Karen Tam, Sea of Clouds

Karen Tam: Sea of Clouds

譚嘉文：浮游雲海

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION 展覽介紹: 

Sea of Clouds investigates the rich history of World Fairs and Expositions, particularly focusing on the representation—or the idea—of China from the 1851 London Fair to the 2010 Shanghai Expo, and its ties to the Chinese diasporas in North America. Initially, portrayals of China were influenced by the British-directed Chinese Customs Service to serve imperialistic agendas and shape perceptions in North America and Europe. However, as seen in the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where Chinese Americans took charge of the Chinese representation in response to the Chinese government’s refusal to participate due to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, these events evolved into platforms for cultural exchange and understanding. 

本次展覽「浮游雲海」探究了世界博覽會的豐富歷史，尤其是從 1851 年倫敦博覽會到 2010 年上海世博會間對「中國」或這一概念的展示，以及當時與北美華人僑民的關聯之處。最初，對中國或中國文化的描繪受到英國指示的中國海關總署的影響，以服務帝國主義目的並塑造北美和歐洲對中國的視覺和看法。然而，正如 1893 年芝加哥世界哥倫布博覽會上所看到的那樣，由於中國政府因美國的 1882 年排華法案而拒絕參加，華裔美國人則承擔了展示中華文化的責任；這些活動演變成了文化交流和理解的平台。 

The China-themed pavilions showcasing replicas of Chinese villages and landmarks, such as Beijing’s Hall of Supreme Harmony or the Wanfaguiyi Hall of Jehol in Chengde, fostered cross-cultural dialogue. Even smaller-scale events like the 1936 Vancouver Golden Jubilee featured elaborate Chinese Carnival Villages, highlighting traditional architecture and customs. In some cases, individuals from the Chinese community were even shown as living exhibits. 

中國主題展館展示了中國莊和地標建築的複製品，例如北京太和殿和承德的普陀宗乘之廟，促進了跨文化對話。即使是像 1936 年溫哥華金禧慶典等規模較小的活動，也會以精心設計的中國嘉年華村為特色，突出傳統建築和習俗。在某些情況下，來自華人社區的個人甚至被當作活生生的展品展示。 

These Fairs served as initial introductions for many to the Chinese community, shaping perceptions and influencing cultural exchanges. Sea of Clouds explores the theatrical nature of North American Chinatowns and their architecture, examining their connection to World’s Fairs and their role in community revitalization. Through this immersive installation, which includes sculptures, cyanotypes, textiles, sound, architectural models, archival objects and photographic reproductions, the exhibition asks: how did these experiences shape perceptions, and what impact did they have on the cultural exchanges between communities? How do we address these colonial legacies in such cultural perceptions as we move forward as a society?

對於許多人來說，這些博覽會向西方初步介紹了華人社區，塑造了相關文化觀念並影響了文化交流。「浮游雲海」還探索了北美唐人街及其建築的戲劇性本質，審視了它們與世界博覽會的聯繫以及它們在華人社區復興中的作用。本次展覽是作為一個沉浸式裝置呈現，其中包含雕塑、藍曬、紡織品、聲音、建築模型、檔案物品和攝影複製品。透過本次展覽，藝術家欲問觀者：文化體驗如何塑造感知、對社區之間的文化交流產生了哪些影響？當社會向前發展之時，我們如何在這些文化觀念中對待這些殖民遺產或遺留問題？

ABOUT THE ARTIST 藝術家簡介: 

Karen Tam is a Tiohtià:ke/Montreal-based artist whose research focuses on the constructions and imaginations of “ethnic” spaces through installations, sculptures, textiles, and drawings. Since 2000, she has exhibited her work and participated in residencies in North America and Europe, including the Victoria and Albert Museum (UK), He Xiangning Art Museum (China), Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (Canada), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Canada), McCord Stewart Museum (Canada) and Deutsche Börse Residency at the Frankfurter Kunstverein (Germany). Karen Tam was awarded the 2021 Prix Giverny Capital. She was long-listed for the 2010 and 2016 Sobey Art Awards. In 2024, her exhibition Swallowing Mountains at the McCord Steward Museum received an honourable mention from the Canadian Museum Association. 

Karen Tam holds an M.F.A. in Sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies (Goldsmiths, University of London). Her work is exhibited in museums and corporate collections such as the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Global Affairs Canada (Embassy of Canada in London), Hydro-Québec Art Collection, La Caisse de dépôt du Québec, Collection of the Royal Bank of Canada, TD Group, Microsoft Art Collection, and in private collections in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

譚嘉文是一位來自滿地可的藝術家。她的研究重點是透過裝置、雕塑、紡織品和繪畫來建造和想像「民族性」空間。自2000年起，她在北美和歐洲廣泛展出作品並參加駐場活動，包括維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館（英國）、何香凝美術館（中國）、魁北克國家美術館（加拿大）、滿地可藝術博物館美術（加拿大）、麥考德斯圖爾特博物館（加拿大）和法蘭克福藝術協會德意志交易所駐地計畫（德國）。譚嘉文榮獲 2021 年吉維尼資本獎，並曾入圍 2010 年和 2016 年的加拿大索比獎。2024 年，她在麥考德斯圖爾特博物館的展覽「吞山」獲得了加拿大博物館協會的榮譽獎。 

譚嘉文擁有芝加哥藝術學院雕塑碩士學位和倫敦大學金匠學院文化研究博士學位。她的作品不僅常常錄入加拿大、美國和英國的私人收藏，還被愛爾蘭現代藝術博物館、滿地可美術館、滿地可當代藝術博物館、魁北克國家美術館、加拿大全球事務部（加拿大駐倫敦大使館）、魁北克水電藝術收藏、 魁北克儲蓄銀行、加拿大皇家銀行收藏、道明銀行、微軟藝術收藏等博物館和企業廣泛收藏。

ABOUT THE CURATORS 策展人簡介: 

Henry Heng Lu is a curator, writer, artist, and public art consultant based in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. He is currently the Executive Director of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver. Recently, he has served as the inaugural Gallery Manager for the Chinese Canadian Museum, Vancouver, and as Executive Director/Curator at Centre A. He is a co-founder of Call Again, a mobile initiative/collective committed to creating space for contemporary diasporic artistic practices within Canada and beyond through exhibitions, screenings, and roundtables. In 2018, he won an Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG) Exhibition of the Year Award for his curatorial project, Far and Near: the Distance(s) between Us, at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto.

His writings have been published by Canadian Art, ArtAsiaPacific, Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, C Magazine, Richmond Art Gallery, PLATFORM Gallery, ArchDaily and Gardiner Museum. In 2019, he was a Researcher/Curator-in-Residence at the OCT Contemporary Art Terminal Shenzhen, China. Lu holds a Master of Visual Studies from the University of Toronto.

盧恆是一位策展人、寫作者、藝術家和公共藝術顧問，現居加拿大溫哥華和多倫多，現任溫哥華中山公園的執行總監。他擔任溫哥華華裔博物館的首任畫廊經理，以及溫哥華國際當代亞洲藝術中心的總監兼策展人。他是 Call Again （「再來電」）的聯合創始人，致力於透過展覽、放映和圓桌會議為加拿大內外的當代僑民藝術實踐創造空間。2018年，他在多倫多大學藝術博物館策劃的展覽「那麼遠，又那麼近：我們之間的距離」榮獲安大略省美術館協會的年度展覽獎之一。

他的寫作曾由《加拿大藝術》、《ArtAsiaPacific》、《藝術：中國當代藝術雜誌》、《C Magazine》、列治文美術館、PLATFORM 畫廊、ArchDaily 和 Gardiner 美術館發表。2019年，他擔任中國深圳華僑城當代藝術中心駐地研究員和客座策展人。他擁有多倫多大學視覺研究碩士學位。

Tak Pham is a Vietnamese contemporary art curator and writer. He is currently curator at the Illingworth Kerr Gallery at the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary, Alberta, Treaty 7 territory. He was formerly associate curator at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan, Treaty 4 territory.

Pham holds an M.F.A. in Criticism and Curatorial Practice from OCAD University and a B.A. Hons. from Carleton University. He has curated exhibitions and organized curatorial projects for the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Contemporary Calgary, Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Varley Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario, and Nuit Blanche Toronto, among others. His writings and reviews have appeared in Canadian Art, C Magazine, ESPACE art actuel, esse arts + opinions, Galleries West, The Brooklyn Rail, ArtAsiaPacific and Hyperallergic. In 2023, Pham was awarded the Hnatyshyn Foundation-Fogo Island Arts Young Curator Residency. 

Tak Pham 是一位越南裔的當代藝術策展人和寫作者。他目前是阿爾伯塔藝術大學伊林沃斯·科爾畫廊的策展人；該畫廊位於阿爾伯塔省的卡加利，第 7 條約轄區。他曾擔任第 4 條約轄區薩克其萬省的麥肯齊美術館的副策展人。

Pham 擁有安省藝術和設計大學批評與策展實踐碩士學位和卡爾頓大學學士學位。他曾為麥肯齊美術館、當代卡加利美術館、聯邦中心美術館、瓦利美術館、安大略美術館和多倫多不眠夜等機構策劃展覽並舉辦策展計畫。他的寫作曾發表在《加拿大藝術》、《C Magazine》、《ESPACE art actuel》、《esse arts + ideas》、《Galleries West》、《布魯克林鐵路》、《ArtAsiaPacific》和《Hyperallergic》。2023年，他獲得納蒂辛基金會的福戈島藝術青年策展人駐地的機會。

REVIEWS:

Galleries West: Karen Tam — Sea of Clouds - Galleries West

Akimbo: Karen Tam at the Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Calgary – Akimbo