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Hong Kong should adopt an open selection process for its entry in Venice Biennale

Vivienne Chow calls on the Arts Development Council and M+ to heed pleas to set up an independent panel to choose artists for arguably the most important art event in the world

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The arts community is generally delighted that the Princeton-educated sound artist Samson Young has been picked to present his work at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Recently, my social media page was flooded with congratulatory messages. Not for me, but with posts from the arts community for Hong Kong artist Samson Young, who has been selected to represent the city at the Venice Biennale next year. The arts community is generally delighted that the Princeton-educated sound artist and a rising star of the international arts scene is the third person to be picked by the Arts Development Council and M+ for arguably the most important art event in the world.

This is all in stark contrast to 2012, when the council decided to scrap an open call for proposals and team up with M+, the visual culture museum due to open in the West Kowloon Cultural District, to organise the city’s participation, doubling the budget to HK$10 million along the way.

Hong Kong row over Venice Biennale project

The move caused outrage among the local arts community, which criticised the council and M+ for dictating the selection process without consulting them properly, and also the lack of a professional panel to take charge of the selection process. Some artists and cultural workers hit out at the management of the council and M+ in a forum.

Tsang Kin-wah’s work at the 2015 Venice Biennale attracted more than 80,000 people. Photo: Vivienne Chow
Tsang Kin-wah’s work at the 2015 Venice Biennale attracted more than 80,000 people. Photo: Vivienne Chow

Hong Kong exhibit at Venice Biennale a sanctuary of calm

The criticism subsided after the successful 2013 presentation of Lee Kit, followed by the 2015 show by Tsang Kin-wah. The 2013 exhibition attracted more than 60,000 visitors while last year’s drew more than 82,000. The two shows also earned a great deal of international media coverage.

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