RUN & LEARN
This series of projects ran from 2014 through 2015 with the aim of supporting and training young curators from Southeast Asia. It searched for a new image of curator by “thinking while running,” implementing many projects within the social and cultural environment of Southeast Asia that has transformed alongside its rapid economic growth.
The first stage of the project involved holding curator workshops in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand from February through June 2014. The second stage of the project involved 14 curators selected through assessment of their plans, and who then took up the challenge of participating in a short-term training scheme in Japan for two weeks from August 2014. This training involved lectures delivered by art historians and curators, technical training at an art transportation operator, research on Japanese artists, and viewing international exhibitions and art museum exhibitions. These activities resulted in 14 art projects and exhibitions, held in nine cities in four nations between December in 2014 and February in 2015.
In order to wrap up the project, four art guidebooks were produced, one for each country and including reports on the 14 exhibitions that resulted. In addition to culture in each nation, the books feature raw information on local artists and art scenes that is richly illustrated with photographs, alongside sightseeing information such as cuisine, adding up to an introduction to Southeast Asian culture that can feel accessible to readers.
| Links | The Japan Foundation Website |
|---|
- Exhibitions in Indonesia
- Exhibitions in Thailand
- Exhibitions in the Philippines
- Exhibitions in Malaysia
- Catalogue
- Guide Books
Exhibition (Indonesia 1)
Sidewalk Warfare
An artist and an art group portrayed sidewalks in the city of Jakarta through installations, performances, and audiovisual works. They tackled urban problems by reflecting on how the sidewalks had been used until then and the future potential for sidewalks where pedestrians are competing for space.
| Dates & Venue (Jakarta) |
January 30–February 12, 2015 |
|---|---|
| The Japan Foundation Hall | |
| Curators | Asep Topan (Curator; Lecturer, Faculty of Fine Arts, Jakarta Institute of Arts) |
| Artists | Reza Afisina, Log Out Corps |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
Exhibition (Indonesia 2)
The Shift: Imported Secondhand Clothing Project
Three artists implemented this project in Pasar Senen, the largest marketplace for imported and secondhand clothing in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta. While considering the relationship between Japan as an exporter of secondhand clothes and Indonesia as an importer and consumer of these items, the three participants created an artwork that cast a critical eye on the system in which these goods trade hands.
| Dates & Venue (Jakarta) |
January 23–February 5, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Awanama Art Habitat; Pasar Senen | |
| Curators | Angga Wijaya (Curator, Serrum) |
| Artists | Ardi Gunawan, Yudha “Fehung” Kusuma, Ismal Muntaha |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
Exhibition (Indonesia 3)
Jinayah/Siyasah: Playing with Boundaries
Three artists took part in a residency program for approximately ten days and collaborated with the Muslim community to produce an artwork. As the artists attempted various approaches to Islam, dialogue emerged that elicited interest in art from the Muslim community.
| Dates & Venue (Yogyakarta) |
January 31–February 5, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Tetangga Seniman | |
| Curators | Sita Magfira (Project Officer, Jaringan Arsip Budaya Nusantara) |
| Artists | Octora, Wulang Sunu, The Popo |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
Exhibition (Indonesia 4)
Bok Cinta' Project (Tengok Bustaman 2)
Featuring the results of collaborative work between ten selected artists or artist groups and 300 local residents, this exhibition was held in Semarang, a regional city located between the two major cities of Jakarta and Surabaya. It explored the boundary between art and non-art, and attempted to expand concepts of the public.
| Dates & Venue (Semarang) |
January 31–February 15, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Kampung Bustaman, Purwodinatan | |
| Curators | Ahmad Khairudin (Director, Hysteria) |
| Artists | Annisa Rizkiana, Haryo Wibowo/Bowo Kajangan, Arief Hadinata, Papillon, Tri Aryanto, Imam Budi Cahyono, Hysteria, Pembangun Bayu Putro/Bayu Tambeng, Karamba Art Movement, Serrum |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
Guide Book (Indonesia)
Run & Learn: Projects & Art Guide, Indonesia
Edited by Leonhard Bartolomeus
- Publisher:
Tokyo: The Japan Foundation
- Year:
2015
- Total Number of Pages:
116
- Size:
26 cm
- Language:
Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
- NCID:
BB19324155
[Contents]
| p. 2 | Editorial Notes | |
| p. 4 | Indonesia Maps | |
| p. 6 | Jakarta | |
| p. 18 | Curator InterviewAsep Topan | |
| p. 22 | Curator InterviewAngga Wijaya | |
| p. 26 | Highlight & ReviewSeizing the Public and Offering Space | |
| p. 30 | Yogyakarta | |
| p. 60 | Curator InterviewSita Magfira | |
| p. 64 | Highlight & ReviewDedication to Communities: What Can Curation Do Next? | |
| p. 70 | Semarang | |
| p. 82 | Curator InterviewAhmad Khairudin | |
| p. 86 | Bandung | |
| p. 102 | Highlight & ReviewStop and Learn, to Observe | |
| p. 108 | Never Stop to Learn | |
| p. 109 | SFADA: Soundscape Presentation of 1950s Bandung | |
| p. 110 | Recollecting Memory | |
| p. 111 | Shifting Spaces | |
| p. 112 | Poetry of Space | |
| p. 113 | Ronda Art Project | |
Exhibition (Philippines 1)
Forces at Work: White Noise
A series of four “Forces of Work” exhibitions were held at the Jorge B. Vargas Museum in the Philippines. “White Noise” featured five Filipino artists and artist groups as well as one Japanese artist. Each produced artwork while embedded himself or herself into a poor urban community, endeavoring to understand and reaffirm protests against problems rooted in the class struggle.
| Dates & Venue (Manila) |
December 2, 2014–January 28, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Jorge B. Vargas Museum | |
| Curators | Con Cabrera (Lecturer, Fine Arts Department, Kalayaan College) |
| Artists | Jose Tence Ruiz, Hoshiba Ishihara Yumiko, Vermont Coronel II, Bru Sim, Derek Tumala, The Axel Pinpin Propaganda Machine |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Jorge B. Vargas Museum |
Exhibition (Philippines 2)
Forces at Work: Still
In the face of major tragedies and social unrest, how do people overcome a crisis and move on? Through video, installation, painting, and poetry, five artists showed how art can contribute to dealing with such critical moments when they arise.
| Dates & Venue (Manila) |
December 2, 2014–January 28, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Jorge B. Vargas Museum | |
| Curators | Ricky Francisco (Consultant, Lopez Museum & Library) |
| Artists | Kiri Dalena, Allison Wong David, Marc Gaba, Chim↑Pom, Aida Santos |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Jorge B. Vargas Museum |
Exhibition (Philippines 3)
Forces at Work: Holdings
One artist and one artist group reflected on such issues in the Philippines as art, labor, the value of things, and the economic conditions of artists and the art industry, and later exhibited the results of broad-ranging research projects.
| Dates & Venue (Manila) |
December 2, 2014–January 28, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Jorge B. Vargas Museum | |
| Curators | Merv Espina (Artistic Director, The Institute of Lower Learning [iLL]） |
| Artists | Working Artists Group [WAG], Niwa Yoshinori |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Jorge B. Vargas Museum |
Exhibition (Philippines 4)
Forces at Work: The Lizard Says You're a Liar!—Narratives of the Universe
This project was an attempt to portray the complex belief systems in today’s world. It presented a wide range of materials, including objective resources about rituals, forms of expression born from personal experiences, and scientific practices. It explored current encounters between doubts about belief and faith whose strength varies per person.
| Dates & Venue (Manila) |
December 2, 2014–January 28, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Jorge B. Vargas Museum | |
| Curators | Hirano Mayumi (Co-founder, 98B COLLABoratory; Curator) |
| Artists | Santiphap Inkong-ngam, Elia Nurvista, Yagi Kanade, Zeus Bascon, Maria Victoria Beltran |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Jorge B. Vargas Museum |
Catalogue (Philippines）
Forces at Work
Edited by Alice Sarmiento
- Publisher:
Manila: The Japan Foundation Manila; Jorge B. Vargas Museum and Filipiniana Research Center
- Year:
2015
- Total Number of Pages:
88
- Size:
23 cm
- Language:
English (eng)
[Contents]
| p. 5 | Working on the Curatorial |
| p. 6 | The Curators |
| p. 8 | Itinerary |
| p. 9 | Calendar |
| p. 10 | White Noise |
| p. 30 | Holdings |
| p. 44 | Still |
| p. 62 | The Lizard Says You're a Liar! |
| p. 80 | Situation Specificity in Curating |
| p. 82 | Critical, because Curatorial |
Guide Book (Philippines)
Run & Learn: Projects & Art Guide, Philippines
Edited by Hattori Hiroyuki; Hirano Mayumi; Furuichi Yasuko; Suzuki Keiko; Mitomi Yukie; Marc J. Ocampo; Okeda Mariko
- Publisher:
Tokyo: The Japan Foundation
- Year:
2015
- Total Number of Pages:
88
- Size:
26 cm
- Language:
Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
- NCID:
BB19324155
[Contents]
| p. 2 | Foreword | |
| p. 9 | City Guide 01: Manila | |
| p. 30 | Memoir of ManilaA Story About Choices in Manila | |
| p. 33 | Curators’ Workshop “RUN & LEARN: New Curatorial Constellations” Philippines | |
| p. 36 | White Noise | |
| p. 38 | Holdings | |
| p. 40 | Still | |
| p. 42 | The Lizard Says You're a Liar!—Narratives of the Universe | |
| p. 46 | Exhibition ReviewSituation Specificity in Curating | |
| p. 49 | City Guide 02: Bacolod | |
| p. 62 | Memoir of BacolodTo the Sweet Town of Bacolod | |
| p. 65 | City Guide 03: Baguio | |
| p. 78 | Memoir of BaguioBaguio | |
| p. 82 | The Nationalist Hang-Up and the Insecure History of Philippine Culture | |
| p. 87 | About the Writers | |
Exhibition (Thailand 1)
Turning Tweets Pulse
Starting from consideration of turning points in life, this exhibition spurred visitors to re-examine and know their own life stories. Six artists wove stories through explorations of sound.
| Dates & Venue (Bangkok) |
February 4–10, 2015 |
|---|---|
| 1st Floor, Multi-Function Room, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre [BACC] | |
| Curators | Kamonpond Eiko Wongcharoenchai (Independent Curator) |
| Artists | Eyedropper Fill, Tokin Teekanun, Wannarit Pongprayoon, Vuttipong Mahasamut, Siwanut Boonsripornchai, Nattapol Rojjanarattanangkool |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Bangkok Art and Culture Centre |
Exhibition (Thailand 2)
The Air of Familiarity
By looking at commonplace and everyday elements, this exhibition introduced artworks that explored the beliefs and ideas that form the foundations of our lives. The four artists employed such media as short film, video documentary, photography, and installation.
| Dates & Venue (Bangkok) |
February 6–28, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Cloud | |
| Curators | Soifa Saenkhamkon (Independent Curator) |
| Artists | Apichart Yimyong, Chaiwat Wiansantia, Namfon Udomlertlak, Tippawan Narintorn |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Cloud |
Exhibition (Thailand 3)
Shuffling Spaces
In this exhibition, images, installations, and performances were used by Thai and Japanese artists to present various interpretations of the spaces that surround people, including physical and imaginative spaces, urban environments, and social situations. It explored the means whereby we acquire our independence in contemporary society.
| Dates & Venue (Chiang Mai) |
February 8–15, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Gallery Seescape | |
| Curators | Horiuchi Naoko (Curator, Arts Initiative Tokyo [AIT]) |
| Artists | Surajate Tongchua, Paphonsak La-or, Kritchunun Srirakit, Nuttapon Sawasdee, Kotaka Takuro |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Gallery Seescape |
Guide Book (Thailand)
Run & Learn: Projects & Art Guide, Thailand
Edited by Pichaya Aime Suphavanij
- Publisher:
Tokyo: The Japan Foundation
- Year:
2015
- Total Number of Pages:
112
- Size:
26 cm
- Language:
Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
- NCID:
BB19324155
[Contents]
| p. 1 | Our Challenges in “Run & Learn” |
| p. 4 | Map of Thailand |
| p. 6 | Photo of Attitude in Thailand |
| p. 14 | Contemporary Art in Thailand: An Introductory Genealogy |
| p. 18 | RUN & LEARN: New Curatorial Constellations |
| p. 21 | Event Photos |
| p. 26 | The Air of Familiarity |
| p. 32 | Shuffling Spaces |
| p. 38 | Turning Tweets Pulse |
| p. 44 | Recapturing RUN & LEARN Projects in Thailand |
| p. 48 | Art and Culture Spot Bangkok |
| p. 50 | MESSY SKY Nº02 |
| p. 54 | Conversation: Karin Phisolyabut |
| p. 58 | Conversation: Top Changtrakul |
| p. 62 | Articulating Sphere: Contemporary Art Space in Thailand |
| p. 68 | Crossing Over...Film—Visual Arts |
| p. 72 | Conversation: Tokin Teekanun |
| p. 76 | Art & Culture Spot Chiang Mai |
| p. 78 | The Bare Truth of Chiang Mai |
| p. 82 | Conversation: Torlarp Larpjaroensook |
| p. 86 | Conversation: Voranon Suetrong |
| p. 94 | Elastic Cities |
| p. 108 | Contributors |
| p. 110 | RUN & LEARN Thailand |
Exhibition (Malaysia 1)
M_kng Sp_c_: We Are Where We Aren't
This exhibition attempted to consider the monopoly of space in cities. The exhibited artworks by eight artists and art groups disrupted the dichotomy of public and private, raising questions about the monopolization of space while extracting various aspects of the concept of space.
| Dates & Venue (Kuala Lumpur) |
January 31–February 9, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Sekeping Sin Chew Kee | |
| Curators | Ong Jo-Lene (Independent Curator) |
| Artists | Zedeck Siew with Sharon Chin and Maung Day, Saiful Razman and Ilham Fadhli, Okui Lala, Kontak!, Jeffrey Lim, Goh Lee Kwang, Engku Iman, Daniel Chong |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
| Support | Sekeping Retreats |
Exhibition (Malaysia 2)
Re: Engage—The People's Court
This was a Cantonese community-based exhibition and project in the UNESCO World Heritage site of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Four artists took part in a residency program, and, through discussions and dialogue with local people, created artworks that recorded memories of residents who are caught between the urbanization ushered in by economic growth and the need to protect their cultural heritage.
| Dates & Venue (Gorge Town) |
January 25–February 15, 2015 |
|---|---|
| People's Court | |
| Curators | Lee Cheah Ni (Artist) |
| Artists | Chang Yoong Chia, Chua Teck Yeo (@Yeo Lyle), Okui Lala, Tan Lay Heong |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation |
| Support | Penang State Government, Majilis Perbandaran Pulan Pinang [MPPP], George Town World Heritage Incorporated, YB TEH LAI HENG Service Center, Persatuan Penduduk-Penduduk Rumah Pangsa People's Court, Pulan Pinang, LUMA |
| Notes | Artists' Residency: October 2014–January 2015 |
Exhibition (Malaysia 3)
Being Maphilindo
“Maphilindo” was a proposed federation at the beginning of the 1960s consisting of current-day Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Though ultimately not realized and rarely remembered today, five artists and artist groups each created a story inspired by Maphilindo and presented it as an artwork. These stories were not simply recollections, but also made the viewer aware of present immigrations problems across the three nations.
| Dates & Venue (Kota Kinabalu) |
February 7–22, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Sabah Art Gallery | |
| Curators | Harold Egn Eswar (Architect Assistant, Kota Kinabalu City worker) |
| Artists | Bram Ibrahim, Dina Gadia, Pangrok Sulap, Kato Tsubasa, Cracko Art Group |
| Organizers | The Japan Foundation; Sabah Art Gallery |
| Support | Sabah Cultural Board |
Guide Book (Malaysia)
Run & Learn: Projects & Art Guide, Malaysia
Edited by RogueArt; The Japan Foundation
- Publisher:
Tokyo: The Japan Foundation
- Year:
2015
- Total Number of Pages:
72
- Size:
26 cm
- Language:
Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
- NCID:
BB19324155
[Contents]
| p. 1 | Foreword | |
| p. 2 | Map of Malaysia | |
| p. 3 | Plural Agendas: Brief Notes on the Malaysian Art Scene through the Decades | |
| p. 8 | Future Curation Now: Connecting Places and People | |
| p. 12 | Kuala Lumpur | |
| p. 18 | Kuala Lumpur's Art Scene | |
| p. 21 | Independence: Communities: HistoriesInterview with Yeoh Lian Heng, Co-Founder, Lostgens | |
| p. 22 | M_KNG SP_C_ : We Are Where We Aren't | |
| p. 22 | Curator's Statement | |
| p. 26 | Interview with the Curator: Ong Jo-Lene | |
| p. 30 | Exhibition as Spatial Laboratory: Notes on M_KNG SP_C_: We Are Where We Aren't | |
| p. 32 | George Town | |
| p. 38 | Penang's Art Scene | |
| p. 41 | Heritage: Culture: Education Chen Yoke Pin, Program Manager, Arts-Ed | |
| p. 42 | Re: Engage: The People's Court | |
| p. 42 | Curator's Statement | |
| p. 46 | Interview with the Curator: Lee Cheah Ni | |
| p. 50 | Claiming/Re-Claiming Community Space: Notes on the People's Court Art Project | |
| p. 52 | Kota Kinabalu | |
| p. 58 | Sabah's Art Scene | |
| p. 60 | Women: Identity: CollectingInterview with Jennifer Linggi on her collection of Sabahan Bakul | |
| p. 61 | Being Maphilindo | |
| p. 61 | Curator's Statement | |
| p. 64 | Interview with the Curator: Harold Egn Eswar | |
| p. 68 | Mobilizing Art across Boundaries: Thoughts on Being Maphilindo | |
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