Worlds Apart, Strangers Together | In Dialogue with Yuki Kihara and Patrick Flores
This dialogue between Yuki Kihara and Patrick Flores delved into the colonial legacies in Oceania, as well as the complexities inherent in the primitivist gaze and its transformation in contemporary art.
Yuki Kihara is an interdisciplinary artist of Japanese and Sāmoan descent. Through a research-based approach, her practice seeks to challenge the dominant and singular historical narratives and their persistence in the socio-political climate through a wide range of mediums, including performance, sculpture, video, photography and curatorial practice.
Kihara became the first Pacific artist to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. From the perspective of Fa’afafine (Sāmoan for “in the manner of a woman,” Sāmoa’s third gender) community, her critically acclaimed exhibition "Paradise Camp" features upcycled selected paintings by the late post-impressionist French artist Paul Gauguin-which were believed to have been inspired by Sāmoa.
The programme took place on 23 March 2024 as part of the symposium “Worlds Apart, Strangers Together”.
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About the Symposium
Held alongside the exhibition “Tropical: Stories from Southeast Asia and Latin America”, “Worlds Apart, Strangers Together” was a two-day symposium held on 23-24 March 2024 that expressed South-South solidarities and reconsidered the conception of the “Global South,” both within the legacies of modernism and in light of post-colonial debates.
The programme included a diverse range of lectures, screenings, performances, talks and dialogues, featuring artists, thinkers, and art historians including Manthia Diawara, Solange Farkas, Atreyee Gupta, Yuki Kihara, Partha Mitter, Eisa Jocson, and Venuri Perera.
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About “Tropical: Stories from Southeast Asia and Latin America”
“Tropical: Stories from Southeast Asia and Latin America” explores the vibrant narratives of artists, dreamers and writers who challenged conventions and fostered solidarities across these two regions. Their unwavering quest to reclaim their rightful position within the story of art forms the core of this exhibition. Featuring over 200 artworks, it is the world's first large-scale exhibition to take a comparative approach between artistic expressions from Southeast Asia and Latin America.
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Disclaimer
This video has been edited for clarity and concision. The opinions expressed in this video may not represent the views of National Gallery Singapore. Every effort has been made to obtain permission for the material in this video. Copyright within this video belongs to its respective owners and shall not be reproduced without permission.
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