Regional Code Asia Vol. 3　：　Simon Soon + chi too

Playing with the Public
presentation by Simon Soon and chi too

For the past 3-4 years, artists from various disciplines in Malaysia started taking art to the streets, replacing the gallery with public spaces as sites for engagement. From the Merdeka public Square to an abandoned townhouse, the streets of Kuala Lumpur to a restaurant, facebook fanpages/internet TV to the Jetty communities, these projects are often predicated on the need to seek a new audience for contemporary art in a playful manner, at the same time, connecting art to everyday spaces and people.

In this presentation, curator Simon Soon and conceptual artist chi too will highlight some of the recent projects in Malaysia where creativity faces its toughest challenges, against its toughest critics - the ordinary people. How does this change the way we make our art? To whom do we make our art for? Set against the shifting political landscape of Malaysia since the 2008 General Elections, the innovations brought about by Web 2.0 technology, as well as the excellent sense of humour a new breed of Malaysian artists have cultivated, the presentation will contextualise these practices within the socio-cultural context of Malaysia and the efficacy of art in exploring some of the most pressing issues faced by a new generation of Malaysians today.

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Simon Soon is a curator and writer on contemporary art in Southeast Asia currently based in Kuala Lumpur. He is currently in Tokyo as an invitee of the Japan Foundation's "JENESYS Programme: Invitation Programme for Creators." He has curated a number of exhibitions including the Bombay Sapphire Art Projects 2008, CUT09: New Photography from Southeast Asia and the 3rd Pyongyang International Arts Festival in Kuala Lumpur 2010. He is a co-founder and managing editor of ARTERI (http://www.arterimalaysia.com/) a visual arts blog on contemporary practices in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. His interests span from the performative/participatory/collaborative approaches to contemporary art as well as creative engagement with Web 2.0.

chi too makes films for fun, love and activism. in his free time, he ekes a living off editing video. his films include Paradise Bus, The Chinese Dilemma, While You Were Eating, Just Present, Goodbye Luang Phrabang, Out of the Cloest, etc. He photographs, paints, draws, writers and hug trees. He also sells T-shirts. Most recently, he has become a conceptual artist.

Organizers: 3331 Arts Chiyoda
Cooperation: The Japan Foundation "JENESYS Programme: Invitation Programme for Creators"