3 - 4 August 2023

Nanyang academy of fine arts

Presentation

Day 2Friday 4 August 2023, 14:05 - 14:30

On the (non)physicality of space

Ba-Bau Art Collective

on the (non)physicality of space is a mixed media presentation by ba-bau collective (Hanoi,Vietnam) to discuss the possibilities and flexibilities of creating spaces as mental reservoirs and platforms beyond the periphery and constraints of physical spaces. From the collective’s 5-year experience of running their project named ba-bau AIR, the topic will cover the sustainability of space design, according to (i) the needs of space users to enhance senses of belonging and ownership, (ii) the medium of resilience, namely smell, screening, low-cost spatial design, and spirituality. Reflective examples based on ba-bau's practice including ba-bau's physical space in Hanoi (2019-), exhibition “to set the sky in a betel's bowl” at Vietnamese Women's Museum (2022) and documenta fifteen, Kassel (2022). Such conditions suggest ways of (re)generating and taking control of space, especially in this shifting context of art under lack of resources, to contextually generate more sustainable and efficient platforms.

Ba-bau is a collective of curator, producer and artists. Their practices focus on designingsafe spaces, curation & producing exhibitions, designing programs, emerging interdisciplinary collaborations & community-based work. They are running ba-bau AIR - a flexible space(artist-in-residence, kitchen, studio) in Hanoi (2019-) and Hoa Quỳnh Cinema (an intimate,impromptu screening project & production since 2021).

Kieu-Anh Nguyen (b. 1997) is an art practitioner. Since 2020, her research-based art practice foregrounds olfaction as to explore memory tracing, nature and practice of care. Her art takes forms of soft sculpture, writing, drawing, and food experiments with a vision to cherish the ephemerality of life, including unnoticed details & unconventional narratives.