Seeking out new media exploration by artists in Hong Kong brings us to the space Para/Site. The site is peculiar in that it is one of the few if not the only independent and privately sponsored art spaces in HK. Here artists are allowed to explore and exhibit works without constraints. After a zig-zag of narrow alley ways we find the site – but we are one day too early. Two friendly artists (German) inside tell us that the opening is the following day.
On return to the opening, we find a small crowd outside the space and mutterings in German and English. Having been recommended by HK art students we are immediately surprised that there are hardly any HKers attending. Only a small old lady passing by with a trolley, which upon gesturing is handed a cigarette by one of the artists, adds to the local HK presence. Ironically it is the social significance of urban spaces the exhibition Stray focuses itself around.
Loud revving can be heard outside the video space – once inside we see footage of men in their big 4x4 vehicles trying to drive up steep sand hills outside Tel Aviv. The work King of Hills by Yael Bartana (2003) shows a macho nonsense day out in the murmur of a war-ridden region. In the main space there are three works. Untitled by Bojan Sarcevic (2004) shows the artist walking through a visually overlapping streetscape where the similarity of roads begin to blend in with one another to produce the effect of a loop. On the wall close to the entrance four framed collages by Jacob Kolding named Untitled (2006) show activities (skateboarding and graffiti) of urban youngsters dealing with restrictions and inso he addresses questions of public space and private activities. Vision City (perhaps meanwhile the old building is not positioned in the right perspective) (2006) by artist collective Jochen Schmith consisting of Peter Hoppe, Peter Steckroth and Carola Wagenplast employ two monitors sitting on a small plateau. The one screen shows the artists viewing an apartment to rent and the other rental advertisements. You become aware of an old building on the one screen and then on the other, where the people trying to rent the apartment seem to be looking out of the balcony for the old building. The work has an interesting reflection on the western viewpoint of architecture and preservation, contrasting private desires.
In between real estate appointments, he takes walks through the district, mainly to check the infrastructure. On his way through the streets he discovers an old building. He seems fascinated by it, but its not clear why…During the following real estate appointments, he tries to catch a view of the old building from various apartments. After several inspections, the building is still nowhere to be seen…. [Jochen Schmith]
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| Photographed using mobile :: Samsung D500 |
Outside we catch up with some of the artists and there in the corner of our eye we get a glimpse of the old lady who has returned as if circling the blocks like a stray cat.
