Artistic exchange transports visitors to Asia’s South-East

Three artists who have taken up residence at the University of Tasmania will be offering an immersive experience of South-East Asia on Hobart’s waterfront.

Tambay is a unique installation that will pop-up at Princes Wharf 1 during this year’s Ceramics Triennale (1–4 May).

Fusing ceramics, sculpture, street art and performance, the small structure will resemble a street-side stall commonly found in the Philippines.

The project is the work of Filipino artists Mark Valenzuela, Pablo Capati III and Babbu Wenceslao.

On display will be various ceramic and clay objects in the form of pig heads and trotters, vulcanising equipment, and soft-drink bottles that reference goods and services typically offered by vendors.

The installation will also explore a street stall’s social function – tambay is a Tagalog word derived from ‘standby,’ which is used to describe individuals who frequent such spaces.

“Street stalls in the Philippines act as public spaces for people to gather and talk. Tambay, therefore, explores the role of communal or collaborative action in Philippine culture, and relates this context to our art practices,” Mark Valenzuela said.

“We also thought it would be interesting to see how our cultural experience has influenced our engagement with clay which is one of a few, locally available and affordable materials in some regions of the Philippines.

“The concept of the street stall seemed a good way to explore this idea, as street vendors in the Philippines likewise need to make use of limited resources and learn a range of skills.

“A key part of the project is also about putting ceramics on the street and experimenting with approaches outside of the gallery exhibition format.

“The performance and interaction aspect of the installation will be responsive to the works, the site of the installation, and the people who engage with us.”

The artists are currently finalising their installation at the University’s School of Creative Arts and Media on Hunter Street in Hobart.

Other University artists-in-residence contributing to the Ceramics Triennale are Alice Couttoupes, Andrés Allik, Alicja Patanowska, Somchai Charoen, Julia Drouhin and James Edwards.

Dr Jan Hogan, Head of Discipline (Art) at the University’s School of Creative Arts and Media, said the artist-in-residence program injected vibrancy into the site.

“These annual arts residencies have fantastic outcomes for the local community through unique, engaging initiatives which these practitioners lead during their visits,” Dr Hogan said.

“The program also exposes our students to professional artists working across a wide range of disciplines which supports their creative development.”

The artist-in-residence program provides an environment for artists to develop specific projects while providing unique learning opportunities for students.

Since its commencement in 2014, it has attracted an impressive array of practitioners ranging from recent fine art graduates to international artists and academics.

Pictured: Tambay artist, Babbu Wenceslao.

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