disCONNECT HK
Artist Takeover Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presented by Schoeni Projects
In collaboration with HKwalls
Event Partner: Lee Gardens Association
An Urban Art 'Takeover' from an 1850s London Victorian Townhouse
to a 1950s Hong Kong Historic Tenement Building
Exhibition Vernissage: 10 October 2020
Exhibition Dates: 11 October - 29 November 2020
Schoeni Projects is pleased to present disCONNECT HK, an expanded adaptation of disCONNECT LDN - an inaugural exhibition at Schoeni Projects LDN, an 1850s Victorian townhouse in South West London, in close collaboration with HKwalls. disCONNECT LDN presented site-specific works from 10 artists working across seven countries, and received enthusiastic acclaim from both press and public. disCONNECT HK presents an array of artworks from the London exhibition and continues the disCONNECT journey, promoting and celebrating cross-cultural exchange with the addition of four Hong Kong artists, and by taking over a restored 1950s Hong Kong historic tenement building and presenting highlights at Hysan's Urban Sky space.
disCONNECT is an exhibition that responds to the pandemic and explores themes of connection, belonging, isolation and reliance on technology at the time of COVID-19. From the rigorous pre-exhibition planning to exhibition realisation, the practice corresponds with worldwide lockdown, quarantine and restrictions throughout the entire period.
Opening during the COVID-19 pandemic, disCONNECT not only adapts to adhere to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, rethinking creative and physical constraints due to the current global crisis, but also prompts reflection on the psychological reactions toward the pandemic as well as the role of technology. In addition to the pandemic itself, the curation of disCONNECT LDN took inspiration from its location, the Victorian home, reimagining the space with site specific works, some of which repurposed its discarded contents. Only four of the disCONNECT LDN artists live in the United Kingdom and were able to personally install their work on site. Lock-down and travel restrictions posed unique challenges for the normal practise of art creation and installation for the other six overseas artists in particular, compelling curator Nicole Schoeni and HKwalls' Jason Dembski and Maria Wong to find creative ways to stay faithful to the artists' vision, whilst working on the project remotely from Hong Kong themselves.
With disCONNECT LDN now closed, the exhibition is travelling to Hong Kong and invites four local artists to continue the conversation about art during a pandemic to foster cross-cultural exchanges. Go Hung, Jaffa Lam, Kacey Wong and Wong Ting Fung will create new site-specific artworks including video installation, live painting, mixed-media installation and sculptures for disCONNECT HK responding to the pandemic and disCONNECT LDN.
To accompany the Hong Kong exhibition, and further engage with audiences locally and internationally, Schoeni Projects and HKwalls continue with a series of free programmes and digital initiatives, including:
- Live Painting by disCONNECT HK artist Wong Ting Fung,
- Workshop by disCONNECT HK artist Go Hung,
- Live disCONNECT HK Artist Interview series on Instagram IGTV,
disCONNECT HK Dialogue; a conversation between gallerist Angela Li, Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam, Director of Lee Gardens Association Mark Tung, Founder of Schoeni Projects Nicole Schoeni and HKwalls Maria Wong, and
- 3D Virtual Tour of disCONNECT LDN at Hysan Urban Sky led by Nicole Schoeni.
Full list of participating artists:
Adam Neate (UK); Aida Wilde (Iran); Alex Fakso (Italy); David Bray (UK); Go Hung (Hong Kong); Herakut (Germany); Icy and Sot (Iran); Isaac Cordal (Spain); Jaffa Lam (Hong Kong); Kacey Wong (Hong Kong); Mr. Cenz (UK); Vhils (Portugal); Wong Ting Fung (Hong Kong); Zoer (Italy).
Please Note: To minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the community, the number of visitors to the Tenement Building will be limited and regulated according to the latest social distancing policy from the Hong Kong Government.
