CCWM Conversations: The Trace is not a presence …
Join us at the Chau Chak Wing Museum for an in person conversation between artist Cyrus Tang and curator Dr Shuxia Chen, to mark the recent opening of the exhibition, The trace is not a presence ...
Tang and Chen will expand on the exhibition theme of 'trace that transcends history and memory'. Through discussing Tang’s practice and her interest in transforming material in art making, the conversation will celebrate artistic process as a convergence of the past and present.
The talk will be held at China Gallery where the exhibition is held. It will be a great opportunity to view the exhibition with other artworks and objects related to Chinese Australian history and migration experience.
About the speakers
Trained in ceramics and working with images, Hong Kong born artist Cyrus Tang’s work depicts ruins and decay: of human bodies, of objects and of cities. It deals with a loss of memory, as forgetting the past and rendered as decaying form and with the effort to hold onto memories and to even resurrect them. Tang has exhibited nationally and internationally including in Bangkok, Helsinki, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, France, Shanghai and Sweden. She has been offered different residency programs in Europe, Asia and Africa including recently NAWAT Morocco Residency 2024 supported by Creative Australia. She has been awarded various prizes including Finalist of Bowness Photograph Art Prize 2020, 21 and 23; Finalist of Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2021; recipient of McCelland National Small Sculpture Awards 2020; recipient of Incinerator social change award 2020; among others.
Dr Shuxia Chen is a historian and curator of Chinese art. Chen is the inaugural curator of the Chau Chak Wing Museum's China Gallery. Her research concerns art collectives, diasporic artistic practice, and reciprocal relations between people and objects. Her most recent books include Chinese Toggles: Culture in Miniature (co-edited volume, Power Publications, 2024) and A Home for Photography Learning: the Friday Salon, 1977-1980 (Shanghai Fine Arts Publishing House, 2024). Recently, Chen is the State Library of New South Wales David Scott Mitchell Memorial Fellow (2022–23), as well as a grantee of Australian Academy of Humanities’ Travelling Fellowship. Chen is also a lecturer, Curating and Cultural Leadership, at UNSW’s Art & Design. She serves as committee member for the Australia and New Zealand Art Journal (editorial) and The Asian Arts Society of Australia (Management Committee).
Header image: Cyrus Tang