sign in • sign up
web | myLot | discussions | tasks | blogs | news | photos
homeinterestsdiscussionstasksblogsnewsmessages friendsphotosearningsmyLotquizzes

Bring Wu Xiao Kang back to Singapore! email this discussion to a friend?

myLot reputation of 85/100. sakana (190)3 years ago

Original topic posted at livejournal community sg_ljers.
Text adapted from petition site.

http://adoseoflight.com/overdose/xiaokang.html

Singapore-based collective A Dose Of Light presented Wu Xiao Kang. The series of haunting images are the final roll of film taken by Singaporean photographer Wu Xiao Kang before he committed suicide at the age of 26. The photographs lead us through the deserted mental hospital where Wu Xiao Kang received treatment previously for acute schizophrenia. The building was documented by Wu Xiao Kang repeatedly in his work and the images reflect his associations with the institution and his desire for escape. Excerpts from his diary are interspersed with the images.

Wu Xiao Kang has been exhibited in several places around the globe (most recently in London), and has received tremendous applause and unbelievable immediate feedback.

For a moment, the collective felt proud to be Singaporeans in a foreign land. Everyone wanted to know more about Singapore and Wu Xiao Kang. His work was described as "haunting" in The Daily Magazine, a blog by the Saatchi Gallery in London.

However, Wu Xiao Kang, though Singaporean, has never been showcased in Singapore before. The collective has been turned down several times in their proposal to show Wu Xiao Kang's work. Disappointed and at the verge of giving up, the collective stopped pushing his work in mid 2006. One of the most disturbing comments received by a Singaporean curator, which the collective still remembers word-for-word, was: "he is such a loser". Thus the collective made up their mind that Singapore would never be ready to view his work.

Shortly after, a curator from Germany called, and Wu Xiao Kang's work was all over the globe in a matter of weeks. He was immensely popular in China. In September 2006, the collective's online servers crashed due to overwhelming traffic pouring in after his work was exhibited in Andere Galarie, Germany.

Through that show, his original slides were acquired by a photographic research institute for research. Contracts were drawn and the release date for the slides to be returned to the collective is in 2010, a move the collective regrets deeply as they feel they should try one last time to bring Wu Xiao Kang to Singapore. The institute argues that Singapore has a culture that does not recognize its own local creative talent (thus causing most of our artists to leave for greener pastures overseas), and that Singaporeans will not be able to appreciate Wu Xiao Kang's work.

The collective hopes to showcase Wu Xiao Kang's work this July, and is desperately trying to get the agency to release the originial slides to be exhibited.

Singaporeans and art/photography enthusiasts, what are your thoughts on this issue? Personally I feel that Singapore should wake up and appreciate our very own artists before we become hollow island with no arts scene and purely economic culture.

This will be the very first time his original slides will be showcased alongside his works, if the collective can get enough signatures and convince the agency to release the slides. What other place should this happen besides his homeland?

I urge you all to sign the petition (link below) and leave your email so the collective can invite you to the private view of his work on opening night of the exhibition in Singapore. If it happens, it will all be thanks to you!

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/wuxiaokang

 
 
arts
sponsors
Medical Testing
Accurate& Confidential Testing. Call Now.
RapidScreeningCenter.Local.com

Wampler, Souder& Sessing, LLC
Construction law firm serving Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
www.wamplaw.us

United Kingdom Passport Service in US
Urgent Experts Handling, On time solutions. Call us for instructions.
www.passportdocs.com

User has not selected a best response.
tags:  photography, singapore, wu xiao kang, singaporean art, singaporean photography
 
sponsors
Maid Service for Washington DC
Welcome to MaidMagic.net. We offer residential and commercial cleaning services. Serving Hyattsville, MD and surrounding areas and surrounding areas. Contact us now.
www.maidmagic.net

H1B Visa - U.S. Immigration Lawyer
Call toll-free and speak to an immigration lawyer based in Washington, D.C. regarding your H1B visa questions. Initial consultations are free. Serving all 50 states.
www.cannlaw.com

Residence Inn Dupont Circle in D.C
Official Site: Marriott RI Dupont Circle. Book Now& Save.
www.Marriott.com/wasri

similar discussions


mrnischalgurung
(192)
How to earn money from photography?

I heard that I can earn good money from photography. DO you know any online sites to share and earn...

Started by mrnischalgurung (192) in photographer • 2 responses • Last response by scottcoleson (7) • 19 hours ago
Tags: business, photography

AshleyApathy
(122)
A few questions on photography;]

Well let me explain a bit about myself first with this subject. I went to college before, and had...

Started by AshleyApathy (122) in photographer • 1 response • Last response by scottcoleson (7) • 22 hours ago
Tags: photography

marianna45
(446)
If somebody in the street want to take a pictures with you, will you accept?

Is not a big deal, ion special in cities with many tourists, and they want sometimes to take a...

Started by marianna45 (446) in photography • 3 responses • Last response by canesfan1964 (17) • 3 days ago
Tags: photographer, photography, self-esteem

mimpi1911
(8011)
Do you think digital camera has made us careless while shooting?

When I had an ordinary camera, where every shot mattered, I used to be very diligent and careful,...

Started by mimpi1911 (8011) in life • 33 responses • Last response by bjcyrix (2735) • 4 days ago
Tags: photography, camera, digital camera, shooting, digital

nautilus33
(136)
Close-up photography - is there any one how practise it?

Hi, Mylotters. I'm a fan of the photography and espacialy the close-up photography. Is there any...

Started by nautilus33 (136) in close-up photography • 6 days ago • 0 responses
Tags: close-up, fans, photography
return to mylot
We are loading a word from our sponsors. No thanks, cancel loading.