We are working with Winston Xin to set up a residency with On Edge through this Canada Council funded programme. Though unsuccessful in our first application we intend to continue working with Winston on our projects. He described his choice of our organization as a host for his residency this way:
“I have a familiarity with the organization and have been strongly influenced by their programming. I respect On Edge’s past and ongoing work in culturally diverse programming and exhibition. I also recognize the importance and contribution of their projects to the contemporary art movement. They have produced catalogues and exhibitions on a national and international scale, such as Yellow Peril: Reconsidered (1990-91); Feng Shui touring show and catalogue (1993-94); Temple of My Familiar, site-specific installation (1994) by Nhan Duc Nguyen; Jazz Slave Ships, Witness, I Burn, a site-specific performance collaboration by Jan Wade and Vanessa Richards (1996); Walas-Kwis-Gila performance, exhibition and videotape of David Neel’s work for the 1999 Venice Biennale and most recently their Internet projects www.onedgeonline.com and www.cyberartsite.net.
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hey have presented cross-cultural exchanges and contributed significantly to critical dialogue through their exhibitions and catalogues. On Edge looks beyond established mainstream avant garde trends, and their commitment to works from the margins is strong and consistent. Their curatorial focus is very much in line with what I was beginning to explore while curating at Video In, that of art, politics and culture. In this case, there is an appropriate match between my goals and the institutional mandate of the host centre.
I have also been very much influenced by the art work of Paul Wong and the writings of Elspeth Sage. I would relish the opportunity to work with them. I am basically self-taught in the area of media arts curating. There were no mentors prior to now. This residency will provide me with a unique opportunity to see a different process and method of work under the guidance of qualified professionals as teachers, mentors and advisors.
In addition the projects that I would be working on with On Edge would further compliment and develop my interest in work by Asian artists and curators. My specific focus would be on work by Asian artists and curators. On Edge already has a history of contacts with Asian artists, as well as a number of current projects working with artists in Asia. This residency will help to further establish and broaden these contacts. One of my main objectives is to engage in cross-cultural media arts projects, to take some time to write and develop catalogue ideas. I would like to research and curate a media arts touring program of works from Asia and possibly produce an exhibition project of Canadian works for Asia. I would also like to investigate the similarities and differences between the work by Asian Canadian video artists and those of artists in Asia. I would like to see Asian Canadian works in the context of Asian audiences. I would like to develop a dialogue and exchange of information and contacts between Canadian and Asian artists and curators, and to further develop methods for the curating of web and new media works.”
