Hong Kong 2006 - Recreation, Sport and the Arts

1a space, founded in 1998 by a group of Hong Kong arts workers, is an independent, non-profit-making contemporary visual arts organisation. It aims to promote the critical dissemination of contemporary visual arts practices and affiliated art forms through programmes from Hong Kong and the world. In 2006, 1a space actively assisted in the holding of exhibitions on contemporary local arts and in organising cultural activities, international arts exchange and artist-in-residence programmes.

Since its establishment in July 1997, Artist Commune as a non-profit arts group, has committed itself to the development of community art. It set up its first workshop in Cheung Fat Industrial Building in Shek Tong Tsui from where it moved to Oil Street Artist Village in North Point and to 'Slaughter House' in Cheung Sha Wan, finally settling down in 'Cattle Depot Artist Village' in To Kwa Wan where it has been since 2001.

Its major projects in 2006 included: 'Contemporary Ink Series' which involved merging traditional ink painting and modern materials and concepts, activities such as 'Meditation and Narration — Contemporary Ink Exhibition'; 'Projects to Respond Social Issues' as an aesthetic angle, virtual political creation and first-hand involvement in the society, activities such as 'Art Depot — Development Research of Cattle Depot Artist Village'; 'Artist-In-Residency Programme', which invited notable international artists to exchange their experiences and ideas with local artists and audience, activities such as 'd'Asie d'Afrique' and '>1M Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macao Modern Sculpture Exhibition'; and various arts promotion activities in association with tertiary education institutions which were organised to nurture new talents, under programmes such as 'New Trend 2006'.

Founded in 2000, as a direct response to the increasing number of Asian contemporary arts exhibitions and events worldwide, the Asia Art Archive (AAA), a Hong Kong-registered charity, is the first public research centre of its kind dedicated to documenting and making the recent history of visual arts from the region accessible to the public. Through the AAA's website and references in AAA archives, over 18 000 items can be viewed by the public — from museums and collectors to specialists and students. In addition to a static collection of materials, the AAA is actively involved in organising workshops, symposia, talks and publications for exchanging ideas.

With a board of directors and an academic advisory board made up of noted curators and critics, and research posts in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo, the AAA acts not only as a valuable information centre, but as a conduit through which people in the contemporary Asian arts field may get in touch with each other. By attending and participating in important Asian-related exhibitions held worldwide, the AAA also plays an active role in recording events as they take place.

In 2006, the AAA organised lectures entitled 'Saying/Unsaying: The Emergence of the Chinese Avant-garde' and 'On top of a Skyscraper in an Earthquake Zone: the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, its position, policy and funding', and a symposium and workshop on 'Cultural Ecologies: Communicating Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, and published 'From Reality to Fantasy: The Art of Luis Chan'.

The Hong Kong Society for Education in Art was established in 1982. It promotes the development of visual arts education in schools and in the community. During 2006, the society initiated and organised the 'Creative Student Award Scheme' to nurture students' creative thinking; and programmes entitled 'Road to Creativity in Art — Exhibition of Student Portfolios and Artworks', which showed the teaching and learning progress of visual arts teachers and students; 'West Kowloon Painting on Fabric Tour Exhibition,' which encouraged students to reflect on social issues through artistic works; and 'Service Learning — Cross-subjects Creative Teaching Training Programme in Visual Arts', which enhanced the teaching efficiency of visual arts teachers.

Para/Site Art Space continued to develop closer ties with its contemporaries in the Pearl River Delta Region in 2006. A number of exciting exhibitions were held, which featured a mix of international and regional artists who drew world attention, with shows such as the Guangzhou artist, Cao Fei's first solo exhibition 'COSplayers' in Hong Kong. The exhibition showcased three of her most recent video installations, using the city's everyday life and youth phenomenon such as Hip Hop and cosplaying to analyse and reflect the current social situation where traditions and new influences are constantly in conflict. A Para/Site solo presentation entitled '4th light' by Hong Kong-born artist Paul Chan in the summer of 2006 was presented in a world premiere together with his other animation installations for which he is most well known in the region.

In line with its plan to foster closer ties with the Pearl River Delta Region, Para/Site presented 'Octomania (on drawing the number eight)' with artists from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao, to probe the nature of gambling and the spiritual aspects of fanaticisms that are linked to it. Para/Site Art Space was also involved in various international projects, such as the Busan Biennale and in the launching of the exhibition 'Pearl River Delta' in major museums in Europe, designed to promote local and regional artists.