Track II: Ahmad Fuad Osman and Olga Grotova
KADIST and DRC No.12 are pleased to announce a year-long screening collaboration initiative that integrates video works from the KADIST collection with the ongoing curatorial endeavors of DRC No.12. The latter is dedicated to presenting new site-specific projects by individual Chinese artists, illuminating both their artistic contributions and their subjective positioning within the intricate tapestry of recent Chinese histories and contemporary global geopolitical contexts.
The inaugural installment of Track II features Ahmad Fuad Osman’s Recollections of Long Lost Memories (2007/2008), a compilation of 71 sepia-toned archival photographs nostalgically depicting social interactions in the Malay world. Olga Grotova’s Our Grandmothers’ Gardens (2022) centers the history of Soviet allotment gardens—a response to poor food supply in a country excessively producing weapons. Both artists’ research journeys address profound skepticism toward ‘official’ records and the omissions from established historical narratives, prevailing themes in much of the art produced across Southeast Asia and the post-Soviet region.
This thematic intersects with Chinese artist Zhuang Hui’s recent solo project, The Journey of an Autodidact, currently on view at DRC No.12 through December 16, 2023. The project delves into the last sexagenary cycle in Chinese recent history, showcasing the artist’s vast personal collection of objects, photographs, documents, and recordings that illuminate the profound societal transformations concurrent with the artist’s journey as an autodidact.
Using moving image as a strategic tool to address geo-political issues through alternative narratives, Track II draws video works from the KADIST collection as a critical basis for transcultural conversations. The program title refers to Track II Diplomacy, in which influential citizens are involved in conflict resolution instead of just official representatives, alluding to the role of artists in shaping the landscape of cultural exchange. Comprising multiple screening installments, Track II will take place from December 2023 to the end of 2024. The programs are part of KADIST’s ongoing international program Double Takes, which activates film and video works through physical and online presentations at partner institutions and on KADIST.tv.
DRC No.12, located in The Diplomatic Residence Compound, was constructed in 1971 as China’s first international office and residence compound for overseas staff of embassies, international organizations, and news agencies. The compound’s international status in the 1970s and 80s made it a hub for early Chinese contemporary art exchange activities.
In Spring 2024, the second screening Probing (Liminal Spaces) will explore how artists engage with their daily creative practices, and how they navigate and explore thresholds, boundaries, and interstices.
KADIST和外交公寓12号空间欣然宣布启动为期一年的放映合作计划Track II，旨在将 KADIST 收藏中的影像作品与DRC No.12持久以来的策展工作进行对话。外交公寓12号空间致力于呈现中国艺术家的特定场域项目，旨在深入阐释个体在错综复杂的中国近期历史和当代全球地缘政治背景中的主观定位，进而体现他/她们对本地艺术生态的贡献。
Track II的首期放映将呈现两组影像作品：艾哈迈德·富阿德·奥斯曼（Ahmad Fuad Osman）的《长久失散的回忆》（2007/2008）是一部由71张偏褐色调的档案照片组成的作品，怀旧地描绘了马来语世界中的社交互动；奥尔加·格罗托娃（Olga Grotova）的《我们祖母的花园》（2022）聚焦于苏联分配农圃的历史，从而回应一个国家过度生产武器而导致的食品供应不足。两位艺术家的研究路径都涉及对“官方”记录的深刻怀疑以及纠察既有历史叙述中的遗漏。这一主题不仅在来自东南亚和后苏联地区的许多艺术作品得以体现，也与外交公寓12号空间目前展出的中国艺术家庄辉的个人项目《自学之路》形成呼应。该项目展期至2023年12月16日，深入探讨了中国近现代历史的最后一个六十年周期，通过展示艺术家庞大的个人收藏——其中包括物品、照片、文件和录音——阐释了艺术家作为自学者的旅程以及在此期间中国社会发生的深刻变革。
外交公寓12号空间位于北京朝阳区建国门外的外交公寓始建于1971年，是新中国第一片独享外交待遇，为各国驻华使馆、国际组织代表机构、各新闻机构及其人员提供办公、住宅用房的国际化社区。在二十世纪七八十年代，基于这里独有的国际资讯传播，外交公寓成为了中国早期当代文化艺术交流活动的发祥地。
Track II从KADIST收藏中选取影像，利用移动影像的替代性叙事能力应对地缘政治问题，为超越文化界限的对话提供批判性基础。项目标题受“二轨外交”的启发，强调非官方人物和民间形式参与解决争议的重要作用，在此指涉艺术家在塑造文化交流格局中所扮演的角色。
Track II的多期放映将于2023年12月开启，持续至2024年底。作为KADIST正在进行的国际计划 Double Takes的一部分，该项目通过在合作机构和KADIST.Tv上进行实体和在线展示，激活KADIST的电影和影像收藏 。
2024 年春季，第二场放映活动 “探索（极限空间）”将探讨艺术家如何参与日常创作实践，以及他们如何驾驭和探索门槛、边界和夹缝。