Artist in Residence 2023
Artecal Foundation is pleased to announce Tobe Kan and Ling Pui Sze as the 2023 awardees in its Artist-in-Residence program at Robinson College, Cambridge University, U.K.. From July through December 2023, the new artists in residence will receive institutional and material support, including studio space, opportunities for ongoing interaction with museums and curators, conversations with world-renowned artist, and professional development guidance.
Dr. KK Chan, co-founder of Artecal Foundation, comments that "As an alumnus of Cambridge University and a firm believer in the transformative power of art, I am proud to support the artist-in-residence program at my alma mater. Cambridge University, with its rich history, diverse academic community, and vibrant cultural scene, offers a unique environment for the artists to thrive. The program provides artists with access to world-class facilities, resources, and intellectual stimulation, fostering an atmosphere that encourages artistic exploration and innovation.”
The Artist-in-Residence program at Cambridge University offers numerous benefits for artists. Firstly, it grants them the opportunity to immerse themselves in an intellectually stimulating environment, engaging with scholars and researchers from various disciplines. This interdisciplinary exchange can inspire fresh perspectives and fuel artistic experimentation.
The program provides artists with the space and time to focus on their creative practice. Away from the distractions of daily life, artists can delve deep into their artistic processes, experiment with new techniques, and push the boundaries of their craft. The serene and inspiring surroundings of Cambridge offer an ideal backdrop for introspection, reflection, and artistic growth.
Additionally, the program offers artists the chance to engage with a diverse community of fellow artists, academics and students in the U.K. and Europe. This interaction fosters dialogue, cultural exchange, and cross-pollination of ideas, enriching the artist's own practice and contributing to the broader artistic discourse.
Michelle Wang and Wilson Leung, co-founders of Artecal Foundation also comment that “By exposing Hong Kong artists to diverse perspectives, methodologies, and resources, the program nurtures artistic growth and enriches the local art community. It provides Hong Kong artists with international exposure, enhancing their visibility and reputation on a global scale. Ultimately, this initiative contributes to the development of a vibrant, diverse, and internationally recognized art scene in Hong Kong.”
Tobe Kan (b. 1984, Hong Kong) obtained a Bachelor (Fine Art) degree co-presented by RMIT University and Hong Kong Art School in 2017. In recent years, Tobe has been interested in observing the various vegetation that coexists with humans when walking around. Her current practice investigates the boundaries between life and death, which examines the condition of insecurity concerning feelings of alienation and being forgotten and distant together with “existence.” Furthermore, the mystic-blue botanical paintings reveal the uncanny and mysterious feelings of hovering between asleep and awake, dream and reality. Tobe experiments with a broad range of paintings, drawings, and installations, and her artworks are kept in numerous private collections.
Kan had solo exhibition at Peter Augustus Gallery, USA (2023); Gallery EXIT, Hong Kong (2023); Hong Kong Arts Centre, (2018). She also participated in group exhibitions at Artecal Foundation, Hong Kong, (2023); Peter Augustus Gallery, USA (2022); SC Gallery, Hong Kong, (2022); JC Contemporary, Hong Kong, (2021); Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong, (2020); and more. Kan is the recipient of Fresh Trend Art Award of Fresh Trend Art Graduations Joint Exhibition in 2017.
Ling Pui Sze (b. 1989, China) has created a number of experimental ink and collage series in which she collects images of nature taken by various machines, such as microscopes and satellites. She tore and reassembled the pieces into abstract creatures and landscapes which creates transfigured images that are both familiar and distant. This documents Ling’s interpretation of reality. The works’ texture is created by collaging different types of paper and the digital images’ colours and sizes are constantly adjusted through computer and inkjet printer. The works manifest incidental organic forms, resembling the evolution of life and a reconstruction of another world on the canvas.
Ling was born in Guangzhou, China in 1989 and moved to Hong Kong in 1997. In 2012, she graduated in Fine Arts (BFA) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, receiving the "Wucius Wong Creative Ink Painting Award" at graduation. Ling had solo exhibitions at Grotto SKW, Hong Kong (2022); Gallery EXIT, Hong Kong (2014); New Asia College Library, The Chinese University, Hong Kong (2012). She also exhibited at Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2023; Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan (2021); Hongik Museum of Art, South Korea (2021); 107 Projects, Australia (2020); Wolfart Projectspace, Netherlands (2019); Pasquart Kunsthaus Centre d'art, Switzerland (2019); Listhus Artspace, Iceland (2018). Her works are collected by M+ Museum, Hong Kong, and the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, U.K..
Photo credit: Tobe Kan & Ling Pui Sze