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MODERN A R T From artists-in-residence to angel investing, art patrons are increasingly invested in the early stages of an artist’s career

STORY CHRISTIE LEE CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Artist Yeondoo Jung working Hong Kong has always had a investing in an artist’s early career, in MILL6 Foundation's strong tradition of art collecting, because they are not only collecting Tsuen Wan from Chinese ink a tangible object (in most cases studio; MILL6 Foundation artist and calligraphy in the early anyway), but also the set of ideals Mariana Hnaa days to European Masters that an artist’s work represents. working on her fabric-based and increasingly, modern and To qualify for MILL6’s art; Mariana contemporary art. artist-in-residence programme, Hnaa's work on But has that translated into a the criteria are simple: they are display; MILL6 Foundation tradition of art patronage? Does a looking for pan-Asian artists who artist Yukihiro collector automatically a patron are interested in working with Taguchi's work displayed in Hong maketh? textiles in some way. Kong. “You can be a patron when “Textile doesn’t need to be you’re buying an artist’s work featured as a medium, but the from a gallery, but we like to work must be related somehow classify a patron as the sort to to the history or memory of the have a direct relationship with the textile industry. It could take artist. There is a direct dialogue the form of a video installation between the artist and patron, or a document of sorts. We like off” the artists, Teoh is quick to living stipend. Residences are up so the relationship is mutually to work with artists who are emphasise that the artists have to three months, though the exact negotiable,” says Chin Chin continually trying to bring new total creative freedom. This length depends on the artist. At the Teoh, co-director of the MILL6 interpretations,” Teoh notes. bilateral input also extends to the end of each residency, one or two Foundation, a non-profit and There is no open call for relationship that the artist builds of the artist’s works will go towards cultural organisation. MILL6’s artist-in-residence with the Hong Kong community, MILL6’s own art foundation. In the case of MILL6, this programme; instead, candidates particularly that in Tsuen Wan, “Naturally, it’s entirely up to relationship has come in the are vetted by the Foundation’s where the MILL6 Foundation is the artist which work they pick,” form of an artist-in-residence curatorial team. based. says Teoh. “But that doesn’t mean programme. Since launching in 2016, the During his residency in Hong that it would be the end of our In recent years, the rise in programme has played host to Kong this summer, Jung held up a relationship. We might invite the artists-in-residencies has coincided three resident artists, including sign in the middle of Tseun Wan, artist for another show later.” with a call for greater support for Yukihiro Taguchi, Mariana Hahn requesting stories from former Located on the tip of Hong young and mid-career artists. From and Yeondoo Jung. textile workers. Kong Island, Wong Chuk Hang’s the perspective of the patrons, While the MILL6 Foundation Aside from accommodation, the high-ceilinged buildings with there is something beautiful about will “sometimes bounce ideas foundation provides a travel and their freight lifts and low rents

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have always been the stuff that interested in art, but feel alienated ideal galleries are made of. The from the . off-the-beaten-track aura (though The membership fees somewhat dampened by the arrival ultimately go to supporting artists. of the South Island line) also means The angel investment track is it’s conducive for setting up artist- for established artists who have in-residence programmes. achieved public recognition, yet Spring Workshop led the might lack the funds or resources way. Boasting living spaces, a required for a show. “Priscilla fully-equipped kitchen, and an Fernandas is doing a huge show exhibition area, Spring Workshop in Portugal. We invested in her has hosted a rich diversity of artistic process, and in return artists and musicians since CLOCKWISE she gave us one work,” said opening its doors in 2011. Recent FROM RIGHT Groenewoud. Horizon artists-in-residence have included Scan No.1 by Another case in point was Rana Wu Tsang, Koki Tanaka and Andrew Luk.; Hamadeh, who was nominated for Amsterdamn- Tiffany Chung. based In4Art the Prix de Rome 2017. One block away, de Sarthe hosts a career “She ran into a budget problem Gallery set up its first artist-in- development workshop for for her show, so we collaborated residence programme in July this artists; Works by with her to develop a series of year. In4Art's artists derivatives – in other words, such as this “I think there are a lot of piece by Constant small tangible objects that can be galleries in Hong Kong, and there Dullaart, are shown.” One of these “derivatives” made available are a lot of Hong Kong-based to its patron is now in In4Art’s own collection. artists, but there’s often not a members. Meanwhile, the incubation lot of overlapping,” says William programme targets young art Molesworth, de Sarthe’s director. graduates and allows those “I want to not only engage the art practising an opportunity to scene but engage it in a way that whiff of burnt synthetics in the air. to a multitude of resident artists, reflect on their own practices is beneficial. I really want to give The artist was about to create including He Rui and Sha Lina, and receive coaching at In4Art’s the artist an opportunity to step an indoor climbing wall that both of whom are participating in project space. “In terms of outside their comfort zone and do investigated the idea of mapping. The Best is Yet to Come show at the coaching, it can be anything from something challenging and new.” Professional climbers were invited chi art space in New World Tower. says Groenewoud, explaining the art- or legal-related matters.” Prior to the residency, to mark routes, and the public was While still in its infancy, the inspiration behind In4Art. “With Eight artists were invited Molesworth invited a group of encouraged to interact with it. idea of angel investing in us, they’re able to develop an eye to participate in last year’s artists to survey the space and The gallery aims to host is gaining traction among art for art and participate actively in KickSTART incubation come up with proposals for it. a similar artist-in-residence patrons. the development of the artists.” programme, where three months “I asked them for a proposal next year, though Molesworth Looking beyond Hong Kong, In4Art’s patron programme of workshops, studio visits and that really engages our space and says they’re going to extend the Lija Groenewoud van Vliet is is open to all, with the three-year masterclasses culminated in a engages the public because the exhibition period to two weeks. an art collector and founder of memberships costing from 30 EUR group exhibition and auction in residency does have this kind of “I think there is a huge In4Art, an Amsterdam-based arts (HK$257) to 60 EUR each month. January. atmosphere [where] the public disconnect between the actual organisation equally invested Once a member, a patron gains In4Art is also looking towards will feel comfortable to come and cultural value of art and the in artists and the patrons who access to In4art’s art collection, “gamification”, which in layman participate,” he notes. economics behind the art world. I support them. attends art studio visits and terms means employing game The winning bid went to wish there was a way to motivate “If you look at families with participates in workshops – in design techniques to enhance Andrew Luk, an artist whose more funding for the artists, not double income, only one out of essence becoming an early members’ engagement. oeuvre veers towards the just from the government but also every 37 of them spends money investor in the artist’s career. Where does Groenewoud van conceptual. The one-month from the public and the galleries, on art. A lot of people from our In4Art has 40 active members, Vliet see In4Art in five years’ time? residency was tailed by a week- to support a whole wide range generation aren’t actively engaged mostly betwee the 30 and 50 age “A hundred members. I think long exhibition at the gallery. of artists, not just the tip of the in art, yet artists, due to the bracket. “I want it to grow slowly. that’s a solid base. We want to When we visit the gallery on iceberg,” he notes. research they do, might be able to For me, it’s more about building open up branches in other places, a hot August day, bits of the floor Meanwhile, scale is the name pave the way for new possibilities. a community, and creating a so when our members travel or go have been ripped open, there are of the game at K11 Art Foundation. Our generation is constantly connection between patrons on work trips, they’d have access blackened air-conditioning covers Since its founding in 2011, the K11 searching for fulfilment, but they and artists,” says Groenewoud. to resources in all the branches,” hanging from the ceiling, and a Wuhan Art Village has played host also want to be taken by hand,” “Usually they are people who are she beams.

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