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Review of the Future Strategy in Promoting Hong Kong Visual Arts Overseas

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Consolidating Hong Kong’s Experience of Participating in the Venice Biennale - Review of the Future Strategy in Promoting Hong Kong Visual Arts Overseas Report Commissioned by Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Prepared by Tobias Berger and Elaine W. Ng (Jan 2016) Consolidating Hong Kong’s Experience of Participating in the Venice Biennale - Review of the Future Strategy in Promoting Hong Kong Visual Arts Overseas EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background 1.1.1. Founded in 1895, the Venice Biennale is one of the most prestigious art events held every two years, which is widely anticipated by the entirety of the international art world. During the 56th edition of the Venice Biennale in 2015, the curated show organized by artistic director Okwui Enwezor included 136 artists from 53 countries. Outside of the curated section, there were more than 90 national pavilions mainly in the Giardini and Arsenale as well as 44 of collateral events mounting exhibitions around the city. During the 2015 edition of the Venice Biennale, 500,000 people had Reviewof the Future Strategy in PromotingHong Kong VisualOverseasArts - visited the festival and over 8,000 accredited journalists covered the prestigious event. 1.1.2. Furthermore, the Venice Biennale is the only major arts event that allows individual nations or regions to organise their own exhibitions by their own appointed curators. It is the only reputable, international arts event that Hong Kong may select and present its own artists to the world. 1.1.3. The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) is the public body responsible for the selection of the curator and the execution and delivery of the presentation at the Venice Biennale since its inaugural participation in 2001. The HKADC has been involved in all aspects of the Hong Kong exhibition from 2001-2011. With the 2013 edition, HKADC began working jointly with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) in sharing the responsibilities of delivering the project. Both presentations in 2013 and 2015 were curated by museum staff from M+, WKCDA. 1.1.4. The 2001 debut of Hong Kong at Venice under the banner “Hong Kong, China,” reflected the recognition by China of Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) status under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework and freedom to pursue its own arts and cultural aspirations, activities and programmes. The initiative had the following participation objectives: To promote creativity and develop international perspective among local artists through arts exchange; ConsolidatingHong Kong’s Experienceof Participating in the Venice Biennale 1 To create a favourable environment conducive to the long-term development of visual arts in Hong Kong. To establish Hong Kong’s image as an arts and cultural city 1.1.5. In the 2013 exhibition catalogue, a message from the co-Commissioners Wong Ying- wai (Chairman, HKADC) and Lo Chung-wing (Chairman, Museum Committee, WKCDA) stated a joint objective to “combine the strengths of the two organizations [HKADC and M+, WKCDA]” to “showcase the best of Hong Kong art to the world.” 1.1.6 It marked the first partnership, including the sharing of resources, between the two organizations: HKADC and M+, WKCDA. The partnership was extended to the 2015 edition, with M+, WKCDA proposing a list of artists to the HKADC Venice Biennale Working Group and together they confirmed the finalist. 1.1.7 Hong Kong has participated in the Venice Biennale for eight editions, it is therefore the purpose of this research to conduct a full evaluation on the impact and delivery of Hong Kong’s participation at the Venice Biennale from 2001 to 2015, as well as to make recommendations to formulating future strategy to promote Hong Kong visual artists overseas. 1.1.8 In 2015, a review of the Hong Kong’s experience participating in the Venice Biennale invited by the HKADC was undertaken by Tobias Berger and Elaine W. Ng (now referred to as the “evaluators”) to evaluate the impact of the project from 2001-2015. Reviewof the Future Strategy in PromotingHong Kong VisualOverseasArts - 1.1.9 The evaluators of this study have a very wide knowledge of the Venice Biennale and have visited numerous international group exhibitions and have published and participated on talks about the subject of contemporary art in both the regional and international context. 1.1.10 Both evaluators have been actively involved in the Hong Kong exhibition at the Venice Biennale over the years; Ng was assistant to curator in the first Hong Kong participation in 2001 and Berger was a curator in the fifth participation in 2009. They have therefore refrained to fill out the interview questions and their opinions are not reflected in the statistics of the “participating artists/ curators.” Furthermore, Ng has visited Venice numerous times and has seen all Hong Kong presentations beginning with 2001. Berger has seen all of the Hong Kong presentations since “Navigating the Dot” in 2003. Berger also worked at M+ during the Lee Kit presentation “You (you)” in 2013 and in the beginning stages of the 2015 presentation with Tsang Kin-wah. 1.1.11 Berger is currently the Head of Arts of Tai Kwun, which will open to the public in 2017. Ng is Editor and Publisher of ArtAsiaPacific, Asia’s leading art publication now in its 23rd year, and has published numerous articles about the Venice Biennial as well as other major art exhibitions in and about Asia. ConsolidatingHong Kong’s Experienceof Participating in the Venice Biennale 2 Structure and Research Method 1.1.12. The report will provide the following: 1. Evaluate Hong Kong’s past participation in the Venice Biennale through both factual summaries and conducting surveys with three consultation groups; 2. A comparative analysis of other countries’ models; 3. Explore future direction of Hong Kong’s participation in the Venice Biennale; and 4. Suggest other strategies to promote Hong Kong visual artists overseas. 1.1.13. The evaluation has used the following quantitative and qualitative methods: Review of administrative data and documentation provided by the HKADC and other similar national arts councils Assessor reports analysis collected during all the biennales Hong Kong has participated in since 2001 Onsite questionnaire conducted at the Hong Kong exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2015 Surveys or interviews with key stakeholders in the local arts community, artists and curators who have participated in the Hong Kong exhibition at the Venice Biennale as well as international arts experts 1.1.14. The evaluators offer suggestions for the future direction of both participating in the Reviewof the Future Strategy in PromotingHong Kong VisualOverseasArts Venice Biennale and promoting Hong Kong artists overseas based on the research and - feedback consolidated from surveys/interviews, and assess the impact of previous Hong Kong presentations at the Venice Biennale. History of Hong Kong Exhibitions in the Venice Biennale 1.1.15. Hong Kong first exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2001 with “Magic at Street Level,” a group exhibition featuring the work of Ho Siu Kee, Leung Chi-wo and Ellen Pau, curated by Tsong-zung Chang. In 2003, Para/Site Art Space organised “Navigating the Dot,” with an artist collective consisting of 11 artists. In 2005, independent curator Sabrina Fung curated “Investigation of a Journey to the West,” with artists Kurt Chan Yuk Keung and Stanley Wong (aka anothermountainman). In 2007, independent curator Norman Jackson Ford curated “Star Fairy,” with artists Hiram To, Amy Cheung and Map Office. In 2009, Para/Site Art Space executive director Tobias Berger curated the first solo presentation of Tozer Pak Sheung Chuen with the title “Making (Perfect) World.” In 2011, “Frogtopia ‧ Hongkornucopia” was a solo presentation of Frog King (Kwok Mang Ho), co-curated by Fringe Club director Benny Chia together with Wong Shun-kit and Tsang Tak-ping. In 2013, M+ director Lars Nittve and assistant curator Yung Ma, curated “You(you),” featuring a solo exhibition of Lee Kit. In 2015, M+ chief curator Doryun Chong and curator Stella Fong, curated “Tsang Kin-wah: The Infinite Nothing, Hong Kong in Venice.” ConsolidatingHong Kong’s Experienceof Participating in the Venice Biennale 3 1.1.16. Attendance at the Hong Kong exhibition increased with the change in venue to the current location, near the Arsenale entrance, which is one of the two main venues of the curated exhibition of the Venice Biennale. Total Attendance Figures for the Hong Kong exhibition at Venice Biennale (2001-2015) Year Recorded visitors Location 2001 32,200 Ex. Musicanti, San Apollonia 2003 51,800 Near the Arsenale 2005 22,800 Fondaco Marcello, San Marco 2007 81,500 Near the Arsenale 2009 130,000 Near the Arsenale 2011 72,400 Near the Arsenale 2013 58,500 Near the Arsenale 2015 82,282 Near the Arsenale 1.1.17. From 2001-2011, the average budget for producing the Hong Kong exhibition at the Reviewof the Future Strategy in PromotingHong Kong VisualOverseasArts - Venice Biennale was HKD 3-3.5 million. In 2013 and 2015, the budget increased dramatically with the support of M+, WKCDA. Key Findings From Three Survey Groups: 1.1.18. The questionnaire was sent to the following three survey groups: Curators and artists who have participated in the Hong Kong exhibitions at the Venice Biennale since 2001 (23 responses received); Local art sector, working across various art occupations including gallery owners, artists, university professors, media and design (28 responses received); International art experts comprising collectors, museum directors, curators, art writers and art fair professionals (18 responses received). 1.1.19. It was unanimous among all consultation groups surveyed that the location of the current Hong Kong site is a major asset and it must be secured for the long term because of its direct proximity to one of the two main entrances of the Venice Biennale.
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