Day 1: Friday, 17 June 2016, 7.00 – 9.00pm
National Gallery Singapore, Auditorium, 1 St Andrew’s Road
Keynote speaker: Professor Aihwa Ong, Robert H. Lowie Distinguished Chair in Anthropology and Chair of Asian Studies, UC Berkeley
Day 2: Saturday, 18 June 2016, 9.30am – 6.00pm
NTU CCA Singapore, The Single Screen, Block 43 Malan Road
Keynote speaker: Professor Michael M.J. Fischer, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, and Professor of Anthropology and Science and Technology Studies, MIT
Speakers:
Dr Donna Brunero, Joshua Comaroff, Seth Denizen, Gridthiya Gaweewong, Dr Imran bin Tajudeen, Dr Kristy H.A. Kang, Charles Lim Yi Yong, Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, Dr Wee Beng Geok, Professor C.J. Wee Wan-ling and Dr Vivienne Wee
Chairpersons and moderators:
Professor Ute Meta Bauer and Dr David Teh
The NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA Singapore) presents The Geopolitical and the Biophysical: a structured conversation on Art and Southeast Asia in context, Part II, a symposium addressing the multiple notions of “Southeast Asia” and the various issues surrounding its borders, territories, dilemmas and anxieties. SEA STATE by artist Charles Lim Yi Yong, commissioned for the Singapore Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale, explores the biophysical, political and psychic contours of Singapore and served as a point of departure for the symposium. Part I of the symposium took place in Venice, Italy during the opening days of the Biennale, and this second iteration will continue and deepen the discussions on the occasion of SEA STATE’s presentation at NTU CCA Singapore.
Southeast Asia, as a geographical region and conceptual category, is a contested entity shaped by diverse cultures and communities. The possibilities and uncertainties in this region – such as urban development, geopolitical relations, and anxieties surrounding national and regional identities – continue to pose unique social and political challenges.
The Geopolitical and the Biophysical: a structured conversation on Art and Southeast Asia in context, Part II brings together an array of eminent speakers and respondents to address questions of contemporary art and culture through interdisciplinary approaches – considering bodies of water as cultural-territorial spaces in an exploration of rivers, land reclamation, sea ports, and nomadic communities. The conversations arising from this symposium offers insight into the Southeast Asian consciousness and how it informs the region’s evolving relationship with the wider world.
The symposium is organised by NTU CCA Singapore under its Research & Education programme, which aims to connect research based artistic practices with other forms of knowledge production. As a prelude to the symposium, NTU CCA Singapore will screen films by Thai artist and filmmaker Apitchapong Weerasethakul on 1 and 3 June 2016 to set up a “conversation” between two artist-filmmakers, Apitchatpong and Charles Lim Yi Yong.
For further information and RSVP, email NTUCCAresearch@ntu.edu.sg or visit our website at http://ntu.ccasingapore.org/.
The programme is commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), with additional support from U.S. Embassy Singapore and National Gallery Singapore.
When: 17 - 18 Jun 2016, Friday, 17 June 2016, 7.00 – 9.00pm - Saturday, 18 June 2016, 9.30am – 6.00pm
By: NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA Singapore)