“Performance Co-Lab: Rehearsing Symbiosis” (Performance Co-Lab) is Tai Kwun’s new initiative in response to the first edition of the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX). Carrying on Tai Kwun’s continuous effort in breaking the conventions of space and form, it is a platform to encourage interdisciplinary performance creation, while tapping on the HKPAX occasion to showcase the emerging artists in the Greater Bay Area to the international peers.
The inaugural edition of Performance Co-Lab is organized and curated by Tai Kwun in collaboration with guest co-curators Joseph Lee (Hong Kong) and Guo Rui (Guangzhou). Revolving around the theme “Rehearsing Symbiosis”, artists from disciplines of movement, moving images, sound, music, visual arts, object, lighting and more are invited to learn, exchange, collaborate, and share experience and knowledge in the creative process. It will foster interdisciplinary dialogues and facilitate organic interactions and collaborations within a process-oriented environment.
Taking place in Guangzhou and Hong Kong across two weeks, Performance Co-Lab facilitates the participating artists to gain a deeper understanding of the different cultures and practices in the two cities. The Guangzhou Workshop week focuses on learning. It will be led by mentors Tang Fu Kuen (Singapore) and Joanne “Bob” Whalley (UK), who are both veterans in interdisciplinary collaboration, to share the knowledge, methodology and practices. The artists will then return to Hong Kong for the Workspace week and put the learnings into practice. It is a space for artists to develop their artistic research in an open and transdisciplinary environment, supported by the two mentors as consultants. The result of their collaboration will be presented in the latter part of the HKPAX, inviting local and international peers across the performing arts industry to observe and feedback on their research outcomes.
Project Milestones
Date | Event |
---|---|
September 2024 | Online meetings |
6–10 October 2024 | Guangzhou Workshop week |
12-19 October 2024 | Hong Kong Workspace week |
About “Rehearsing Symbiosis”
Drawing inspiration from the ecological concept of "symbiosis," Performance Co-Lab aims to capture the interdependent and mutually beneficial relationships between participating parties, extending from institutions such as Tai Kwun to independent curators, other organizations, and artists. It also views the differences in cultural contexts and artistic practices as opportunities for knowledge production and a catalyst for transcending past experiences, akin to the symbiotic relationships observed in ecosystems.
Period: 7 – 10 October 2024 (Mon-Thu)
Venue: Air Show of ifland & Yesterday’s World Theater of Sound Republic
10 artists from Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macau will join another 8 artists from the Greater Bay Area in Guangzhou to learn and exchange with each other. The two mentors Tang Fu Kuen and Joanne “Bob” Whalley will share the knowledge, methodology and practices in interdisciplinary collaborations. A series of workshops, sharings and talks will be held.
Venue Support: ifland
Administrative support: T Theatre, Macau
Period: 12-19 October 2024 (Sat-Sat)
Venue: JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun
10 artists from Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macau will return to Tai Kwun and explore the practices of body in conjunction with other medias and forms of expression. The two mentors Tang Fu Kuen and Joanne “Bob” Whalley will provide consultation on the collaboration.
The research outcome will be presented at the latter part of the HKPAX, inviting local and international peers across the performing arts industry to observe and offer feedback.
This is an invitation-only event. Please send your enquiry to [email protected].
Organised and curated by: Tai Kwun
Guest Co-curators:
- Joseph LEE^ (Hong Kong, choreographer & performance curator)
- GUO Rui (Guangzhou, choreographer & curator)
Mentors:
- TANG Fu Kuen (Singapore, curator, dramaturge and Producer)
- Joanne “Bob” WHALLEY (UK, scholar on interdisciplinary practices)
Participating Artists:
- PUN Tsz Wai (Hong Kong, multi-media & moving images creation)
- WU Hui (Guangzhou, choreographer & dancer)
- LAO Pui Lon* (Macau, choreographer & dancer)
- LAM Yip (Hong Kong, sound & Taiko)
- CHAN Wai Lok (Hong Kong, choreographer & dancer)
- LING Chun-wan Kevin (Hong Kong, visual arts)
- Gold Mountain (Hong Kong, sound design & rapper)
- Larry SHUEN (Hong Kong, composer & sound design)
- LIU Qingyu (Guangzhou, choreographer & dancer)
- Amy CHAN (Hong Kong, lighting design & pathologist)
^Participation by kind permission of Unlock Dancing Plaza
*Participation by kind support of T Theatre, Macau