State-less 無國界 is a new visual arts exhibition bringing together ten internationally acclaimed East and Southeast Asian artists. As part of Kakilang Festival 2023, it’s exploring the tangible borders and invisible boundaries that define their identities.
The exhibition examines their world through a variety of contemporary mediums, including moving images, photography and interactive installations. This wide range of works presents perspectives not often encountered by mainstream Western audiences. It highlights the journey of a man who became stateless during the Sino-Vietnamese War. And features urban sounds of Taiwan, post-Tsunami Japan and permaculture in Hong Kong too.
State-less exhibition artists
Who are the participating artists in the State-less exhibition? First up there’s Tiffany Chung (Vietnam/US) who’s presented a solo exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Venice biennale. Representing Hong Kong are artists Jess Lau, and Lo Lai Lai Natalie who has presented solo exhibitions at the WMA Space in Hong Kong as well as in Paris, Basel and South Africa. Plus, Law Yuk-Mui (Hong Kong) who’s presented at Art Basel in Hong Kong and at museums and film festivals across Asia.
Also exhibiting is Robert Zhao Ren Hui (Singapore) who’s had previous solo exhibitions at Fukuoka Asian Art Museum and Singapore Biennale, and Tsui Kuang-Yu (Taiwan). In addition there’s Donald Shek (UK), Wu Tsan-Cheng (Taiwan), Wang Wei (China/UK), and Li Yongzheng (China), who’s presented a solo exhibition at Ostehaus Museum, Germany and exhibited in major galleries in China. However, it’s the first time these artists are exhibiting together in the UK.
About the exhibition
The exhibition explores how as individuals and as a collective, we make sense of the environment we live in, in terms of borders, politics and relationships. It fits into the Kakilang Festival’s overall idea of inviting audiences to question the reality of state boundaries, racial stereotypes and other failures of the imagination that exist in peoples’ minds.
A programme of events and activities explores these exhibition themes with a wide range of artist-led workshops for adults and children. There’s curator-led tours, music, poetry, artist talks and live and digital performances too.
You can see this intriguing exhibition at London’s Two Temple Place. The building’s neo-Gothic architecture makes it worth the trip on its own. But it creates an interesting contrast with the built environment of East and Southeast Asia. The exhibited works are framed and supported by scaffolding to intentionally highlight the clash of two opposing worlds: one that is still in development and the other, a postcolonial nation.
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When: On until 9th April 2023
Where: Two Temple Place, 2 Temple Place, Temple, London WC2R 3BD
£: Free admission
More info: www.state-lessexhibition.com and twotempleplace.org
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