker: Larys Frogier (Director, Rockbund Art Museum)
Language: English
TAIPEI
Public Talk: 22 November 2015
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: MOCA TAIPEI
Speakers: Huang Po-Chih (artist), Vandy Rattana (artist)
Guest speaker: Li Qi (RAM senior curator)
Language: English
About RAM
For five years RAM has been at the forefront of the growing contemporary art scene in China, presenting world-class programmes in a unique museum setting. A boutique Museum of the upmost quality, RAM holds a unique position within Shanghai’s continually expanding cultural scene. The Museum is located within the Bund district and housed in an exquisite heritage Art Deco building which was renovated by architect David Chipperfield before opening in 2010.
The Museum’s exemplary curatorial, education and research programs showcase acclaimed and emerging Chinese and international artists, responding to and reflecting on the present and urgent challenges of society locally and internationally. RAM presents a bold and pioneering programme of three exhibitions per year; exploring and realizing artists’ most ambitious projects and working with them to tailor exhibitions to the Museum and to the Shanghai context, often with a large proportion of works as new commissions. RAM devises, produces and curates its programme in-house, in conjunction with carefully selected international collaborations of the highest quality. For more information, please refer to www.rockbundartmuseum.org.