Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija has always focused his oeuvre on the interactions between people and their surroundings rather than aesthetics. By combining elements of visual art, culinary traditions, sports, performances and social interaction, he encourages the public to be a part of the art-making process.
In this interactive piece, Tiravanija references one of the most significant works of Slovakian artist Július Koller (1939 – 2007), the J.K. Ping-Pong Club (U.F.O.) Environment (1970). Koller’s practice constantly questions the world and the cultural context, and opens up possibilities for a humanistic utopia at unexpected places. Koller set up a ping-pong club for a period of one month where visitors could play. Tiravanija’s untitled 2015 (demain est la question) reactivates this piece; reinvestigating the way visitors relate and interact with the work.
“Demain est la question“ literally means “tomorrow is the question”. The back-and-forth motion of ping-pong ball alludes to mutual communication between individuals, societies and cultures.
The piece wraps up the showcase at 6F, K11 MUSEA, the first-ever comprehensive presentation of Central Eastern European art in Hong Kong and a cornerstone to create dialogues with other cultures.
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To accompany the showcase, K11 Art Foundation and Q Contemporary will present a series of events, including guided tours and workshops. It is honoured to have invited renowned curator Wang Wei Wei to conduct an online panel in late February to discuss Central Eastern European art.
K11 Art Foundation and Q Contemporary have also co-curated a one-stop self-learning online resources centre. In addition to helping the general public better understand the historical background and context of Central Eastern European and Chinese contemporary art, the greater context also allows viewers to ponder the inner dialogues and interactions found between each piece.
The curated resources, from academic research to varied materials, allow visitors to learn beyond Tracing the Fragments. Visitors are encouraged to explore and discover cultural similarities and differences between Central Eastern European and Chinese art practices, deepening their understanding of both cultures.