Curating No-thing Lecture #2: Alternative Universities

Synopsis

In this second Curating No-thing lecture, Dr. Ong Keng Sen elaborates on curating the space in-between or curating ‘no-thing’ through the context of the alternative university project in the Flying Circus Project in Cambodia (2010). Ong discusses affect and open affiliations, pleasure and ethical life, agency and engagement, personal political responsibility and human relationships as integral to ‘being’ in the world. The proposal of locality, community, and tradition as vital considerations conclude the lecture.

“I never use the term programmer as I would like to think you are a curator and I hope you can own your work, or your institution can embrace the reality of what you do.” – Dr. Ong Keng Sen

In May 2020, T:>Works initiated its first virtual event, a series of alternative training and a shared space led by its Artistic Director, Dr. Ong Keng Sen for The Curators Academy. Titled Curating No-thing, it is the first thought leadership programme by an arts company. This programme looked at activating one’s communities through art and rethinking our relationships with money and production. Beginning with lectures, the series culminated with consultations and clinics in June 2020.

About Dr. Ong Keng Sen

Dr. Ong Keng Sen is an artist-curator as well as the Artistic Director of T:>Works and the artspace 72-13 in Singapore. Apart from creating renowned productions, Ong founded the Arts Network Asia, a micro-grant peer organisation, and the international Curators Academy focused on the synergy between contexts and curation. His seminal work was the nomadic artist residency, The Flying Circus Project, traveling international artists through Asia, sharing their contexts amongst themselves and young people in the local sites. Ong was the Founding Festival Director of the all-new Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA).