4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art

Postcards from Beijing: Pedro de Almeida at the studios of Shen Shaomin

summar — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:47:19 +0000

Last week during his trip to Beijing 4A’s Program Manager, Pedro de Almeida met with Chinese-Australian artist Shen Shaomin. This visit coincides with 4A’s recent announcement of a Beijing Residency Program at the studios of Shen Shaomin in September this year. The residency program is a great opportunity for three emerging artists to work in China and to research new projects. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2013. More information.

ORIENTing opens this weekend in Perth

summar — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:15:01 +0000

Perth: Two new exhibitions ORIENTing: Ian Fairweather in Western Australian Collections curated by
Ted Snell (Director, Cultural Precinct, UWA) and Sally Quin (Curator, UWA) and ORIENTing: With Or Without You curated by Aaron Seeto (Director, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney) and
Toby Chapman (Assistant Curator, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney) open this Saturday at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, The University of Western Australia. With Or Without You features a number of prominent Australian artists including Newell Harry, Tom Nicholson, Phaptawan Suwannakudt, Roy Wiggan, Tintin Wulia, and John Young. The exhibition opens 6pm, Friday 3 May.

According to the official media release:

ORIENTing is an exhibition in two parts, each exploring a different aspect of artistic engagement with Asia. ORIENTing: Ian Fairweather in Western Australian Collections gathers together for the first time a series of significant early works by Fairweather in Western Australian collections, focusing on the influence of Asian art and culture on the artist’s practice. A major artist of the twentieth century, Fairweather was Scottish born, though spent periods of his life in China, Bali, the Philippines, India and Australia. He was particularly fascinated by Chinese culture and this is reflected in the subject matter and style of his works, which indicate a strong fascination with calligraphy. The exhibition focuses on Fairweather’s early paintings from the 1930s and 1940s, which recall his experiences of travel.

ORIENTing: With or Without You is an exhibition of contemporary art by Australian artists which touches on similar themes, considering the significance of place, identity and landscape in a variety of art forms. Artists include Newell Harry, Tom Nicholson, Phaptawan Suwannakudt, Roy Wiggan, Tintin Wulia, and John Young. While some artists respond directly to Ian Fairweather’s paintings, others reflect on the broader themes of cross-cultural engagement and interaction.

The exhibitions enable us to look at the past to provide an understanding of the present, and also to act as a lens onto the future by exploring our cultural relationship to our geographic region over a broad time span.

Additionally, in June 2013 the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery will launch a companion book including full-colour plates of all the works together with essays written by leading scholars and authors.


The exhibition is on from 4 May – 13 July 2013.




















ORIENTing: Ian Fairweather in Western Australian Collections
ORIENTing: With Or Without You
4 May – 13 July 2013
Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Hwy (cnr Fairway)
Crawley, Perth
Western Australia 6009
Ph: 08 6488 3707
Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery hours 11.00am to 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday

4A Members’ Program – Perceiving Space: Contemporary Design & Architecture

summar — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:30:06 +0000

In our daily lives we often take for granted how we interact with and experience the built environment. How do we orient ourselves in space? What are some of the conditions designers and architects face when creating spaces for other people? To unpack these issues 4A is presenting an informal forum by bringing together architects, artists, curators and designers to present their ideas and discuss aspects relating to contemporary design and architecture.

Venue:                      4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, 181-187 Hay St, Haymarket
Date:                        Thursday 4 July 2013
Time:                        5.30 pm-6.30 pm
Bookings:                Free for 4A Members. RSVP: yuye.wu@4a.com.au

Not yet a Member? Fill out this form and send it back to us or call us on 02 9212 0380.

Find out more about Membership.

4A Members’ Program – Sydney ARI Tour

summar — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:50:53 +0000

In celebration of 4A’s exhibition In Possible Worlds, join us for a 4A Members’ walking tour of various artist-run-initiatives (ARIs) in inner-city Sydney. Hear a series of talks and meet the Directors of MOP, Firstdraft, Chalk Horse at their contemporary art spaces. Find out more about the opportunities and avenues that exist to gain further exposure and build confidence as an emerging artist, curator and arts writer, or come along simply to learn more about the scene. Join us at a local pub afterwards for a friendly drink and chat.

Meeting Point:    MOP Projects, 2/39 Abercrombie St  Chippendale NSW MAPLINK
Date:           Saturday 18 May 2013
Time:        1.00pm-4.00pm
Bookings: Free for 4A Members. RSVP essential: sam.zammit@4a.com.au

Not yet a Member? Fill out this form and send it back to us or call us on 02 9212 0380.

Find out more about Membership.

4A Members’ Program – In My Space: Artists’ Studio Visits

summar — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 05:32:09 +0000

For the final event in 4A’s 2013 Members’ Program, 4A Assistant Curator, Toby Chapman and Program Coordinator, Samuel Zammit have each selected a Sydney-based artist whom they admire or have worked with in the past. Join Toby and Samuel in conversation with their chosen artist in the intimate setting of the artists’ studios, exploring the day-to-day processes of each artist’s studio practice and their current and future projects. Stay tuned for the announcement of selected artists.

In My Space: Artists’ Studio Visits

Venue: Various (to be announced)

Date: Saturday 19 October 2013

Time: 1pm-5pm

Bookings: Free for 4A Members. RSVP: sam.zammit@4a.com.au

Not yet a Member? Fill out this form and send it back to us or call us on 02 9212 0380.

Find out more about Membership

Applications now open for 4A’s Beijing Residency Program

summar — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:27:15 +0000

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (4A) is proud to announce that applications are now open for its studio residency in Beijing.

Through this initiative three early career artists will embark on a month-long residency in September at the studios of renowned Chinese Australian artist Shen Shaomin.

4A’s Beijing Residency Program provides a unique opportunity for the selected artists to research new projects in rich cultural surroundings, build networks and observe the changes taking place in one of the most important cities in the Asia region.

On return to Australia artists will be invited to present their experiences in a public forum and will be invited to make a proposal for an exhibition. If successful they will be mentored by 4A in the lead up to an exhibition in 2014.

The residency covers airfares and accommodation and a small stipend, as well as ongoing professional mentorship, cross-cultural exchange and access to 4A’s networks across China.

Applications are now open and close 6.00PM Friday 31 May 2013.

Please read guidelines below and download the application form for full details.

ABOUT SHEN SHAOMIN

Over the last twenty years Chinese Australian artist Shen Shaomin has forged an important international career with an emphasis on experimental conceptual and installation works. Based in Beijing and having spent over a decade in Australia Shen’s work has enjoyed critical success across international cities, London, New York and Hong Kong.Shen Shaomin has previously exhibited with 4A at the Sydney Pavilion, 9th Shanghai Biennale (2012) and presented a solo exhibition, The Day After Tomorrow (2011). He has presented at major biennales including Liverpool Biennial (2006) and the 17th Biennale of Sydney (2010). In China he has exhibited at The Today Art Museum, Beijing; Tang Contemporary, Beijing; Platform China, Beijing; Shanghai Zendai Moma, Shanghai Osage; Kwun Tung, Hong Kong. Across Europe and North America selected exhibitions include , Groniger Museum, Holland; Urs Meile Gallery, Switzerland; ZKM Museum Karlrusche, Germany; Millennium Park, Chicago and Eli Klein Fine Art, New York.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

ELIGIBILITY

Application is open to visual artists who are currently Australian residents.

Please submit support material which has been completed in the last 2 years, material completed earlier than this will not be eligible.

RESIDENCY PERIOD

Successful artists must be available for travel to Beijing, China for one month in the beginning of September 2013. Once set, dates are not negotiable.

All three artists will be travelling at the same time.

CRITERIA

Successful artists will be chosen based on their portfolio, quality of their works, their reasons for participation and the potential benefits to the applicant. Decisions are final and will be made by 4A’s Visual Arts Advisory Committee Panel. Applications will be assessed approximately four weeks following the deadline.

REQUIRED INFORMATION

To apply for the 4A Beijing Residency Program please download a copy of the application form and type into form fields or print or complete by hand. The final submission should include:

A completed copy of the application form which includes your CV, a statement outlining your intention for participating and work details for support material
Support material which includes a Powerpoint document with 10 images OR video material (10 mins. max.) supplied as URL links to uploaded content.
Please do not send us original material and note that submitted material will not be returned.

SUPPORT MATERIAL

Please supply images in Powerpoint at 72-dpi res with your application. Please do not send individual files.

Video material must be uploaded to a website and URL should be supplied for viewing.

AMENITIES

The studio accommodation is housed in Shen Shaomin’s studio one hour from Beijing’s city centre. These are newly built residences. Transfers and limited assistance will be provided and shared by the artists.
Chinese language skills are not necessary.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

The ability to accommodate artists using heavy or unusual materials may be restricted and if new work is created, artists are responsible for shipping work from China.
Artists will be asked to sign an agreement
Artists will be asked to provide a public presentation of their trip on their return.

HOW TO APPLY

Please download an application form and send your completed form to

Toby Chapman
Assistant Curator
4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
PO BOX K1312
Haymarket NSW 1240
toby.chapman@4a.com.au

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications is 6.00PM Friday 31 May 2013.

ENQUIRIES

Toby Chapman
Assistant Curator
4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
181-187 Hay St, Sydney NSW 2000
02 9212 0380
toby.chapman@4a.com.au

Join us at the opening of in possible worlds

summar — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:03:58 +0000

The Board of 4A invites you to the launch of:

In Possible Worlds
Claudia Nicholson, Elly Kent, Tianli Zu
Opening night: Thursday 18 April, 6.00 – 8.00PM
To be launched by Anna Davis, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Exhibition dates: 19 April – 8 June 2013

Venue: 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
181-187 Hay St Sydney
Maplink

Image: Claudia Nicholson, Alliance VS Decent (work with dentures) (2011), single channel video, 2 mins. Courtesy of the artist; Elly Kent, Diverge (2012-13), production image (detail), batik wax, machine stitching concrete oxides on paper, found door and window frames, dimensions variable, private collection. Courtesy of the artist; Tianli Zu, White Shadows (2013),(detail) acrylic on acetate film, handcut, and light projection and animation dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist.

4A’s upcoming exhibition, In Possible Worlds, to open April 18, alongside launch of 2013 Australian artist residency in Beijing, China

summar — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:45:41 +0000

MEDIA RELEASE

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art’s (4A) upcoming exhibition, In Possible Worlds, to open April 18, alongside launch of 2013 Australian artist residency in Beijing, China

“As we move through the Asian Century, it is important for artists and the cultural sector in Australia to have the opportunity to witness some of the big cultural changes taking shape in the region.”

- Aaron Seeto, Director, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art continues to champion Australian emerging artists with two major new initiatives announced this week.
The upcoming exhibition, In Possible Worlds, part of 4A’s Early Career Artist Initiative, brings together a selection of recent works by Australian artists Elly Kent, Claudia Nicholson and Tianli Zu. Developed over a year–long process of curatorial guidance with 4A, these artists were chosen to exhibit by Lisa Havilah, Chief Executive Officer of Carraigeworks and Aaron Seeto, Director of 4A.

Touching on themes of intimacy, dislocation, violence and the pleasures of ordinary life, In Possible Worlds encourages us open up to the possibilities of seeing the world in different ways.

This month 4A will also launch its 2013 Artist Residency Program in Beijing, a program developed by 4A and the acclaimed Australian Chinese artist Shen Shaomin. Now based in Bejing and having spent almost a decade in Australia, Shen has received critical success with exhibitions of his work shown in New York, London and Hong Kong. Through the initiative Shen and 4A are keen to give three younger Australian artists the opportunity to access new cultural networks as well as establishing productive connections between China and Australia.

This exciting initiative gives three emerging Australian artists, selected through a competitive application process, to be based for one month from September 2013 at Shen Shaomin’s studios in Beijing, presently China’s most vibrant epicentre for contemporary art.

Being able to create professional capacity for Australian artists to engage with the Asia-Pacific now and in the future is a core ideal of 4A. As Director Aaron Seeto says,

“Our intention is based on giving young, creative Australians access to our networks, knowledge and expertise that will allow the conversation that 4A has developed between Australia and Asia, over the last decade-and-a-half, to be further enhanced.”

4A Beijing Residency Program

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art has established a one month studio residency program for three emerging Australian artists at Shen Shaomin’s expansive artist studios in Beijing. 4A will soon open applications for the residency commencing in September 2013.

While presentation of new work is not an outcome, this residency provides a great opportunity for the selected artist to research and to develop new projects and networks in rich cultural surroundings. Applications will open on 18 April and will be available for download from 4A’s website. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2013.

Shen Shaomin

Over the last twenty years Chinese Australian artist Shen Shaomin has forged an important international career with an emphasis on experimental conceptual and installation works. Based in Beijing and having spent over a decade in Australia Shen’s work has enjoyed critical success across international cities, London, New York and Hong Kong.

Shen Shaomin has previously exhibited with 4A at the Sydney Pavilion, 9th Shanghai Biennale (2012) and presented a solo exhibition, The Day After Tomorrow (2011). He has presented at major biennales including Liverpool Biennial (2006) and the 17th Biennale of Sydney (2010). In China he has exhibited at The Today Art Museum, Beijing; Tang Contemporary, Beijing; Platform China, Beijing; Shanghai Zendai Moma, Shanghai Osage; Kwun Tung, Hong Kong. Across Europe and North America selected exhibitions include , Groniger Museum, Holland; Urs Meile Gallery, Switzerland; ZKM Museum Karlrusche, Germany; Millennium Park, Chicago and Eli Klein Fine Art, New York.

For media inquiries please contact Hannah Skrzynski at hannah@4a.com.au or 0412 825 586.

For more information on 4A’s Artist Residency program, contact Yu Ye Wu at yuye.wu@4a.com.au or 02 9212 0380.

In Possible Worlds

summar — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:32:09 +0000

In Possible Worlds brings together a selection of recent works by Australian artists Elly Kent, Claudia Nicholson, and Tianli Zu.

Touching on themes of intimacy, dislocation, violence and the pleasures of ordinary life, In Possible Worlds encourages us to question the concrete reality of visual fact when faced with shifting realms of meaning beneath the surface of things. Engaging with the material qualities of forms and imagery enables a process of exchange and negotiation that opens up possibilities of seeing the world in different ways.

Elly Kent’s works on paper draw on her knowledge of traditional Indonesian batik practices – a skill she learnt during her studies at the Indonesian Institute of Art in Yogyakarta. Interested in subverting the ways in which difference is identified and named, Kent re-contextualises batik processes by creating patterns using familiar everyday objects. Crafting stamps out of domestic utensils sourced from her home Kent prints the same object repetitively onto strips of paper that are then dyed, stitched together and stretched over door and window frames.

Born in Colombia and raised in Australia, Claudia Nicholson occupies an ambiguous position between Australian and Latino cultures. As an adopted child, her work questions the construction of identity in the absence of a known ancestry and subsequent experiences of cultural and geographic dislocation. Interested in the social functions of folklore and myth surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, Nicholson works extensively with her family, using performance to comment on social attributes pertaining to kinship and familial relationships.

Fascinated by the powerful potential of shadows, Tianli Zu’s large-scale intricate hand cut-outs and animations are inspired by human and organic forms and genitalia. Drawing on traditional Chinese paper cutting techniques, Zu creates complex visual environments by projecting animations through multiple layers of acetate. These beautiful objects cast shadows that evoke a sense of restlessness, anxiety, doubt and contradiction, reflecting on the inseparable relationship between light and shade and the intertwining of yin and yang.

Developed over a year through a process of curatorial guidance with 4A, these artists were chosen to exhibit by Lisa Havilah, Chief Executive Officer, Carriageworks and Aaron Seeto, Director of 4A through 4A’s early career artists’ initiative.

Artist Biographies

Elly Kent (b. Australia) is a Canberra-based printmaker whose works on paper, inspired by Indonesian Batik practices, are created with everyday objects sourced from her home. Kent holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) in Printmaking and Drawing, and a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies specialising in Indonesian, from the Australian National University, Canberra, where she is currently completing doctoral research on the theory and practice of contemporary artists in Indonesia. Over the past decade Kent’s works have been exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions across Australia, and she has been an artist-in-residence at the Bundanon Trust and Megalo Print Studio and Gallery. Kent has further strengthened her ties to Indonesia by studying at the Indonesian Institute of Art and Universitas Gadjah Mada, and has also worked previously at Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta (2003-2004).

Claudia Nicholson (b. Colombia) is a Sydney-based artist, adopted from Colombia and raised in Australia. Nicholson is a graduate of the College of Fine Arts (COFA), University of New South Wales, completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Painting and Drawing in 2011. She has exhibited in a number of group exhibitions across Sydney, including ARC annual emerging artist and design show (2007 & 2011) at Kudos Gallery and EASY SPEAK Tortuga Studios Group Show (2011). Nicholson’s work has been featured in COFA’s graduate exhibitions and group shows, including Halfway House at COFA Space Paddington (2011).

Tianli Zu (b. China) is a Sydney-based artist who practices in intricate papercuts and projecting light and sound animations. Her body of work is inspired by Chinese philosophy and much of her work and research dwells on shadows and the powerful dynamics between light and dark. She graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1987, and has a Master of Fine Arts (Research) from the Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney, where she is presently completing a Doctor of Philosophy, researching Taoism and the power of the shadow.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

ARTIST INTERVIEWS

Produced for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art by Das Platforms.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Concrete Playground

Luise Guest, Tianli Zu: The Power of the Shadow, The Art Life, 24 April 2013

Katherine Linn, In Possible Worlds, Arts Hub, 1 May 2013

Leann Richards, In Possible Worlds, City News, 2 May 2013

In Possible Worlds
Elly Kent, Claudia Nicholson, Tianli Zu
19 April – 8 June 2013
Free entry
4A opening hours: 11.00AM – 6.00PM Tuesday – Saturday
Closed public holidays include ANZAC Day 25 April 2013

Related Events
18 May - 4A Members Program: Sydney ARI Tour

Thomas Berghuis appointed Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation curator of Chinese art at the Guggenheim

summar — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:05:12 +0000

Congratulations to Dr Thomas Berghuis, for his future appointment as the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Curator of Chinese Art at the Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Berghuis currently serves as a committee member on 4A’s Visual Advisory Committee and also serves as Lecturer in Asian Art at the Department of Art History & Film Studies at the University of Sydney; Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Asian Art and Archeology (ACAAA) and is on the committee of the University of Sydney’s China Studies Centre. Most recently he was founding co-curator of Edge of Elsewhere (2010-12).

He states that, “This is great news for contemporary Asian art and contemporary Chinese art, and provides a recognition for the valuable work we do in Sydney.”

According to the Guggenheim’s official press release this appointment has been “made possible by a major grant to the Guggenheim from The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, (and) the new program will enable the commissioning of artworks by artists who were born in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macao.” The Hong Kong based foundation has previously supported the museum’s 2008 Cai Guo-Qiang major retrospective, I Want to Believe and the 2009 show The Third Mind: American Artists Contemplate Asia, 1860-1989.

Major work by at least three artists or group of artists look set to be commissioned and will enter into the Guggenheim’s permanent collection as The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Collection. These works will later be exhibited at the Guggehnheim in New York between 2014-2017.

Best wishes to Thomas and his family as they move to NYC later in the year!