Archiving Project for Asia Art Archive

This unique project evolved from creative collaboration with the researcher / curator Michelle Wong and AAA who has taken custodianship of the archive materials and documentation left in his studio space in To Kwa Wan by the late Hong Kong artist Ha Bik Chuen, and their effort in digitising the materials to make them available for general public encouraging new understanding and interpretations of art history in asia: Between 2015-2021, SKY YUTAKA have been involved in a series of projects including design of two exhibitions for AAA, assisting with logistic planning and moving of the archive materials and the design and fitting out of a dedicated archive facility in Fo Tan.

In spring 2015, we began working on design of planned exhibition at the library space of AAA to host exhibition contents relating to the Ha Bik Chuen archive. Design brief called for design solutions that works with unique context of using the library space as exhibition setting and display system that has long term value.

The following year in Spring 2016, sensing the unstable conditions in which the archive materials are kept in the artist's dilapidated studio, AAA made an arrangement for the materials to be relocated to dedicated archive facility in Fo Tan. We took part in the logistic planning of moving the contents from Ha Bik Chuen studio to the new archiving facility.

In late 2020 we started working on the second exhibition "Portals, Journeys and other Stories" reflecting on over 6 years of the archive process with the new exhibition held at Tai Kwun Contemporary. Conceived as series of acts, the exhibition comprises ten sets which re-stage documents and historical objects in new contexts and features commissioned works including Kwan Sheung Chi, Lam Wing Sze, Raqs Media Collective and Walid Raad.

Photo credit © Virgile Simon Bertrand