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梁志和拒絕參與雙城雙年展作抗議

香港.深圳城市/建築雙城雙年展有七百萬經費,竟然給參與藝術家$0資助去做作品參展,一點也不尊重藝術創作。梁志和以拒絕參與雙年展作為抗議。
一個展覽的靈魂在於藝術創作,但經費往往花在宣傳或行政人員酬金上,藝術家在資源貧乏的環境下創作,這樣子如何談得上培養藝術家?香港藝術如何能專業化?或許正如有藝術家較早前提過藝術家應成立工會去爭取應有的權益。
以下是梁志和的公開信和主辦單位的回應,轉貼自http://www.leungchiwo.net/

Dear Organizer of HKSZ Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism/ Architecture,
I have visited the Shenzhen section of the Biennale during the holiday, which was very interesting, consisting of works by architects, planners, artists, sociologists and writers. All their contributions are regarded as official participation in the biennale and included in the catalogue. I have also heard that our Hong Kong organizer provided a substantial fund in millions HK$ to the Shenzhen exhibition.
As an artist invited to take part in this Biennale Festival which is NOT the official Biennale Exhibition as stated, I was already reminded there will be zero budget and not even installation support whereas the OFFICIAL biennale participants received a production budget and are included in the catalogue (not the leaflet which is ONLY for the Festival artists).
As Hong Kong artists, we all know how difficult to make things happen here and have all sorts of experience to work in zero budget exhibition but we also know we're doing meaningful work but no cheap extras. Artists need to make many efforts to finish a work which is not meant to just fill up the ample exhibition space in the former Police Station compound and deserve a little respect.
This HKSZ biennale is generously supported by the Hong Kong government and the Jockey Club. All visitors to this biennale would think all participants including artists of this Biennale Festival got the same support. After all, what's the difference between Biennale Exhibition, Biennale Festival and/or Biennale Gallery? So it has to be clarified, not only the names but also the way how it's organized and curated. I think it is important to let everybody know whereas huge amount of money is spent on big cultural events and institutions, there is no corresponding support to small organizations and artists.
Although I would love to exhibit my work in such a big exhibition, I have to withdraw as an extra Biennale Festival participant because of my protest to the organizer's indifference to the artist and its unfair and unprofessional organization and expenditure.
Leung Chi Wo

Points of clarifications from the HKSZ Biennale organizer:
1. The 7 million budget funded by our 3 main sponsors supports the "Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture" core exhibition and program events in the field of architecture, planning and design disciplines. The budget is already very tight for supporting more than 60 local and international exhibitors, and the tremendous extent of basic improvement works to the whole venue for the event.
2. The parallel exhibitors of the main Biennale exhibition receive no financial support for their exhibitions.
3. With an aim to create a cross-disciplinary platform for the bienanle, a Biennale Festival which includes the Biennale Gallery is conceived with a much smaller budget totally independent from the main event.
4. The final sponsorship secured is only one-fifth of the proposed budget of the Festival with our own curatorial effort. Effectively it is running on an extremely tight budget with the same variety of programs from seminars, workshops, tours to art exhibitions.
5. Even though we were appointed to curate an exhibition event solely on architecture, planning and design fields, we really treasure and appreciate very much the contribution of the artist community in the coming Architecture Biennale. This is the sole reason why we try to provide a venue and a platform for the artists who could produce work at their own cost with their kind understanding of our very limited budget.
December 30, 2007 8:47 PM

My response to the organizer:
1. But what is the amount of fund provided to the Shenzhen exhibition?
2. Why make the difference between the "more than 60 local and international exhibitors" and the "parallel exhibitors" who are not given financial support? What are the criteria to allocate funding?
3. Doesn't it mean the Biennale Festival is less important that doesn't deserve same level of support from the organizer? Why not promote this "cross-disciplinary platform" among the "more than 60 local and international exhibitors"?
4. It's a matter of priority to spend the money. And then it's the organizers' responsibility to get extra funding for these other activities if you really want to make them happen. Shifting this responsibility to the artists or other participants is not acceptable.
5. As professional practitioners, we all know the limit of resources and often try to push the limit at the same time we make sure all parties involved are well respected. No one's passion in his/her work should be exploited for others' ambition. Of course better understanding each other can be achieved by thorough communication which (unfortunately didn't happen this time) however should not legitimize the unreasonable.
December 30, 2007 8:50 PM

回應

新發展:組織者拆彈

In the last couple of days, my decision to withdraw from the Biennale Gallery of the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism/ Architecture has raised concerns of friends in the arts community on the issue of artists' rights in front of authorities or institutions. I had some correspondence with the exhibition curators and artists, and today I decided to take part in it again upon request by the curators for the following reasons:

1. My action to withdraw from the Biennale was totally a protest against the Biennale organizer which I thought took advantage from the individual artists and participants. I did not mean to create any damage and trouble to any individuals involved in it. But since I announced my withdrawal, I have sensed an uneasy situation faced by some Biennale curatorial team members personally, which was not what I intended.

2. All participating artists in the Biennale Gallery are now offered certain support and financial aid by the organizer.

3. Another Hong Kong artist who also withdrew from the exhibition for lacking support from the organizer at earlier stage has been invited to take part again with funding to install his exhibits.

While I truly appreciate the individual efforts in the last few days trying to improve the situation and to make things happen, I restate my protest against the Biennale institution for it created a hierarchy of exhibitors separating the "main exhibitors" from the "parallel exhibitors" (including the Biennale Gallery artists) whom are still left out in the official catalogue.

Although there is growing public expenditure and private sponsorship in the arts (mainly in high profile-events and development), disregard to professional artistic practice and artists' rights is still ubiquitous in our society which is unexceptionally and unfortunately reflected in this Biennale. I hope not to confuse anyone with my actions as negotiation with one particular party for more advantage. Instead, I only tried to voice out my observation and thought to hopefully attract more attention to this unfair mind set.

Leung Chi Wo
http://leungchiwo.net

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權益總要出聲爭取。對藝術家的財政支援應該會有某種國際慣例吧?(在類似的展覽中。)

老實說,我並不太關心這個問題,因為距離遙遠,當然,這個說法並不是要否定藝術的價值。我相信它的力量。

我不知道香港的藝術家是否會有如董啟章那樣的緊迫感——害怕創作只是自我中心自我慾望的滿足,總希望能有介入個體生命,或與他人產生連結的希望。這是很個人的解讀。

最讓我印象深刻的藝術作品應該算是白雙全的《給路人的小花》,想像我是那路人,或許能夠從花朵裏看見另一個宇宙。

藝術力量的微弱,莫非真的只因為資源的短缺?(雖然短缺是事實。)

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