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In the lead up to Para Site’s International Conference and Workshops for Emerging Professionals taking place next week, ArtAsiaPacific sought out two international curators who will be speaking at the conference to give us a glimpse of the topics on the agenda. Yesterday AAP published an interview with curator and writer Tirdad Zolghadr, who will be part of a panel reflecting upon the global art world of the 2010s.
Today we chat with Russell Storer—senior curator at the National Gallery Singapore and former curator of contemporary Asian art at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane—about the role of the art institution in the age of globalism, and what draws him to art of the Asia-Pacific.
Joining QAGOMA in 2008, Storer began to lead its Asia-Pacific curatorial team in 2010 and had a pivotal role in organizing the sixth and seventh editions of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. No stranger to Singapore, Storer was also co-curator of the 2011 Singapore Biennale.
You have been active in the Asia-Pacific region through various curatorial roles and projects for a number of years now. What about this region excites you the most?
To me it was initially about a better understanding of my own place in the world, living in Australia but being relatively unfamiliar with the cultures and histories that surrounded us—it’s not something we learned about at school or even university. I thought it was important to be involved in making connections between Australia and our region, even in very small, individual ways. From there I became excited about the urgency and vitality of what artists are doing, communicating so directly about history and tradition as well as change and where the future might be heading. Their work really has a purpose. I’ve always been drawn to art that has a strong social dimension, and that is central for so many artists in the Asia-Pacific.
Can you briefly share with us what you will be speaking about at the upcoming Para Site Conference?
I’ve been asked to speak on the 2000s, so I will look at exhibition-making in the region from that time, in particular the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in Brisbane and the Singapore Biennale, and how they reflected aspects of globalism. It was such an extraordinary period, with the explosion in the Asian art market and the consolidating of “biennalization” in the region, against a volatile backdrop that included huge economic booms and busts, the effects of September 11 on the international order, the rise of China and the expansion of digital culture.
In your opinion, what is the role or responsibility of institutions such as the National Gallery Singapore or QAGOMA in this era of the global art world?
I think art museums such as the National Gallery Singapore and QAGOMA are important in exploring both their local and regional artistic practices, as well as placing them in dialogue with wider international developments. As collecting institutions, they also have a role in creating historical narratives that can give us a sense of ourselves, not only in the past, but also where we are now and where we might go. The presentation of a floating, ahistorical contemporary can be exciting, but ultimately doesn’t give us much of an idea of what is going on in such a vast, multi-nodal, multi-cultural and multi-temporal art world. We need to be located in space and time in order to navigate, which is what institutions can offer.
What are some of the challenges or new experiences you’ve encountered, personally or professionally, since leaving Australia and relocating to Singapore to join the National Gallery?
It’s extraordinarily exciting and rewarding to be joining a new national institution and be part of its development. As with any new venture of this scale, there are challenges, but what National Gallery Singapore has brought to the field of Southeast Asian art is groundbreaking. Having access to key works of prominent modern artists of the region, and to the passionate curators and scholars who specialize in this area, has opened up a whole new perspective and understanding for me. Personally, as with any big move it’s been very hard to leave loved ones behind, but it’s been a welcoming environment to come to—I’ve made many friends here over the years. While I had worked with many Southeast Asian artists in Australia, it’s great to be based here and participate more directly in the conversations that are going on.
Is there anything you are looking forward to or wish to do during your stay in Hong Kong this time?
I’m looking forward to the conference! It will be such a great opportunity to hear different perspectives on the past three decades, and to think about recent practices and events within a broad historical framework. Para Site has been doing such important work in this regard. I also look forward to the local food—as well as hopefully visiting my favorite Sichuan restaurant!
Para Site’s Workshops for Emerging Professionals will take place in various locations around Hong Kong between June 18–26, and Para Site’s 2016 International Conference will be held on June 21–23, at Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
Denise Tsui is assistant curator at ArtAsiaPacific.