This paper draws from an AHRC-funded research project on the topic of Chinese borders in contemporary art practices, entitled Culture, Capital and Communication: Visualizing Borders in the 21 st Century. The research is contextualized in the article in relation to the concept of "Chinese-ness" in 'Contemporary Art Discourse and Practice', as addressed in the corresponding conference at the University of Lisbon -http://chineseness.fba.ul.pt. The physical and political borders that demarcate the straits of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are signifiers of the identity struggles that they contain. Art practices which address issues of Hong Kong-ese-ness and Taiwanese-ness in relation to the limitations of Chinese borders for defining their sovereign political and socio-historical identities, can, therefore, be considered as border art. Often, such explorations of identity are counterposed with the presence of China and Chinese-ness as a cultural, economic and political hegemonic force, and ideological barrier. Artists who examine Chinese borders within their work tend to interrogate, represent and, often, contest or counter, the perceived political and cultural restrictions imposed by the mainland. This article considers socially engaged artistic practices -including art spaces and events -encountered during the research laboratories, summative conference and site visits, which work on micro levels to both interrogate and counter the influence of mainland China through instigating social undercurrents. I suggest that the combination of politicized theorizing and physically demonstrative or precarious art activities create a form of artistic praxis that works to expose and, in turn, traverse the limitations of border presence or absence across the Chinese straits.
Responding specifically to the Asia Triennial Manchester (established in 2008), this article locates the triennial's title theme of 'Asia' within the historical and cultural locale of the city of Manchester, and considers the conceptualisation of categories such as exhibition, festival, pavilion, city and continent, and divisions of 'east' and 'west' within this cultural landscape. It offers some alternative approaches to the presentation of so-called global artworks in the local spaces of galleries and pavilions, evaluating the international tri/biennial in relation to market forces and notions of nationhood and authorship. Two case studies-the Asia Triennial Manchester of 2008 and 2011-highlight processes of categorisation and the difficulties these present for participating artists, explored from the perspective of the author's own involvement as an academic and curator. The article compares approaches taken by curators at other such art events in Istanbul, Gwangju and Singapore, in order to interrogate the place of such large scale festivals within global cities, and to consider how to represent art from different nations, with or without using pavilions. Finally, suggestions are made as to how this background of analysis may assist in envisioning the potential creative format for Asia Triennial Manchester 2014.
The article examines visual elements of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) by considering its spatial and political uniqueness and its attraction for artists and tourists. The case study is contextualized in relation to a research project – ‘Imaging the DMZ’ – which included a visit to the ‘Real DMZ’ art project by Samuso Art Space (2012), which took place within the DMZ itself. The investigation into the ways that the DMZ has been imaged also includes observations of key artworks and conversations with contemporary artists from South Korea who visualize the DMZ, as well as analysis of online images of the area. The article argues that the DMZ’s ambiguous, yet politically divisive ontology is what makes it distinctive and appealing to the imagination of tourists, the media and artists, but that the latter may be best placed to highlight and challenge some of the more static, binary representations of the DMZ and of the two Koreas that circulate within the (post) digital world.
The article examines visual elements of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) by considering its spatial and political uniqueness and its attraction for artists and tourists. The case study is contextualized in relation to a research project-'Imaging the DMZ'-which included a visit to the 'Real DMZ' art project by Samuso Art Space (2012), which took place within the DMZ itself. The investigation into the ways that the DMZ has been imaged also includes observations of key artworks and conversations with contemporary artists from South Korea who visualize the DMZ, as well as analysis of online images of the area. The article argues that the DMZ's ambiguous, yet politically divisive, ontology is what makes it distinctive and appealing to the imagination of tourists, the media and artists, but that the latter may be best placed to highlight and challenge some of the more static, binary representations of the DMZ and of the two Koreas that circulate within the (post) digital world.
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