WORK / LIVE 干活 exhibition / display at Asymmetry, London

BUILD WHERE YOU STAND: SYMPOSIUM AND VITRINE PRESENTATION

curated by Li Jia Zhang

 

Asymmetry, 102a Albion Drive,

London E8 4LY

 

2-4.30PM, 07.12.2024

 

Curated by 2024 Asymmetry Curator-in-Residence, Li Jia Zhang, as the project outcome of her residency in London with Asymmetry and Delfina Foundation. 'Build Where You Stand' convenes curators, researchers, collectives and communities dedicated to socially engaged practices from China and the UK to delve into the expansive relationship between art and community and to foster mutual learning and exchange across contexts.

Reflecting on contributions from China (Dr Ruoxi Liu), self-organised woodcut collectives in inter-Asia (Krystie Ng), socially engaged art in Southeast Asia and South China (Dr Stephanie Sipei Lu), grassroots artistic communities and the Lumbung experience at Documenta 15 (Di Liu), as well as socially-rooted practices curated through Social Practice Lab (Hanlu Zhang).

Together, their presentations offer insights into the varied landscape of socially engaged art, research and curatorial practices, offering diverse strategies and pathways for engaging one's community across different contexts.

 

In parallel, a vitrine presentation will be open to visitors until 31 January 2025. It will feature images, texts, archival footage and field notes on independent collectives and organisations rooted in community-focused and socially engaged work in China. Highlighted collectives such as Dinghaiqiao Mutual Aid Society, Social Sensibility R&D Department, and Fuyin.info exemplify the creative resilience and collective efforts of artists, curators, and practitioners.

This display provides invaluable insights into the dynamic and impactful practices shaping community and social engagement in China, while also offering a framework for comparative analysis with similar experiences and initiatives in