Overview

Artspace, in partnership with Asialink Arts and Asia Society Australia presents the 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS symposium. The symposium is designed to stimulate discussion, critical thinking and engagement with some of the most important issues explored in Artspace’s 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS project — censorship, activism, migration, labour, gender, and economies of power.

The two day event will bring together leading thinkers and artists from across the Asia-Pacific to shift perceptions and push the boundaries of conventional thought.

Artists in Action

This panel brought together artists from 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS to speak about their work commissioned for the Instagram project and exhibition. Artists will explore the complex social, cultural and political implications of working across issues such as gender, migration, language and identity.

Panelists: Deborah Kelly; Nasim Nasr; Jason Wee; Enkhjargal Ganbat; Shivanjani Lal; Hasan Hujairi; Hit Man Gurung and FAFSWAG: Tanu Gago & Elyssia Wilson Heti

Art as Activism: This is not a moment, it’s a movement

The art world often reflects on how it can work beyond its own systems and structures to create real world change. This panel explored what it means when artists work collaboratively with organisations and communities to propel contemporary, critical issues into the public realm and expand our vocabulary for assumed or established societal constructs. Key questions raised will include: Can art as action have the power to generate social and political change? Can artists truly be considered activists when they are working in the safety of institutions? What are the risks involved? How can the art world rise to the occasion and give back more than it takes?

Panelists: Gem Romuld, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN); Ashmina Ranjit; Frances Rush, CEO, Asylum Seekers Centre; and artists Mike Parr, Richard Bell, Rosanna Raymond and Safdar Ahmed (Refugee Art Project)

Unmapping Asia

Against the backdrop of some of the world’s largest democratic elections – from recent and upcoming elections in Japan, the Philippines and Australia to record breaking poll numbers in India and Indonesia, to the 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum – this panel came together to explore the multivalent individual and collective subjectivities that form Asia as a constantly shifting landscape and concept.

Panelists: Taloi Havini, artist; Tarun Nagesh, Curator, Asian Art, Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art; Prof. Devleena Ghosh, Social and Political Sciences Program, UTS; Tita Salina and Irwan Ahmett, artists; Dr Geoff Raby AO, Economist, Diplomat and Linda Jaivin, Writer, Broadcaster 

Keynote

52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS Symposium key note from Stephanie Bailey, Editor in Chief, Ocula Magazine. Followed by a Q&A with Talia Linz, Curator, Artspace.

Program

Saturday 20 July

9am
Doors open, registration

9:30am – 9:45am
Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony

9:45am – 10am
Introduction to 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS Symposium

10am – 11:30am
Panel 1 
Artists in Action
This panel brings together artists from 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS to speak about their work commissioned for the Instagram project and exhibition. Artists will explore the complex social, cultural and political implications of working across issues such as gender, migration, language and identity.

Panelists: Deborah Kelly; Nasim Nasr; Jason Wee; Enkhjargal Ganbat; Shivanjani Lal; Hasan Hujairi; Hit Man Gurung and FAFSWAG: Tanu Gago & Elyssia Wilson Heti

11:30am – 12pm
Morning tea, refreshments provided

12pm – 1pm
Panel 2 
Art as Activism: This is not a moment, it’s a movement
The art world often reflects on how it can work beyond its own systems and structures to create real world change. This panel will explore what it means when artists work collaboratively with organisations and communities to propel contemporary, critical issues into the public realm and expand our vocabulary for assumed or established societal constructs. Key questions raised will include: Can art as action have the power to generate social and political change? Can artists truly be considered activists when they are working in the safety of institutions? What are the risks involved? How can the art world rise to the occasion and give back more than it takes?

Panelists: Gem Romuld, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN); Ashmina Ranjit; Frances Rush, CEO, Asylum Seekers Centre; and artists Mike Parr, Richard Bell, Bhenji Ra, Rosanna Raymond and Safdar Ahmed (Refugee Art Project)

1pm – 2pm
Lunch break

2pm – 3:30pm
Panel 3
Unmapping Asia
Against the backdrop of some of the world’s largest democratic elections – from recent and upcoming elections in Japan, the Philippines and Australia to record breaking poll numbers in India and Indonesia, to the 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum – this panel comes together to explore the multivalent individual and collective subjectivities that form Asia as a constantly shifting landscape and concept.

Panelists: Taloi Havini, artist; Tarun Nagesh, Curator, Asian Art, Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art; Prof. Devleena Ghosh, Social and Political Sciences Program, UTS; Tita Salina and Irwan Ahmett, artists; Dr Geoff Raby AO, Economist, Diplomat and Linda Jaivin, Writer, Broadcaster 

3:30pm – 4pm
Afternoon Tea Break, refreshments provided

4pm – 5pm
Key note from Stephanie Bailey, Editor in Chief, Ocula Magazine. Followed by a Q&A with Talia Linz, Curator, Artspace.

5pm – 6pm
52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS Book Launch, refreshments provided

Sunday 21 July

1pm – 2pm
Curatorial Walkthrough of 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS exhibition

1pm–5pm 
Tintin Wulia, Terra Incognito et cetera, 2009, interactive performance

3pm – 6pm
53^rd Action | Performances by:

3pm – 3:05pm | FAFSWAG, Pati Solomona Tyrell 

3:05pm – 3:15pm | Enkhjargal Ganbat 

3:15pm – 4pm | Echo Morgan (Xie Rong)

4pm – 4:30pm | Hasan Hujairi 

4:30pm – 4:55pm | Shivanjani Lal 

4:30pm – 4:55pm | Bhenji Ra 

5pm – 6pm | Mike Parr 

5pm – 6pm | Ashmina Ranjit
Ashmina Ranjit will be facilitating an Open Mic, inviting artists, writers, poets, musicians and anyone who would like a platform to participate.