Kære - Hermed et lille skriv om tanker fra EU udstillingen-
Hongkongs kunstscene og "The Zone of Interest"
Er den Oscar-vindende film en analogi til det, der sker i Hongkong?
Jeg har i forbindelse med vores EU-debatter om kunstcensur og forholdene i Kina haft en mærkelig følelse af at deltage i et absurd teater, og de skriftlige indlæg, vi får fra det officielle Kina og f.eks fra Art Basel, tyder på, at vi befinder os i to helt forskellige virkeligheder.
Her til morgen kom jeg i tanke om, hvorfor det virkede særligt absurd for mig. Det er fordi, jeg for tiden er ret optaget af den nye Oscar-vindende film "The Zone of Interest" – det er en præcis beskrivelse af den følelse, jeg har, og det der sker i Hongkong nu.
Vi afholder store møder og kunstudstillinger i Hongkong med koncerter og danseforestillinger, .Vi holder taler om livets vidunderligheder og beundrer kunstnere, skuespillere og musikere, der viser os deres fantastiske præstationer. Alt dette sker samtidig med, at Kina i disse dage indfører endnu en stramning i den nationale sikkerhedslovgivning – med artikel 23.
I "The Zone of Interest"-filmen afholdes der også en masse fester med intellektuelle samtaler og overdådige middage, akkompagneret af klassisk musik. Værten er konen til Rudolf Höss, der var leder af Auschwitz-lejren, der ligger klods op ad den pragtvilla, hvor hun bor, og hvor arrangementerne foregår.
Hun insisterer på, at hun og hendes gæster kun skal kigge på det smukke i livet, og hun vil beskytte sine børn mod virkeligheden, som foregår på den anden side af muren, der rejser sig op i baghaven ved huset.
De kan lugte og se røgen fra krematorieovnene, men ingen tager notits af det, og der er ikke et ord om koncentrationslejrene i filmen, hvilket gør den så ubegribeligt stærk.
Det er næsten analogt til det, der sker i Hongkong med Kinas konference og Art Basel-HK, der begge foregår i den kommende "Art Week" uge i byen i marts. Art Basel har ovenikøbet forsikret os i deres brev om, at de ikke er blevet pålagt nogen form for censur fra kinesiske myndigheder.
Alt synes at være tilladt.
Her har man også indkaldt kultureliten som talere, udstillere og aktører, og der bliver ikke sagt et ord om den virkelige verden:
- At kunstscenen i Hongkong er gennemcensureret
- At tusinder af kunstnere er flygtet eller i fængsel
- At al kunst, der kritiserer Kina, er blevet fjernet eller censureret fra både museer og det offentlige rum
- At Hongkong har en stor officiel retssag kørende, hvor man bruger mit kunstværk "The Pillar of Shame" som bevismateriale imod demokratibevægelsen, der er anklaget for at opstille skulpturen i Hongkong. De sidder alle i fængslerne få kilometer fra, hvor konferencerne og Art Basel-messerne fester og handler med kunst.
Det er da tankevækkende, ikke sandt, at vi samtidig med at vi hylder og ophøjer filmen "The Zone of Interest" ved Vestens fineste Oscar-prisuddeling, genopfører vi essensen af filmen som en slags dokumentar i Hongkong på både Art Basel- HK og Kinas officielle møder.
Begge steder deltager villige aktører fra nogle af Vestens fineste museer, gallerier og kulturpersonligheder i festlighederne.
Senere på året er det auktionshusenes tur til at deltage i den samme forestilling i byen, hvor Vestens kunstgiganter Christies, Bonhams, Sothebys og Phillips vil deltage i orgiet og sælge kunstværker for milliarder af dollar.
Ingen nævner elefanten i rummet, selvom den er synlig for alle.
Jeg tænkte, at du måske kunne bruge denne tekst til noget, om ikke andet så bare til at tænke over, hvordan verden ser ud.
Jeg vil gerne understrege, at jeg ikke mener, at de vestlige kunsthuses handlinger i Hongkong direkte kan sammenlignes med 2. verdenskrigs rædsler. Sammenligningen med "the zone" ligger i, at man lever i forskellige virkeligheder og nægter at se på, hvad der sker lige udenfor ens dør.
Derved risikerer man at være en "nyttig idiot" og er med til at legitimere, at der gøres stor skade på andre mennesker.
Du er velkommen til at bruge alt i dette brev offentligt som citater fra mig.
Kærlige hilsner, Jens Galschiøt
Det er gået rigtig godt med vores debatter og møder i EU-Parlamentet. Du kan tjekke min hjemmeside: Der er et hav af oplysninger, fotos osv. Nedenstående presseartikler er også rigtig gode kilder:
På dansk: P1 og Altinget, samt Fyns Stiftstidende.
På engelsk: The Guardian og CNN er ret oplysende.
Dansk
Div engelsk:
Taiwan:
Indien :
Korea:
Italien:
Kinesisk:
Angreb på os fra en kinatro konspirations teoretikkerne:
Participants: Moderator: Samuel Chu (President of The Campaign for Hong Kong). Eric Wear (Zoom-International Association of Art Critics (AICA)). Nik Williams (Index on Censorship), Jens Galschiøt Artist DK, Lumli Lumlong (exiled Hong Kong artist-painter duo).
De 6 kunsthuse valgte at udeblive fra debattet i EU- Parlamentet.Derfor de tomme stole.
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Contact List –
We are available for interviews and additional information.
- Jens Galschiøt (artist behind Pillar of Shame and this exhibition)
aidoh@aidoh.dk - ph +45 4044 7058 / +45 66184058
- MEP Kira Marie Peter-Hansen. (Member of EU Parliament, Host of the exhibition)
kira.peter-hansen@europarl.europa.eu ph. +40 2618 8749
- Loretta Lau (Curator on exhibition. Director of NGO Dei)
loretta.lau@ngodei.org - ph +44 7923 951278
- Dr. Eric Wear, former HK President of Int.nat. Association of Art Critics (AICA), ericottowear@mac.com
- Samuel M Chu (moderator on Censorship debate), Campaign for Hong Kong samuel@hkcampaign.org Phone +1 626 589 1330
Behind this event, there is extensive groundwork and analyses concerning the art market and assessments of the possibilities to influence the art market to take responsibility.
Links and info
Participants in exhibition & debates
Here is a quick teaser
Here is a teaser about the groundbreaking event we are hosting in the EU Parliament between March 19th and 21st, 2024.
EU Parliamentarian Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Greens) is hosting this controversial China event in Brussels, supported by members from virtually all groups.
What happens:
- We display the sculpture ‘The Pillar of Shame’, China's No. 1 object of hate, in front of the parliament.
- We display a large outdoor exhibition featuring China-critical artworks banned by China.
- Debates inside the parliament focusing on two critical issues: (more info + registration for debates )
- 1. China's abuses against its own population and the persecution of those who have fled to the West, including offering million-dollar bounties for selected dissidents.
- 2. Western-owned art auction houses' responsibility in assisting China in imposing extensive art censorship in Hong Kong. We ask: Can we accept them acting as collaborators in a totalitarian Chinese assault on human rights in Hong Kong?
We have invited debaters, experts, dissidents, and artists from around the world to participate in discussions, providing unique personal insights into the situation. We have also invited China's ambassadors in Denmark and Belgium to join the debate
We have sent invitations to the most powerful art houses with branches in Hong Kong, inviting them to a meeting in parliament to explain their stance on taking social responsibility in the countries where they operate (CSR).
With EU debates, we spark the discussion on the Western art market's complicity in undermining freedom of speech and human rights in Hong Kong. Can the auction houses withstand continuing their political art censorship in Hong Kong, or will pressure force them to adhere to Western values and refuse to participate in political art censorship in Hong Kong?
We demand that they actively use their economic influence in the fight against art censorship; for the sake of their artists, themselves, and to champion Hong Kong's basic right to freedom of speech.
What makes Hong Kong's art market unique is that the world's largest Western auction houses completely dominate and set the tone in this market. This dominance is economically advantageous, but it also has a significant downside if they acquiesce and participate in China's attempts to impose art censorship and severe restrictions on freedom of expression.
We hold them accountable for aiding China in imposing the rules of totalitarian rule in the city, directly contradicting the values one would expect from a Western-owned company (CSR). If the companies refuse to stand against art censorship, they will be very vulnerable to a PR disaster. A disaster that will be greatly amplified by the unique character of the art world as a conveyer of image-building products
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The possibility of a Collapse in the Art Market: The Art houses face serious problems if China deploys the police and legal system to assert that Hong Kong is part of China and that Hong Kong must abide by Chinas rules. If Hong Kong ends up issuing a direct ban on selling, exhibiting, and promoting China-critical art, the conflict may escalate to the point where the international art market may have to cease all activities in the city and move the entire art market to another country. A collapse in one of the most crucial financial markets in Asia may become a reality. Part of this scenario is already a reality today, as subversive activities abroad (e.g. China critical art exhibition in Europe) can be punished in Hong Kong See elaboration Eric Wear (AICAs) explanation on this
Staying and imposing China's censorship cannot be an option for Western companies that thrive on providing cultural capital and image enhancement for their clients.
The EU event is just the starting point. We may be optimistic in believing that good will prevail, and we know it can be an uphill battle. Therefore, we will work to exert global pressure on auction houses to make them refuse to participate in censorship of speech and art in Hong Kong. There are many, dedicated people, that are concerned to see China’s totalitarian system gaining significant influence in the world. We plan to engage these good people to put spotlight on censorship of art and freedom of speech. Some of these people will also participate in the debates in the EU Parliament.
It has succeeded before in stopping and influencing the art industry. Recent examples include:
- Another example could be Nan Goldin (USA) and other artists' actions to persuade museums to reject sponsorships from the Sackler family, whose pharmaceutical companies were implicated in the opioid crisis in the USA.
It might be naive, and we may not stand a chance, but we are taking it.
Best regards,
Jens Galschiøt, the artist behind "The Pillar of Shame"
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About Jens Galschiøt
Danish artist Jens Galschiøt has created many socio-critical sculptures and installations through the years. Most often they are placed in public spaces around the world – as needle-sticks and silent reminders of a world that, in his opinion, is out of balance, and where exploitation of the world’s resources, inequality and migration are a constant part of the picture.
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9 meter tall banner litographs
Galschiot and former prime minister and Nato General Secretary Anders Fogh
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Contact to the workshop:
Galleri Galschiøt
Banevænget 22
5270 Odense N
Tlf : (+45) 6618 4058
Fax:(+45) 6618 4158
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