Japan Foundation | SE Asia Curatorial Workshop

The Japan Foundation Asia Center announces a call for applications to a Curators’ Workshop from November to December 2015 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It is a programme aimed at enhancing expertise in curating contemporary art and related platforms.

Participants are required to present an exhibition/art project proposal at the workshop and two selected participants will receive a grant for a two-week study tour in Japan (February 22–March 6, 2016), after which they will be asked to organise an exhibition/art project in early 2017.

The general theme of the workshop is “What is Southeast Asia?” Southeast Asia is, on the whole, understood historically as a region that is located between China and India where a diverse range of cultures and ethnic groups exist. It has been a strategic location where vessels from the East and the West cross. Many in the region once experienced colonisation by the West in the 19th century and became independent nation states after the Second World War. Today, the region collectively draws attention from elsewhere as ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), an association which encourages collaboration among its members in the political, economic, social, and cultural fields. Under this scheme, members in the region have increasingly become influential on each other’s societies and cultures in a broader term.

But for those who reside in the region, what does this regional binding of “Southeast Asia” mean? In the field of the visual arts, for example, national art histories have been written, but is it possible to write a regional art history for the whole of Southeast Asia? How can curators contribute to the regional art scene, while also taking part in the global art scene, both made possible as a result of the advancement in information technology?

For this workshop, with the assistance of facilitators from the participating countries, the general theme of “What is Southeast Asia?” is broken down into sub-themes that are tailored to meet the local conditions. The applicants of the workshop are requested to submit a project plan that anticipates diverse approaches to the suggested theme along with their applications. We look forward to the submission of challenging proposals.

Deadline for applications: 30 October 2015

Please check the various Japan Foundation websites for eligibility and workshop dates. The workshop seems to be open to applications from curators in the various participating countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

---

Similar content