Paper Trails Between Lion and Swan is the first of a two-phase collaborative exhibition curated by Harrison See, Desmond Mah & Yeo Chee Kiong featuring 6 artists from Singapore and 6 from Perth/Boorloo. At a glance, these two cities appear to be categorically different: the former, the densely populated gateway between the global North and South, and the latter, the most isolated capital city in the world. However, these two coastal and culturally diverse cities share more than just a time zone and are bound by intersecting histories of British colonisation in the Asia Pacific region. It is this intersection that the artists of this exhibition have explored, specifically through the materialities of paper and textiles. This choice of materials is intentional and symbolic. Paper, used by the British Empire to invoke deeds, certificates and documents as tools of identity, division, authority and ownership; and textiles, used for flags, banners, uniforms and ship sails. With Perth colonised as the ‘Swan River Settlement’ in 1829, and Singapore—or ‘Singapura’ derived from the Sanskrit words for ‘Lion City’ (or ‘Lion Fortress’)—established as a British trading post in 1819, we approach the midpoint between two bicentenaries, and as such, an opportunity presents itself to negotiate new intersections between these cities of Lion and Swan in a contemporary context.

Opening remarks by the Australia High Commissioner (tbc)

Curators

Dr Harrison See
Desmond Mah
Yeo Chee Kiong


Venue

Sculpture 2052