Chan, JJ [Speaker] (2021) Quorum // Forum. In: A Commons Forum : The Artists Journey Conference; 30 Jun 2021, Sheffield, U.K. (Held online). (The Artists Journey, no. 4) (Unpublished)

Abstract

Taking the title of this year’s conference, A Commons Forum, as a provocation, Quorum // Forum is a short performance lecture that acts as a counter provocation. Just over a year ago, in an essay for ArtAsiaPacific titled The Year of the Rat, I demanded ‘a radical reconfiguration of the artistic and curatorial conscience’, a call that was echoed in many variations as 2020 unfolded into global pandemic and unrest. Beyond declarations of solidarity and Instagram black squares, what does this work actually involve? How do artistic or organisational bodies ‘reconfigure’ themselves and the relations which make up their world(s)? Building on ideas from an essay on Performing Porosity, and ongoing conversations from my first 3 months of a 12-month residency at Bloc Projects, I will present some emerging and shape-shifting ideas on care and collectivity, and on identity and community as they relate to our activities as artists. Some of these ideas of 'critical care' were first introduced in conversation with Sunshine Wong, at the Courtauld Research Forum. “Should we take this break from the norm to restart, refresh and redesign a better, fairer, ecology?” is the question we have been asked at the conference. I asked this question again, along with a few more questions… about breaks, and starts and restarts, and ticking and timing, and watching and waiting, and doing and saying, and more.

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