《西九新展場‧預展》藝術展覽

是次展覽題為《西九新展場‧預展》。以此命題，並不表示我們贊成西九這填海地必然需要被發展成「文化藝術區」(為甚麼不可以作為大公園？)，但在特首曾蔭權高姿態宣布其十大發展項目「是硬道理」後，西九作為「文化區」可說已成為必然事實。

近日曾特首到北京中央述職，順道到當地著名藝術區——大山子798藝術區參觀。在發展西九事在必行的前提下，曾特首走訪內地798取經真是無可厚非，798帶給曾特首甚麼啟發，仍有待他自己或官方解釋。但798是50年代的國營工廠區，現在能成為當地甚至世界著名的藝術區，並不是靠當代建築、大型商場、大型博物館，而很大程度是因為內裡自發性的、高適應性的、高自由度的藝術生態使然。其實香港多年前也出現過類似798的「北角油街藝術村」(原址是北角油街政府物料供應處)，同樣受到國際藝術界注意，當時798也未出現。然而原本自發性的、高適應性的、高自由度的「油街藝術村」受政府政策影響，只有一年壽命。未知政府在798、油街及西九之間，和政策、場地、使用情況之間有沒有點點反思？

西九填海地既已作為文化特殊用途，視覺藝術展場亦將是其中必然的建築，作為視覺藝術工作者，我們很有意欲窺探這西九新展場，所以於今年12月至明年1月會在C & G藝術單位，作一個批判及窺探式的預展。與西九新展場史無前例的大相比，是次預展的展場是一個迷你版，面積約為300平方尺左右，適合全球能屈能伸的藝術家。

是次參展藝術家來自不同年代、不同背景，他們的創作媒介也不同。應邀藝術家將就以下兩點進行創作：1) 認為將來必會在西九新展場展示的藝術作品，或2) 創作一件你最希望將來在西九新展場展示的藝術作品。期望能引起點點反思。

主辦及策劃： C & G藝術單位

參展藝術家： 鄧凝姿、陳素儀、陳紹綿、李傑、謝健華、李慧嫻、Ivy MA、蔡海鷹、林嵐、黃志輝、何遠良、周俊輝、施德燕、劉學成、谷敏昭、胡浚諺、陳巧緣、C & G

開幕日期： 二零零七年十二月十五日(星期六)，下午6:00

展覽日期： 二零零七年十二月十五日(星期六) 至 二零零八年一月二十七日(星期日)

展覽時間： 午2:00-7:30，逢星期四、五、六、日、一，(星期二、三及公眾假期休息)

展覽地點： 香港 九龍 太子 西洋菜南街222號 三字樓 (始創中心後)

The Preview of New West Kowloon Exhibition Venue

The reason to entitle the current exhibition "The Preview of New West Kowloon Exhibition Venue" is not because we do believe the only possibility for the West Kowloon reclamation must be an "art and cultural district." (For example, why can't it be a huge park for the public?) However, after learning about the 10 major infrastructure projects in the Policy Address 2007-08 by Chief Executive Donald Tsang, we have a feeling that it is quite impossible for this West Kowloon area to be anything else but a "cultural district."

Recently, during his duty visit to Beijing, Chief Executive Donald Tsang also visited the 798 Art District, which is not composed of contemporary architectures, huge shopping malls, gigantic museums, but just many abandoned factory buildings from the 1950's. Actually, Hong Kong used to have a similar artist village at North Point's Oil Street in 1999, even before the appearance of 798. The Oil Street artist village was in a self-initiative, highly adaptive and flexible mode, which is also the characteristic for the 798 district. Unfortunately, due to the government policy back then, the Oil Street art space had run for one year only. It is an important question whether the Tsang government is willing to learn from the case of Oil Street and 798 for the policy making in the West Kowloon project.

If West Kowloon reclamation must be an art and cultural district, it follows there must also be an exhibition venue for visual arts in this area. As a visual artist, we are very eager to take a peep at this new exhibition venue. Thus, C&G Artpartment is going to launch a preview exhibit of this future venue between December 15, 2007 to January 27, 2008. Compared to the West Kowloon showroom, the venue for this preview exhibit is a miniature with 300 square feet only.

The participating artists in this exhibition are from different generations, have different backgrounds, and work in various media. They are invited to use their artworks to respond to one of the followings: 1) What kind of art do you think the new West Kowloon exhibition venue will most likely display? or 2)Please make an art piece that you strongly wish to be displayed in the new West Kowloon exhibition venue. We hope this show can help one look at the West Kowloon project in a more creative and critical way!

Details¡G

Curated by C & G

Participating Artists TANG Ying Chi, CHAN So Yee, CHAN Siu Min, LEE Kit, TSE Galen, Li Wei Han, MA Ivy, CHOI Hoi Ying, LAM Laam, WONG Chi Fai, HO Yuen Leung, CHOW Chun Fai, SIY Tak Yin, LAU Hok Shing, KU Christopher, WU Chun Yin Aries, Sugar CHAN Hau Yuen, C & G,

Opening: 6:00pm, (Sat)15 December, 2007

Exhibition Period: (Sat)15 December, 2007 - (Sun)27 January, 2008

Exhibition Time: 2:00 - 7:30pm, Thursday to Monday, (Closed on Tue, Wed and Public Holiday)

Address: 3/F, 222 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Prince Edward, Kowloon, Hong Kong (Behind Pioneer Centre)