RUNDOWN

06:15pm    Registration
06:30pm    Opening Remarks
06:35pm    Book Sharing
07:30pm    Q&A
08:00pm    End

ASHK Members: HKD50
Non-Members: HKD100
*Members and staff from the Singapore and Malaysian Chamber enjoy the ASHK Members’ price

The story of Chinese merchants and émigré artmakers is often written to mark the early 20th century, when migration patterns became increasingly visible especially following the colonial establishments in the Straits Settlements. The Chinese however, had been intensively sojourning from the mainland to Nanyang since the 18th century, solidifying trade and economic opportunities evolved over several hundred years.

Yong Mun Sen was born in Kuching, Sarawak, in the time of the British Raj. His forefathers had established themselves in this region for two successive generations. His place in Nanyang brings to life the story of indigenous settlers who were afforded an opportunity to visibly define Chinese culture and Chinese identity at the turn of the century.

As a self-taught artist who worked several jobs in a bookshop, selling art supplies as well as running his own photography and art studio, Mun Sen is a significant figure sometimes obscured by brief mentions in the larger historical discourse of Nanyang Chinese as well as art history in Malaya and the region. Everyone knows of Yong Mun Sen, and everyone has at one point or other seen his watercolour paintings.

This publication brings together an unprecedented range of artworks from national and private collections to illustrate the artistic depth hitherto little known. Accompanying the images are essays from researchers, individuals and writers whose perspectives allow us to sharpen our insight on why Yong Mun Sen is seminal to our generation.

This book dialogue will open avenues to rationalising artmaking in Nanyang as not only a cultural imperative but a cultural catalyst. Through this, we can begin to appreciate not just history, but the aesthetic premise that proliferates the region, highlighting our capacity for beauty and truth as reflected in the spirit of the times gone by, and the times to come.

Dr Bridget Tracy Tan is Director for the Art Galleries and the Institute of Southeast Asian Arts at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Formerly a curator at the Singapore Art Museum (now National Gallery Singapore), she oversees the internal and external programming for 3 galleries located on campus. Her work at NAFA includes initiating practice led research into Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art across the disciplines in seminars and workshops for students and lecturers alike. She has written and edited publications on art as well as catalogues and monographs for artists alongside exhibition projects. She is currently also Academic Advisor for Southeast Asian Arts at NAFA.

She graduated with a Master of Arts, obtaining First Class Honours in Art History from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Her PhD was obtained from Chelsea College of Art, University of the Arts London, in practice-led research as a curator and critical art historian. The thesis critically explored Southeast Asian museology and Southeast Asian curating in contemporary paradigms that extend into global platforms, specifically, biennales.

Specialising in Chinese archaeology and art history, Dr Jiao Tianlong has over twenty years of curatorial experience in the United States and Hong Kong. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Peking University and his PhD from Harvard University. Prior to his current appointment, he served as the Josef de Heer Curator of Asian Art at the Denver Art Museum from 2015 to 2021, the Head and Curator of Chinese Art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco from 2014 to 2015, Chief Curator of Hong Kong Maritime Museum from 2013 to 2014, the Chairman of the Department of Anthropology at Bishop Museum from 2003 to 2013. He also served as faculty or visiting professors at University of Hawaii-Manoa, Xiamen University, Chinese University of Science and Technology, and Shandong University. He has curated many international travelling exhibitions in collaboration with major museums worldwide, including the Palace Museum. He was in charge of the reinstallations of the Pacific Hall at the Bishop Museum and the Asian Art Galleries at the Denver Art Museum. He also conducted archaeological projects in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Hawaii and Honduras.

Dr Jiao has authored/co-authored seven books and more than ninety research papers both in Chinese and in English. His book The Neolithic of Southeast China (Cambria Press 2007) was the winner of the 2007 Philip and Eugenia Cho Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Asian Studies.

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The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers and participants and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, do not reflect the opinion, position or official policy of Asia Society Hong Kong, its members, or its committees. Asia Society Hong Kong does not endorse or approve, and assumes no responsibility for the content of the information presented