A Reflection on Monologue Dialogue 4: Mysticism and Insecurity. Art In An Insecure Age

Field: Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)

Monologue Dialogue 4: Mysticism and Insecurity (MD4) was a 16-person international group show held at The Koppel Project at Baker Street, London UK, 4 May – 1 July 2017. It was curated by Professor Andrew Stahl (UCL Slade School of Fine Art). The key focus of the project has been to celebrate transcultural conversations by bringing together artists mainly from Thailand and the UK but also from different parts of the world to install or construct work together, and develop existing contacts between UK and Thai universities and in some way to reflect on the transcultural nature of today’s discourse for artists. Kai was an invited artist and created a new installation. She was also co-curator of numerous public engagement events in the gallery. This included tours of the exhibition and discussions engaging the public, students and artists. including a discussion and tour. Kai also curated a live performance by artist James Steventon, and wrote an article celebrating transculturalism in a precarious age of protectionism and populism. ARTICLE: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/monologue/monologue-final-2.pdf GALLERY + OVERVIEW: https://kaisyngtan.com/portfolio/md4/ KOPPEL PROJECT publicity: http://thekoppelproject.com/monologue-dialogue-4mysticism-insecurity/ABOUT MD4: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/research/projects/monologue-dialogue-4 UCL GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/events/2018/01/05/md4-mysticism-and-insecurity/ ABOUT ANDREW STAHL: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/people/academic/profile/ASTAH06 PUBLICITY: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/news/2017/04/monologue-dialogue4-koppel-project DISCUSSION publicity: http://kaisyngtan.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MD4-talk-performance-chat-June10.pdf EXHIBITION: The 16 participating artist were mainly from Thailand and the UK, and also included from Singapore, Bangladesh, China and Japan.Eric Bainbridge, Rana Begum, Tintin Cooper, Yvonne Feng, Miranda Housden, Neil Jeffries, Sansern Milindasuta, Atsuko Nakamura, Nipan Oranniwesna, Be Takerng Pattanopas, Tuksina Pipitkul, Nathaniel Rackowe, Andrew Stahl, Kai Syng Tan, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong, and Panya Vijinthanasarn. The Monologue Dialogue series has grown from a British Council initiated and funded residency and exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2006. From then onwards a series of exhibitions have taken place in Bangkok and London with an evolving and expanding group of participating artists. The last exhibition was in 2014 at the BACC (the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre). The key focus for the artists has been to install or construct work in a space/gallery together and in some way to reflect on the transcultural nature of today’s discourse for artists. MD4 is supported by Royal Thai Embassy, UCL Global Engagement, Slade School of Fine Art and Leeds College of Art. The show opened on 3 May 2017 and was attended by the Thai Ambassador to UK. DISCUSSION: On 15 June, there was also an informal evening co-run by Kai with Professor Stahl. There was a discussion (with Manick Govinda/Artsadmin, Loredana Paracciani, Asian art specialist, and Parinot Kunakornwong, London-based Thai artist) on ‘transcultural exchanges in an insecure world’, drinks and a live art intervention by guest artist James Steventon in collaboration with Kai. The performance is partly inspired by Martin Creed’s Work No. 850 (2004) and Claudia Kappenberg’s Slow Races (2014 De La Warr Pavillion). All photos (which are in random order) in this gallery are by Kai Syng Tan unless otherwise stated. The project was supported by UCL Global Engagement Funds. It received additional funding from the Royal Thai Embassy.