2014 02/08 - 2014 02/09

MITTing : Art and Cultural Network Forum

MITT stands for a temporary art and cultural network among artist initiatives from Myanmar, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand is a verb to cluster collective efforts in imagining regional dialogues and exchanges. To reflect and explore our mobility and operations conditioned in the neo-liberalism global economy and our local political contexts, the meeting of MITT is an opportunity to examine how the autonomous mobility of art practitioners could transgress the existing boundaries and cultivate common grammars for the future cultural production.

MITT is proposed not as a fixed organization, but a connection, a gathering and an invitation for friendship in our shared region. It is also an action that transcribes our desire for charting new meeting points among ourselves beyond the direct influence of much bigger cultural mechanisms, art market and globalization. This meeting shall reflect a new critical tendency for small-scale artist initiatives around the region to contribute and construct the space of agonism with multitudes, and produce a shared institutional landscape rooted from and identified with the region that would help us all to generate an alternative art system of our own, economy of circulation, and new cultural currency and commons for artistic practices.

MITTing: Art and Cultural Network Forum is organized as a processor to meet two aims: a) reviewing our cultural exchange methodology and seeking for new vehicles and forms of production; b) opening dialogues and imaginations on what MITTing is and could be as a regional network for the future. With every MITTing / meeting becomes a site of production, we launch ourselves in the present action for growing our new vocabulary and dictionary together in the first phase, make social agents out of ourselves and enrich the development of regional art with individual and collective participations.

 

Venue: URS 21 Chung Shan Creative Hub, Taipei (No. 21, Sec. 1, Minsheng E. Rd., Zhongshan
Dist., Taipei City 104, TAIWAN R.O.C)

Organized by Open-Contemporary Art Center (OCAC), jiandyin (Jiradej and Pornpilai Meemalai)
Co-organized by JUT Foundation for Arts and Architecture, Bamboo Curtain Studio
Participants: OCAC, jiandyin (Jiradej and Pornpilai Meemalai), Moe Satt (Beyond Pressure), Leonhard Bartolomeus (Ruangrupa), Helmi Hardian and Debrina Tedjawidjaja (Waft Lab), Narawan Pathomvat (The Reading Room), Nobuo Takamori (Outsiders Factory), Cheng Chang (4-Way Voice), Meiya Cheng (Taipei Contemporary Art Center)
Curated by Esther Lu

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Alternative Space? Artist-run Space?
Alright, so today we have reached an understanding that “alternative space” has merely a historical connotation left, whereas “artist-run space” cuts directly to the chase, but still nothing is explained through these terms. We suggest a temporary halt on the investigation of terminology. The significance lies in what we do, what we did and what we will be doing next.

So what have you been up to?
In short, we practice art and curate exhibitions. When able, we also organize forums, launch publications and initiate projects for international artistic exchange. If you haven’t the time to read the brief introduction on the back, all you need to remember is this: our job is to generate new dialogues between art and the public and to offer the world something different for a change, or at the very least, we try our best when making mistakes.

Why not simply focus on practicing art?
It’s not that simple. In fact, there is no such thing as simply practicing art. Contemporary art and its viewers have broken away from the monotonous relationship of simply paying a visit to the museum. Whether people are aware of it or not, art has undoubtedly permeated into every aspect of our lives. Therefore, a genuine art practitioner would not shy away when met face to face with genuine public issues. We simply want to do it better.

Where does your funding come from?
Unemployment subsidies. That was a joke. We operate with funds which come from our own pockets and occasional help from limited government funding—translation: we are often short of cash.

Are all members artists?
We were founded as an artist-based organization, but are delighted to have recruited more and more members from interdisciplinary professions in recent years. As for the artists, you may still catch a glimpse of them from time to time carrying a spear and shield, riding a scrawny horse and followed around by a fox hound.

Can I join?
Certainly, you are most welcome to join us. Please note, however, this is not a recruitment ad. Despite our wish to recruit more like-minded friends, we hope that all potential members first try to understand our situation before participating in anything. Acknowledgement of the process is in itself an important form of participation, which means that everything you imagine could be possible. In other words, we would love your attention starting from now.

How does one follow you?
This is an important question but extremely easy to achieve. Simply follow these steps:
(1) like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/opencontemporary
(2) e-mail us at [email protected];
(3) visit us and chat with us whenever

you’re free. You may even receive a cup of freshly brewed coffhee.

Do you accept donations?
Please don’t ask, just act!