If you like to visit Nan Fung Textile Factory, pay attention to the new exhibition called “Cloud, Power, and Ornamentation – Central Asian Weaving” brought by CHAT Factory for the spring 2023 season. The exhibition showcases the works of 26 art and cultural creators from Central Asia. Curated by Wang Weiwei, curator of CHAT Factory, together with guest curators Slav and Tatar, Mi, and Alexandra Choi, this quarterly exhibition explores how Central Asian artists and designers use textiles as a medium for cultural preservation, response, and display of cohesion.
CHAT Factory held the “Re-spinning East Asia Series” exhibition last year, which organized textile art in the East Asia region. In this spring exhibition, the focus will be on the underdeveloped areas of Central Asia. Central Asia embodies diverse cultural identities and is a homeland of vibrant nations, with fascinating social and political histories. Each artwork is rich in depth.
In the midst of a multitude of Central Asian traditional visual elements, this exhibition uses “ikat” (a type of textile characterized by intricate and “blurry” patterns) as a metaphor to showcase the complex political environment and social landscape of the region. The exhibition also focuses on traditional Central Asian motifs, exploring how they function as a language that reflects and shapes politics, society, and culture. Additionally, the exhibition highlights the work of Central Asian female artists, aiming to revive an important force that has been overlooked by mainstream narratives.
Further reading:
- Liu Jianwen Michael Lau – Watching the Clouds Rise
- 《芝麻街》、《狂歡三寶》化身油畫主角！美國藝術家童趣作品傳揚愛與歡樂
- 當美妝遇上高訂時裝！M·A·C 聯乘 Richard Quinn 帶來春日印花彩妝系列
In addition, visitors can enjoy a diverse range of works, from installation pieces created by Gulnur Mukazhanova commissioned by CHAT, which use silk and felt to depict traditional Hong Kong and Kazakh patterns and motifs, to experimental works by Medina Bazargali & Kokonja that combine nomadic themes and Mongolian yurts with contemporary Almaty VJ (video jockey) culture, and more.
CHAT Executive Director and Chief Curator Mizuki Takahashi said, “We are very excited to have both local and international visitors come here to participate in the exhibition. We feel especially honored to showcase the creative works of this often overlooked but important region, bringing forth a diverse and vibrant artistic and cultural voice. I hope that visitors will be inspired by the creativity, adaptability, and resilience showcased in these works.”
Curator Wang Weiwei said of this spring project: “Central Asia once held an important position on the ancient Silk Road, connecting the East and the West geographically. Many empires or regimes have competed and ruled here. All of this has brought different social transformations to Central Asia in different historical periods, as well as frequent exchanges and integration of goods, population, religion, and culture that have lasted for thousands of years. The investigation of Central Asia will help us break through the limitations of binary opposition, establish a flexible way of thinking in complexity and contradictions, and learn from the experience and wisdom of coexistence of diverse ethnic groups.”
“Clouds, Power, and Ornamentation – Central Asian Weaving”
Date: From now until May 21, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Closed on Tuesdays)
Location: CHAT Factory 6, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong
Image source and learn more: The Mills CHAT Factory
