Public Programming
PROXY CONFERENCE: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH THROUGH GAMEPLAY
Asymmetry, 102a Albion Drive, London E8 4LY
2-3.30PM, 16.04.2023
Together with esea contemporary, we are delighted to jointly present 'Proxy Conference: Collaborative Research through Gameplay' by AFSAR (Asian Feminist Studio for Art and Research). In this thematic fictional conference, interlocutors from diverse backgrounds are invited to engage with members of AFSAR through live stream gameplay. The inaugural conference, ‘Proxy Conference: On Boat,’ is currently on display at esea contemporary, Manchester, as part of ‘Practise Till We Meet’, a group exhibition curated by Hanlu Zhang.
For this edition of the Proxy Conference, the four members of AFSAR, namely Mooni Perry, Hanwen Zhang, Eugene Park, and Yu’an Huang, will meet in person for the first time at Asymmetry HQ. The practitioners will open a discussion on the durational, trans-local, and manifold strategies to deviate from the homogenous narrative fronted by the ESEA communities in the UK and EU context. While reading through a map that guides participants through the conference, the group will give a collective presentation on the methodologies underlying the foundation of AFSAR, then delve into the individual practices of its members that expand on pertinent themes of translations, Asian Feminism, speculative fantasy, and digital transnational communities.
FREE ENTRY, BOOK YOUR TICKET HERE*
*This is a hybrid event. It will take place physically at Asymmetry HQ, while live streaming will be hosted on esea contemporary’s Instagram account (@eseacontemporary).
ABOUT AFSAR
Since its inception in 2021, AFSAR (Asian Feminist Studio for Art and Research) has strived to bridge feminist discourses across contemporary art, academia, activism, and communities-based practices. The prefix Asia brings the localities of Asia to conceptualise a space for starting dialogues with diverse partners. Founded by Mooni Perry and Hanwen Zhang, the artists and curator duo has hosted numerous hybrid public programmes including study sessions, reading groups and screenings. Its online archival platform, which serves as a decentralised virtual space fostering collective research to develop and support sustainable interactions. Their new series Proxy Conference (2022) is joined by Eugene Park and Yu’an Huang.
ABOUT ESEA CONTEMPORARY
esea contemporary is the UK’s only non-profit art centre specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that identify with and are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural backgrounds.
esea contemporary is situated in an award-winning building in the heart of Manchester, home to one of the largest East Asian populations in the UK. Since its inauguration as a community-oriented visual arts festival in 1986, esea contemporary – previously named Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA) – has continuously evolved to establish itself as a dynamic and engaging space for cross-cultural exchanges in the British art scene, as well as in a global context.