SILAS FONG

Author: silasfong

  • Art Recycle Bin

    Exhibited at Exit Strategies, H Queen’s, Hong Kong
    1 March – 4 May 2018
    Official satellite event’s of Art Basel Hong Kong 2018

    Acrylic, stainless steel, vinyl
    80 cm x 50 cm x 30 cm
    2019

    Art Recycle Bin, an acrylic box with a slit placed at the endpoint of the art experience on the 1st floor lobby. Visitors are invited to insert thin pieces of paper such as floor maps or exhibition leaflets, which many visitors will have in hand over the Arts Month in March. Fong sees this act as a means for visitors to clear their mind after an exhilarating experience and as a form of recuperation that injects new life to these sometimes overlooked materials.

  • Vocabulary: Understanding Your Art Professor and Make Life Easier

    Artist’s zine
    A6, 48 pages, black & white, softcover
    2019

    Preview the bookDownload

    Understanding your art professor is not easy, let alone the unpleasant atmosphere during a critique session. Art professors receive complaints from time to time that they are being too direct and traumatize the students. In order not to hurt the students’ feeling and receive a negative lecture evaluation, a few professors have developed a set of specific language to interact with the students and comment on their art projects.

    When you peek through the window of an art college into the art world, you might wonder what else cannot be art. And you are already asked to create artwork. You want to make amazing work and get a high score. Therefore you consult your professor. Unfortunately, the advice you heard from your professor makes you more confused.

    For the first time, with this pocketbook, you can explore the vocabulary and phrases that your professors often use. You will acquire the technique to understand your professor, better and faster. Hopefully, you will understand what your art professor means in the end.

  • Artist Portrait Basics

    Digital print on polyester, studio flash, camera, backdrop Stand
    480 cm x 370 cm (size of the print)
    2019

    For a successful career as an artist, you need a good portrait. For a successful artist’s portrait, you need a perfect studio. What if you do not have a high ceiling and tall windows at your studio? What if you do not even have a studio? Artist Portrait Basics offers you a chance to get familiar with the essential ways to show off your potential, productivity and professionalism in a single photo backdrop. You will also learn several hands-on skills to project your ego and charisma through your posture. For better opportunities in your future career as an artist, take this course by SAD School of Artist Development, regardless of your discipline.

  • Case #22 — Flat D, 6/F, Aldrich Garden

    Prof. Beate Gütschow
    2016

    Silas Fong zeigt in seiner Ausstellung fünf Arbei­ten, die sich mit Ineffektivität, Langeweile undIsolation beschäftigen. In einer Fotoinstalla­tionist ein lebensgroßes Modell von Fongs eigenem leeren Schlafzimmer zu sehen, Besu­cher müs­sen in dem kahlen Zimmer 10 Minuten verwei­len. In einer fotografischen Arbeit zeich­net Silas Fong das Licht auf, das sich auf einer leeren Wand im Laufe eines Tages suggestiv verändert.In drei weiteren Arbeiten dokumentiert der Künst­ler Situationen, in denen er sich selber sehr langweilt: eine Busfahrt, ein Seminar an der KHM und seine Tätigkeit als Aufsicht im Museum Ludwig. Silas Fong macht in diesen Situationen lapidare Fotos mit einer Kompakt­kamera und schreibt seine Gedanken akribisch auf, ebenso die Handlungen seiner Mitmen­schen. Ein Aspekt dieser Arbeiten mag ein institutionskritischer sein, denn es wird durch­aus ironisch aus dem Betrieb einer Kunst­hoch­schule oder eines Museums erzählt. Jedoch reicht Silas Fongs Anliegen über das Reflektie­ren dieser Gegebenheiten hinaus. Es ist ein Blick eines Fremden, der in alltäglichen Handlungen der anderen eine versteckte Ablehnung ver­mutet, der gewünschte Dialog findet nicht statt oder endet im Nichts. [BG]

    ————————————————————————————————————
    In his exhibition, Silas Fong shows five works dealing with inefficiency, boredom and isolation. A life-size model of Fong’s own empty bedroom can be seen in a photo installation, and visitors must spend 10 minutes in the bare room. In a photographic work, Silas Fong records the light that changes suggestively on an empty wall in the course of a day. In three further works, the artist documents situations in which he is very bored: a bus ride, a seminar at the KHM and his activity as a supervisor in the Museum Ludwig. In these situations, Silas Fong makes succinct photos with a compact camera and painstakingly writes down his thoughts, as well as the actions of his fellows. One aspect of this work may be more institution critical because it is quite ironically told from the operation of an art school or a museum. However, Silas Fong’s concerns extend beyond reflecting on these realities. It is a look of a stranger who suspects a hidden rejection in the everyday actions of others, the desired dialogue does not take place or ends in nothingness. [BG]

    [English version translated by Google Translate.]
    ———————————————————————————————————–

    Text written on the exhibition Flat D, 6/F, Aldrich Garden

  • 當月精選:眾神失語的日子

    Media. 藝術地圖
    Date. 2018-11-08
    Text. 楊承謙

    http://www.artmap.xyz/tw/index.php/column1/highlight/item/20181110/460.html

    眾神失語的日子
    《眾神失語的日子》由富源策展，參與藝術家有陳泳因、陳沁昕、方琛宇及葉慧。富源嘗試在都爹利會館的餐廳空間，呈現著名導演寇比力克風格的電影狀態。除了一眾神明，相信觀眾也難免失語。「失語」不是一個展覽傳遞的訊息，也不是一個情況的描述，而是一種狀態的呈現。

    陳泳因有感都爹利會館是一個等待故事發生的空間，結合本身對日常、記憶、碎片等創作興趣，以燈、廁紙、環保袋及電線創作裝置。陳沁昕重新佈置會客廳，對照寇比力克的電影元素。方琛宇的作品則包括夾在酒吧飲品單內的便條、藝術家聘請的神秘顧客、為打開話匣子而設計的書及《請慢用！》假人裝置。葉慧自言案發場景是她的興趣，她的聲音裝置在餐廳不同角落播放著三名女兇手的對話。

    Doreen Chan He is alright2018

    Doreen Chan, He is alright,2018

    先從展覽中最能夠引起觀眾討論的作品入手了解展覽。方琛宇的假人裝置模擬一名「麥難民」，即在二十四小時營業快餐店休息的無家者，坐在餐廳一角，與餐廳的高尚環境和高消費力顧客環境形成對比。作品既可以諷刺餐廳，但都爹利會館的顧客應該不會抗拒觀賞藝術才光顧，高消費力顧客也是社會上傾向喜歡參與藝術活動的一群。陳泳因的裝置《他安然無恙》也是廉價物料與高尚場合對比，據說曾在展覽開始前因為物料不特別，讓清潔職員險些誤會是雜物。展覽基本上就是由這些尷尬情況貫穿。

    作為藝術工作者，愛吃的筆者時常想：（特別是在展覽開幕般藝術和食物同場較勁的場合）藝術是否比食物吸引？前者的價值經常顯得模棱兩可，後者卻關乎生存需要，重藝術而輕食物多少有點諷刺。放諸《眾神失語的日子》，以上疑問的意思就是假若藝術沒有足夠存在的意義，倒不如不做展覽，讓食客吃頓「安落茶飯」，反正都爹利會館本身是所食肆。這裡不是要直接討論藝術存在意義的沉重議題，只是要指出富源應該是背負著這個疑問策展，決定展覽整體或個別作品「打擾」觀眾至甚麼程度算為合適。

    1980年代Richard Serra的《Tilted Arc》仍然是公共藝術的「懸案」。該數米高乘數十米長的作品橫跨了一整個公共廣場，惹來關於公眾不便、景觀、安全等各方面的投訴，引發了藝術大師作品和公共利益對立的爭議，最後作品逃不過拆卸的命運，但誰對誰錯沒有公論。若公共利益是公共藝術的前題，那麼食客胃口便是富源策展不能跨越的底線，實情的確是這樣。傳媒午餐聚會當天，餐廳的老闆也到餐廳用膳。有傳媒朋友問他給予展覽多大的自由，他說只要不影響食客胃口便可，眾人隨即失笑，因為方琛宇提過嘗試讓食客不安的想法。

    Ye Hui The Waiting Room2018Ye Hui, The Waiting Room,2018

    超越純美感裝飾功能的藝術介入餐廳不一定是引起不安或無所作為的，都爹利會館下層餐廳的中國畫展覽便有讓食客心情舒暢之功效，而諸位中國畫大師作品的價值豈止裝飾。當代藝術幾乎逃不開批判概念，因為定義、界限、意義以至形式都傾向模糊，概念成為批判藝術的重要基礎。為追求概念上的批判價值，一味討好食客、讓他們心情舒暢的方向不會太湊效。《眾神失語的日子》走了比較接近餐廳底線的方向，雖然就算方琛宇的假人都不算真的怎樣驚嚇，葉慧的《等候室》聲音裝置奇怪卻不至於煩厭，策展人冒的險是展覽趣味的重要因素。

    Curator Yuan FucaCurator Yuan Fuca

    餐廳空間複雜化本身就有點荒誕、突兀或者神秘的作品，反之亦然，本身就有點荒誕、突兀或者神秘的作品也複雜化了餐廳空間。對藝術比較認真的觀眾，或會失語於觀賞藝術與否之間的模糊界線；而作為一般食客，既不得不承認吃飯的環境得到某種提升，卻無奈看到環境受藝術品打擾著；也難保有食客直接跳過餐廳一切的藝術安排，專注吃飯。甚麼寇比力克或者電影感都好像不太重要，反正就是讓人失語的展覽，或許這也算是展覽的成功。

    眾神失語的日子

    展覽日期+ 2018/08/02-09/23

    展覽場地+ 都爹利會館

  • The next gen trying to boost Hong Kong’s growing art scene

    Media. Financial Times
    Date. 2018-11-25
    Text. Emma Dunkley and Alice Woodhouse

    https://www.ft.com/content/2dac4ade-e820-11e8-8827-ff56e7163c11?fbclid=IwAR3tNoqj9UbZrGuqTTiQNH29wlROv_nLBzJGYeI2JINnvbk2M8qPRaQg8Pg

  • Without Photography

    작가론 2018-2 Student’s exhibition review

    For submission of Exhibition review journal (20% of the course). It would be checked on 18 October and 29 November 2018. Please at least have 2 new pieces of reviews ready on each due date (4 reviews in total). Minimum word count is 400 words. Please focus on writing your personal and critical perspective. Additionally include exhibition title, participating artists, photos and etc. Open your weblog account on one of those free platforms such as sites.google.com, wordpress.com or blogger.com. The list of blogs would be published in http://silasfong.com/news/2018/09/20/withoutphotography/

    Thao Linh Nguyen
    HALIM ANDREW JONATHAN
    Jeon TaeHwan
    Yueqin Huang
    jiyoon yang
    morisse juliette
    이성운
    Kang Hong Seok
    minji kim
    JungYeon Min
    Gao MingZe 1 2
    Park Hyoung Kun
    Song Jihwan
    Lee Youjeong
    정현진
    Jang Jungwoo
    Oh ji-hyun
    seyeon kim
    Jeon Da Eun
    zhoutianyuan
    Jang Hara
    Qin MengSi

  • Web Journal – Class of Silas Fong – Basic Photography 2, 2018-2

    Submission Form: https://goo.gl/forms/rTgr9PsC3CpKVtaH2

     

  • Ulsan One Minute

    Exhibited at 12th Taehwa River International Eco Art Festival, Ulsan, Korea
    30 Aug – 9 Sep 2018

    LED Display Panel, Metal Stand
    250 cm x 103 cm x 10 cm
    2018

    Ulsan One Minute is an athletic competition. On contrary to a typical sports game, one does not win by being the fastest, the highest nor the strongest. The slowest wins. This simple game asks anyone being in Ulsan to count faithfully one minute in their mind without looking at any clock. The counted duration is measured by a timer – a stopwatch, a smartphone or a digital watch. The measured duration should be accurate to two decimal places. The data of each participant are collected and ranked from the slowest to the fastest before the start of the festival. It would be made up to maximum 1440 personal minutes thus a different length of a day. A public clock is installed in the Taehwa River Park and presents these personal times and paces belonging to the people in Ulsan. It also works as a reminder to pay attention and reconsider the value of time and success.

  • Exhibition: The Day the Gods Stopped Laughing

    1959年，馬克•羅思科接受了紐約四季酒店餐廳的一項創作委約。「我希望能畫點甚麼，使在這裏吃飯的混蛋們都倒胃口。」羅思科這話聽起來可是戲劇性十足，但他終告失敗，還把錢退了回去，因為他發現「人們如今甚麼都可以承受得住。」我很好奇自己在這家高級餐廳中能做些甚麼，同時回應是次展覽的主題。

    《老細請》邀請餐廳顧客探索放在吧檯上的飲品單。顧客從一列充滿戲劇性的指令中選取一項並將其表演出來，便可贏得一杯免費飲品。《神秘顧客》是一份由專業的神秘顧客受邀撰寫的報告。在與藝術家討論之後，一位神秘顧客將會悄悄到訪都爹利會館出席展覽開幕酒會，進行評價。這份評價報告會以商業標準去評估此次「藝術在餐廳」的體驗。《對白設計書》是咖啡桌上一本小巧的書，顧客們可以在享用飲品或與友伴閒聊時瀏覽閱讀。這本書並沒有美麗精緻和色彩繽紛的圖片，而是記載預先寫好的設計對白，幫助顧客在語塞之時可以照本直讀。《請慢用！》則是一個再現場景，描寫正在香港發生的「麥難民」現象以及相關問題。

    香港都爹利會館
    2018年8月2日至9月23日

    老細請, 2018
    夾在酒吧飲品餐牌內的便條
    19 厘米 x 9 厘米

    神秘訪客, 2018
    紙上數碼打印
    67 厘米 × 47 厘米

    對白設計書, 2018
    藝術家書籍
    15 厘米 × 10 厘米 × 1.5 厘米, 100 頁

    請慢用, 2018
    混合媒體
    衣物, 人體模型, 塑膠食物模型
    尺寸可變

    In 1959, Mark Rothko accepted a commission from Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. “I hope to paint something that will ruin the appetite of every son of a bitch who ever eats in that room”. Sounds dramatic enough, but he failed and returned the money because he found that ‘people can stand anything these days’. I was curious about what I could do in a high-end restaurant, while contributing to the context of this exhibition.

    On the House invites visitors to discover a drink menu on the bar table. Visitors choose from a list of dramatic instructions and perform to get a complimentary drink. Mystery Visitor is a commissioned report written by a professional mystery shopper. After discussion with the artist, a scenario is created and the mystery shopper pays a secret visit during the exhibition opening reception. The evaluation assesses the experience of the art exhibition held in the restaurant through common business concerns. Small Talk is a small coffee-table book that visitors can flip through while having a drink and chatting with their peers. Instead of beautiful and colorful pictures, this book collects pre-written dialogues ( offered for the visitors to act out when they run out of words. Enjoy Your Meal! is a scene recreated to depict the McRefugee phenomenon and related issues happening in Hong Kong.

    Duddell’s, Hong Kong
    2 Aug – 23 Sep 2018

    On the House, 2018
    Note tucked in drink menu at the bar
    19 cm x 9 cm

    Mystery Visitor, 2018
    Digital print on paper
    67 cm × 47 cm

    Small Talk, 2018
    Artist’s book
    15 cm × 10 cm × 1.5 cm, 100 pages

    Enjoy Your Meal!, 2018
    Clothing, dummy, plastic food model
    Dimension variable




    (left): Small Talk  | （左）：《對白設計書》
    (right): On the House  | （右）：《老細請》

    Dining Table Book | 《對白設計書》

    Dining Table Book | 《對白設計書》

    Enjoy Your Meal!  | 《請慢用！》

    Enjoy Your Meal!  | 《請慢用！》

    Enjoy Your Meal! (detail)  | 《請慢用！》（局部）

    Enjoy Your Meal!  (Opening Reception) | 《請慢用！》（開幕酒會）

    Photos courtesy of the artist and Duddell’s Hong Kong