“Socially Engaged Art in Post-Colonial Hong Kong and Southeast Asia” is a continuation of the research, symposiums, and exhibitions of “Preliminary Puzzle of Socially Engaged Art in Hong Kong.” It delves deeper into social practice projects in post-colonial Hong Kong and the Southeast Asian region. Over the past decade, there has been rapid development of social practice in Southeast Asia, encompassing various community-led activities and resistance movements. These initiatives stem from the pursuit of improving circumstances and conditions for individuals and communities at the grassroots level, ultimately forming collective demands and advocating for rights. Through various humble means of practice, they engage in cross-regional identity and communication, giving rise to an atlas of socially engaged art in Southeast Asia. The aim is to explore the phenomenon of this emerging trend and find references and developments for social practice in post-colonial Hong Kong. As such, we have entered specific social spaces and domains to examine the experiences and forms of action of “socially engaged art” in the present moment, while trying to understand the causes and effects of their political and economic constructs.

How does the subject of socially engaged art come into being? What powers does it unleash, and what are the outcomes? What is the meaning and practice of ‘art’ in this context? This is not an individual creator’s narrative. With its organic development, this kind of art enables the subtle spiritual aspects of individuals and communities to be seen, as well as offering the potential for their voices to be heard, from under the framework of community and mainstream state management strategies. As such, the puzzle of “Socially Engaged Art in Post-Colonial Hong Kong and Southeast Asia” is created and circulated, fostering an awareness among neighbouring communities. Together, they produce autonomous narratives and engage in continued exploration, unlocking possibilities that go beyond the mainstream.

The initial research project, “A New Field: Socially Engaged Art in Hong Kong,” in Art as Social Interaction Timeline of Hong Kong History and Hong Kong’s Socially Engaged Art,^[1] began in 2013. It documented the ten-year period of socially engaged art from 1997 to 2007. The research coincided with the Occupy Central with Love and Peace movement in Hong Kong, a pivotal moment that influenced subsequent actions in socially engaged art, making them more community-oriented and more resistant to opposing groups. Particularly after Hong Kong’s handover to China, there has been a reconfiguration of land development and redefinition of its identity in the post-colonial era. From the purpose and process of land transformation in practice, to the pursuit of local cultural identity, these changes all point to the resistance of marginalized communities against the one-sided considerations of political and economic discourse. Hence the later study, “Socially Engaged Art in Post-Colonial Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.”

South Asia Socially Engaged Art Research Concept

Research Advisors

Prof. Mali Wu

Ex-Associate Professor at the Graduate Institute of Interdisciplinary Art, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Taiwan.

Annemarie Bucher

Dr. Co-runs FOA-FLUX (foa-flux.net) and the Co-programme director of the study programme Master of Advanced Studies in Art & Society at Zurich University of the Arts.

Dr. Dominique Lämmli

Professor of Drawing and Painting at MA Fine Arts, Zurich University of the Arts.

Three senior researchers and practitioners in the field of socially engaged art collaborated to assist in framing this research project. In the midst of world economic development in the 1980s, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan were the fastest emerging economies in Asia, earning the name “Four Asian Tigers.” In terms of regional significance, they represented the rise of East Asia. Nowadays, in a time of global capital repositioning, East Asia is seeking humanistic values and developing its own concept of civil society. Socially engaged art not only explores the aesthetic relationship between art and communities but also engages in discussions about community and identity. Among various community transformation events guided by socially engaged art, both Hong Kong and Taiwan have significant experiences of colonization or post-colonization. As for Southeast Asia, most have also experienced colonial and strongman rule. However, with the development of the new economy, damage to the environment and the weakness of the individual; guided, participatory, community-oriented community art projects are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, this research project aims to bring together scholars and creative practitioners from the region to engage in an in-depth exploration of the development of socially engaged art in different Southeast Asian regions. The research advisors and researchers from Southeast Asia participating in this symposium project, through their case studies, have engaged in an in-depth exchange of views and experiences. Naturally, this puzzle cannot fully cover the comprehensive causes and current situation of socially engaged art in Southeast Asia. The complex of regional history, political and economic development, and the diversity of ethnicities create a cultural map of the region, where the history of colonization and its impact on the pursuit of local identities remains incompletely represented. Therefore, further research and clarification are greatly needed in this area.

Hong Kong Researcher

Liu Man Kun

Ph.D. research at the School of Creative Media, City University, Hong Kong

The Hong Kong researcher Ms. Liu Mankun has been engaged in the study of Hong Kong’s post-colonial socially engaged art from 2014 to 2019, specifically “The Production of Differential Spaces through Participatory Art in Hong Kong 2000-2019.” In the context of post-colonial Hong Kong, socially engaged art has shown a strong sense of community resistance and demonstrates significant planning and collective action. As a result, her research focuses on the characteristics of ‘participatory art’ during this period. Drawing on the discourse of scholar Bishop, who discusses the practice of participatory art, emphasizing that participatory art is not solely concerned with visual art forms but rather focuses on the actions of participation as a means of communication and construction. ‘People constitute the central artistic medium and material, in the manner of the theatre and performance’ (Bishop 2012, 1-2)^[2] .

Case study: Choi Yuen Village: Villagers and artists formed a collective group to oppose the construction of a railway connecting mainland China to Hong Kong, which would have resulted in villagers’ relocation.

Case study: “Yau Ma Tei Self-Rescue Project & Demonstrative Exhibition” by Wooferten, located in Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei. This project aimed to contend the establishment of the M+ Museum in West Kowloon, Hong Kong, while raising awareness of the local cultural identity of the old district.

Case study: v-artivist (2001-2018) was a documentary collective that focused on addressing radical social issues through their films. Their work documented social movements and community resistance in Hong Kong.

As of today, both Wooferten and v-artivist that were funded by the government, have disbanded following the large-scale social movements in Hong Kong in recent years. How did their work inspire the possibilities for future socially engaged art practices?

Cambodia Researcher

Mr. Vuth Lyno

Director, Sa Sa Art Project; curator, researcher, artist

Case study: Visual Arts Open, Organiser: Saklapel, an association of contemporary visual artists across generations

Curators: LinDa Saphan and Sopheap Pich. Visual Arts Open showcased the works of 19 intergenerational diaspora artists from Cambodia in 2005. The aim was to bring contemporary art in various forms of media to Cambodia. It did not specifically focus on the content of socially engaged art. In the international art context at that time, contemporary art from Cambodia had emerged in 1990s, and this exhibition marked the first group show organized by artists. It provided an opportunity to engage with the general public in a non-traditional art space. It opened up significant new artistic landscapes, creative communities, and audiences.

Case study: Sa Sa Art Projects, initiated and co-run by the Stiev Selapak Collective, is a long-standing art space operating in Phnom Penh. It was initially located in the White Building – a modernist public housing complex that served as a cultural hub after Cambodia’s independence in the 1960s. Before the building was demolished in 2017, the project brought together artists from different generations and ordinary residents as a community. Sa Sa Art Projects experimented with organizing workshops and activities with residents, supporting the neighborhood, establishing a distinct local culture and promoting diverse and dynamic regional development through community art practices.

Case study: The Giant Puppet Project, co-founded by Jig Cochrane and Phare Ponleu Selpak, was established in 2007 as an annual educational and community engagement initiative. Every year, hundreds of children and young students in Battambang come together for a three-week program to create a large-scale puppet parade. Through this project, children learn and explore various social and environmental issues, such as road safety, hygiene, species protection, and the natural world.

Along the borders of Cambodia, scattered villages struggle with limited resources but community bonds are strong and neighbours support one another. Activities driven by art groups and organized by residents often serve as a self-sustaining mode of survival and development – using lively educational workshops to promote environmental awareness and learning skills for the new generation. The driving force behind all these activities is “change.” It is not important whether they fall under the realm of socially engaged art, what is more important is that the community has the awareness of the need for “change.”

Indonesia Researchers

Dr. Dominique Lammi

Artist and philosopher, researcher on Art in Action and art practitioner methodology. Co-leader of the independent FOA-FLUX research, and holds a professorship of Drawing & Painting at the Zurich University of the Arts.

Ms lka Yuliana

Master of Anthropology, University of Indonesia. Community researcher, documentary filmmaker.

Case study: Darip (music album)-Festival Film Bahari, Cirebon/Java A film festival Baharior organised by Cinema Cirebon featuring films on issues regarding Java’s north coastal areas to the Java. The festival brings together young filmmakers and local communities to learn together about local knowledge, challenges, and opportunities。

Case study: Gubuak Kopi, Solok/West Sumatra, A collective conducting art projects and providing a residency program. They focus on rural-urban issues of their area in Solok, West Sumatra and safeguarding its intangible cultural heritage. One of the work–a book of Bakurch Project by the Gubuak Kopi –A book of the recipe series of local dishes. To connect, build and preserve the intangible culture; the taste of the community.

Case study: Memorama Forum Sudut Pandang is a project that focuses on soundscapes and books, documenting the aftermath of the Taufiqurrahman disaster. It involves a group of young interdisciplinary artists who, through educational workshops and art exhibitions, connect the community in the spirit of humanitarianism and raise awareness about the earthquake and tsunami in Palu in the post-disaster time.

These cases explore the arts and cultural environment in Indonesia and the promotion of a diverse and inclusive “nation culture” by the government. The focus of these initiatives is to preserve intangible cultural heritage and address issues related to conservation of regional ecology.

Malaysia Researcher

Janet Pillai

Founder, Arts-ED; Associate Professor, scholar

Case study: myBalikpulai “mapping and documentation” project is a photography initiative initiated by the NGO Arts-Ed. It aims to assist young people in constructing “place-making”. Over a span of more than 5 years, this project involves a group of young individuals from the farming region of Balik Pulau who use photography to document their environment, promoting knowledge and local skills to enhance the community’s cultural awareness, and creating Google maps and local publications.

Case study: Roots Of My Land and The Forest / My Clinic 2018-2020 by Freedom Film Network is a two-year participatory film initiative. It involves the participation of young girls from indigenous communities in Peninsular Malaysia. The project encompasses film training camps, human rights and gender workshops, as well as storytelling studios. Two films were produced through this project, addressing local rights and cultural identity.

Case study: “Overcoming Hardship in Times of Crisis 2020-2021” by Parastoo Theatre is a project aimed at assisting refugees in Malaysia. The project focuses on addressing the issue of domestic violence through participatory theater performances. The script is based on events from four refugee communities, including the Afghanistan refugee community in Malaysia.

After Malaysia gained independence from British colonial rule in 1957, its people faced the challenges of multicultural governance. Many radical artists took social actions to stimulate the practice of socially engaged art through the medium of theatrical and visual language. They directly engaged with diverse racial communities through protest activities and human rights initiatives, culminating in the formation of a film festival. Their aim was to fight against the top-down propaganda of a harmonious elite culture, so that different ethnic groups can restore their own culture, allowing them to regain visibility and representation. Through people’s participation and collaboration, they created ‘change’ within their communities and beyond.

Singapore Researcher

Dr.Felicia Low

Artist; Founding director, Community Cultural Development; lecturer, SOTA

Case study: Really Really Free Store, initiated by Post-museum, is an art space that aims to foster connections between art and people. The project was launched in 2009. There are no items or skills can be purchased in this event; instead, sharing everything freely as a way of interacting with the community.

Case study: The School Never Asked is an online comic series created by Dr. Low and other participants. It aims to connect with teenagers through its freely accessible nature to explore love and relationships, particularly young women’s sexual orientations, including lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual experiences. It emphasizes the growth of the community beyond the limitations imposed by the government or institutions, encouraging the youth to establish their right to voice within their community.

Case study: “To Cherish and to Hold and Wind Blankets”, a project by Shirley Soh, involving eight elderly people aged between 60 and 80 years old, worked together to create their own funeral quilt using everyday objects and personal images and messages. It tells the story of a group of working women who wanted to share their life experiences with the public when they passed away and present them in a public space.

In 1965, Singapore became an independent and democratic country after separating from the United Kingdom. Despite the aspiration to govern with an autogenous culture, the survival strategies of being a small nation led to continue to use of English as the “practical” official language, especially in the education system. It still predominantly relies on Western standards, including those in art institutions. Harmonious community art is recognized as a part of art development in Singapore. The aforementioned case studies demonstrate concrete examples of practicing community art and effectively embody the goals and methods of fostering harmony and cohesion.

Thailand Researcher

Ms. Gridthiya Gaweewong

Curator; Artistic Director, Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok.

Case study: E-Learning Video Art Project, Artists in Residency Program, and the Lakorn Chatree Project. Initiated by Nawarat Waewployngam and friends. This initiative has been ongoing since 2007 with the aim of improving neighborhood life in the urban area by connecting diverse knowledge and skills to create sustainable lifestyles. During Covid-19 pandemic, the project even assisted in organizing health protection equipments and delivering food to those who were in quarantine.

Case study: Chiang Mai Social Installation (CMSI) initiated by Uthit Atim Ana and friends. This is a socially engaged art practice that emerged in the 1990s in the northeastern region of Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. Initially using temples as exhibition spaces, it is aimed to connect monks and local communities, later extending to other cities and becoming a multinational project. Similarly, it explores community art outside the center of Bangkok, reconnecting the subject between communities through socially engaged art.

Case study: Manifesto, Agenda, Summit initiated by Thanom Chapakdee and friends, is a project that focuses on social and political creation by re-exploring the history of resistance in some remote areas, such as the Isan area. With the aesthetic of resistance in mind, it gives voice to the unheard and oppressed histories.

According to Ms. Gaweewong’s citation, Thailand is a country that has never been colonized. However, it has been ruled by the elite and the military for a long time. Scholar Thongchai argues for a discourse of the “auto-colonized,” which facilitates the engagement of local scholars and artists in this discussion. The projects undertaken by these groups exemplify the resistance of the auto-colonized.

Vietnam Researcher

Ms. Bùi Kim Đĩnh

Researcher, Curator

Case study: “Que Faire” is an audiovisual installation by Nguyen Trinh Thi. It employs the medium of video to narrate the history and memory of Vietnam. The installation features a woman undressing in the dark, reflecting on the individual and collective roles in Vietnamese society. These all highlight the issue of Vietnamese artists’ freedom of expression.

Case study: “NguyenDucDat Am Sang (Yin Light)” is a site-specific performance installation by Laurent Serpe in collaboration with artist Nguyễn Đức Đạ. It used paper to create votive objects and with the concept of “going with the flow” in mind to create architectural spaces.

Case study: Mixed Media installation work by Nguyễn Huy An. Through intertextual objects, Huy An explores the dialogue between the past and the future, particularly focuses on the existence of silence and addresses the state of the unseen and unheard.

These cases explore the past aesthetic values of preserving traditional craftsmanship through the use of performance art and installation techniques. They point out the influence of foreign entertainment culture on local traditions, also highlighting that certain contemporary art forms, such as nudity, carry significant taboos. The artistic community has pressure from both the older generation’s traditional craftsmanship and the younger generation’s creative language. Although these cases may not directly touch upon the term “socially engaged art,” the suppressed sense of “existence” contributes to the hidden aspect of Vietnamese contemporary art on the world stage, exposing the hidden pain of the Vietnamese artistic community.

Conclusion

These case studies presented by various Southeast Asian researchers have touched upon the very complex and pluralistic historical, religious, political, ethnographical, geographical, and economic background. To understand socially engaged practice in Southeast Asia from a contemporary art theory’s perspective with a frame of living form aesthetics, perhaps some of the case studies have obscure participatory elements. This would mean that art theory has its limitation to standardize methods to assess socially engaged practice which takes place in various time and space.

In view of a shared “colonial”-multiple contexts and historical contexts background, I am very keen to investigate more on the specific terms used in the case studies; for instance, the autogenous culture of Singapore, the ‘hand-over’ of Hong Kong, the auto-colonized Thailand, Malaysia’s political elite or polarization, the subside system in Vietnam, the self-support culture in Cambodia, and the unity in diversity in Indonesia… there are a lot of further microscopic reading. Through the further reading of the terms of their contexts, self-reflection, self-expression, and autonomy.

I recall my previous visit to the Jakarata Biennale in 2017, which took place at an empty spacious space like a sports field, the crowds and small forums gathered randomly, the exhibition space was so simple but full of energy and community vibe, there were no art collectors or sales. there were works of art, happenings and showcases from various parts of Asia, despite the use of very different languages, the common ground was the enthusiasm of all these change makers and their socially engaged practice. Socially engaged art remains a hot topic, not to mention for all the creators, curators or initiators of socially engaged practice. I am very moved by their practices which living form of these activities that can let people know about the possibility of living as a form art, socially engaged art is perhaps an alternative way of living, not far from us, just nearby. Meanwhile, these various living forms in Southeast Asia can be regarded as the artistic social intervention against to gentrification and the homogeneity of Southeast-Asia cities.