Exhibition

Acute Actions: Responses to I Am Not A Virus, Part 2

<p>Acute Actions: Responses to I Am Not A Virus, Part 2</p>

When

03 June 2021 -
03 July 2021

Location

4A @ Darlinghurst

101-111 William St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW

Open Thursday to Saturdays, 10am – 4pm

Curatorial Assistant: Dylan Goh

Access our exhibition Media Kit here.

View the Wall Labels.

View the Roomsheet.

Access the transcript for Off the Page: Design, illustration and authorship in contemporary comics. 

Building upon the previous Acute Actions: Responses to I Am Not A Virus exhibition, the works of Jin Hien Lau, Nathan Liow, Zachary Lopez and Sweet and Sour Collective delve into distinct experiences informed by disconnection and isolation. Working across a variety of practices and artistic methods, this exhibition further demonstrates the wide impact of racism and displacement on the POC population. The presented works poetically illustrate possible outlooks featuring cultural diversity in Australia’s future experience.

Curators

Con Gerakaris
Reina Takeuchi
Dylan Goh

Artists

Sweet and Sour
Zachary Lopez
Jin Hien Lau
Nathan Liow
4A's gallery window with a paper fan, traditional Chinese silk garments, a doll and other textiles hanging from the ceiling. A woman with long black hair, wearing a fuchsia pink jumpsuit and black boots stands in front of the window, observing the installation.
A series of objects hanging by a glass window, including a bright red Tang suit shirt, two pink cheongsam shirts, paper illustrations decorated with red Chinese knots, and a paper fan.
Close up of a comic, which shows a red cartoon figure attacking a seated blue figure. Behind the two figures is a yellow circle against a light blue background. The panel reads: 'Not one of Australia's news outlets was able to identify them as Singaporean and Malaysian which I found out via a Singaporean newspaper. Channel 7 and The Age assumed that they were from China. Basically making the same mistake as the assailants.' The next panel shows a faceless figure in a black cap and black hoodie against a bright red background."
Two television screens next to each other on a gallery wall, showing an Asian male-presenting figure in a white button-up shirt playing on a portable keyboard. They have their black hair tied up in a bun.
A white gallery wall with the corner of a white desk. On the wall are four hanging lines with postcards and letters pegged across them. On the table are stationery boxes holding coloured pens and postcards.
Close up of the back of a postcard clipped to a hanging line on a white gallery wall. The postcard reads, "Dear Grandma..." with some hand-written Chinese characters. "I hope you are well. We've only seen each other on WhatsApp calls this year (sorry for the bad internet). I'm wishing I could jump on a plane to visit you in Hong Kong - but until then, I've spent lockdown in Melbourne playing mahjong (online with friends), steaming frozen yumcha bites and trying to create wokhei dishes at home. I've enjoyed the extra time but missing friends, hugs and a sense of community. There is community - online - but not quite the same as in person. I'm not sure when the next time we can hug each other is, but until then, stay healthy and in good spirits. Jasmine." Writer signs off with her Chinese name.
  

Top image: Acute Actions: Responses To I Am Not A Virus (installation view), 2021, 4A @ 101-111 William Street, Sydney. Zachary Lopez, Roil Horizon, 2021, bamboo, nylon, single channel HD video, various materials and objects.Photo: Kai Wasikowski for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, courtesy the artists.

Photos: Kai Wasikowski

Credit Logos

Related Exhibitions

NO FALSE IDOLS

NO FALSE IDOLS

13 August – 02 October 2022

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art

New Energy

New Energy

04 June – 24 July 2022

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art

Bush Diwan

Bush Diwan

05 August – 16 October 2022

Benalla Art Gallery