The latest exhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary in Hong Kong is “Myth-Makers: Spectrosynthesis III”. This is the first large-scale exhibition in Hong Kong with a focus on LGBTQ+ themes. The exhibition revolves around the core concept of “queer mythology” and brings together over 60 artists from Asia and its diaspora. They are invited to showcase various art forms related to LGBTQ+ themes and explore contemporary myths and bodily practices.
“The Mythmakers” draws inspiration from artists who explore the “queer myth” and discover the existence of same-sex desire or gender fluidity within ancient Asian belief systems and traditions. At the same time, the exhibition also explores various “new traditions” of this era, including spectacles and celebrity culture, playfulness and transgression, as well as non-normative bodily practices and histories in contemporary art works.
The exhibition unfolds through three distinct chapters, showcasing over 100 works, including new pieces and works from the 40s to the 90s. While most of the participants in the exhibition are living artists, the exhibition also highlights some visionary and revolutionary deceased artists, especially during a time when today’s LGBTQ+ identity had not yet arrived.
In the first chapter, “Queer Mythology: Myths on and off the Stage,” artists explore various myths, creation stories, and traditions related to same-sex desire, hermaphroditism, cross-dressing, and gender ambiguity. Through their creations, they examine and challenge mainstream cultural values (including religion) from a queer perspective, while highlighting existing queer mythological figures in Asian traditions.
Other artists, on the other hand, playfully deconstruct the idol worship in contemporary celebrity culture. Hong Kong singers and actors have created a (semi-)queer modern mythology for the collective psyche, from Cantonese opera that became popular through television and movies after the war, to Cantonese pop songs of different generations.
“Body Politics: Criminalization, Control, and Counter-Narratives” delves into issues of body politics, power, control, and criminalization, bearing the heavy weight of historical violence. These themes also reflect the historical position of F Warehouse: originally a government printing house, it later became a reception room and fingerprint office, complete with holding cells and interrogation rooms. As the former site of the Central Police Station, the Central Magistracy, and Victoria Prison, the actual venue itself becomes a prism of history, reflecting the curatorial theme.
“Queer Future: De-materialization, Transformation, and New Discourses” implies everything through darkness, making things vaguely revealed and undisclosed. It is precisely because of its concealment that it brings a sense of freedom and unconstraint. The body seems to be hinting at something, yet also being frequently referred to. People are able to explore and discover its potential through the body. As the gallery space darkens and the body disappears from sight, it presents various possibilities for new meanings and perspectives.
Myth Maker – Light. Photosynthesis III
Date: From now until April 10, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Location: Tai Kwun Contemporary
Image source and learn more: Tai Kwun
