Organised by the Guangdong Museum of Art and co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC), the Third Guangzhou Triennial kicked-off on 6 September (Saturday), showcasing distinctive artworks by 178 artists/groups from all over the world. The exhibition will run till 16 November at Guangdong Museum of Art and Time Museum (Member of GDMoA).

Established itself as one of the major international visual arts fairs in the region, the Guangzhou Triennial is a platform for demonstrating innovative aesthetics. ADC's first time participation is to facilitate arts and cultural exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Themed 'Farewell to Post-colonialism', the Triennial is curated by Mr Gao Shi-ming, Deputy Director of the Advanced School of Art and Humanities of the China Academy of Art, Professor Sarat Maharaj of the Lund University of Sweden and Hong Kong experienced curator Mr Chang Tsong-zung. The Triennial gathers 178 artists/exhibiting groups from 40 different regions/countries with artworks in various media from digital images, installation, drawings, photography, sound, text to performances, which represent the state of artistic creations under post-colonial discourse. The Triennial also attempts to uncover the paradoxical reality veiled by contemporary cultural discourse and to explore the realms that slip through the cracks of popular theories.

Presiding at the opening ceremony on 6 September, ADC's Chairman Mr Ma Fung-kwok said it is one of the ADC's objectives to foster cultural exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as to encourage Hong Kong artists to actively participate in mainland arts events. "The Triennial marks a significant collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland, which widens people's understanding of the arts and culture in the two regions. It also serves as a platform for local arts practitioners and arts groups to gain exposure in the international arts arena. The success of the Triennial also paves way for long term co-operations between arts organisations in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta Region", Mr Ma said. Other guests attending the opening ceremony included Mr Wang Huang-sheng, Director of Guangdong Museum of Art; Sir David Tang, Vice-chairman of the Triennial's Organising Committee; Mr Ma Xin-min, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture of Guangdong Province and Prof Pan Gong-kai, President of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts.

The ADC also supports four groups of local artists to participate in the Triennial. "Karibu Islands", a video work shot in a reverse time frame by Mr Zheng Bo, invites audiences to reflect on the linear historical conceptions such as development and progress. Ms Amy Cheung's work "To Seek an Invisible Object of Hugeness" explores the intricate relationship of visible and invisible things in our daily life. Mr Tozer Pak's "New York Public Library Project (NYPLP) 1 page 22 (Half Folded Library)" is a site specific installation work at the New York Public Library which aims to resist the feeling of being regarded as "non-exist" in an alien place. "Organizing Mutation" initiated by Mr Leung Chi-wo and Mr Tobias Berger is to re-define the concept of "organisation" in the arts field. The project has invited artists and critics to explore the idea in a series of workshops and each of them created a unique tower, altogether lead us further to new possibilities in the realm of artistic creation.

The ADC also supported the international symposium on "Anxiety of Creativity and Possible World", a fringe activity of the Triennial, held in Hong Kong during 6-7 July.

To explore long-term co-operation opportunities, an exchange tour was held during 6-7 September. Led by ADC's Chairman Mr Ma Fung-kwok, the delegation comprised over 30 local artists and representatives from local arts groups/organisations, as well as media representatives. Besides visiting various exhibition venues, the tour also provided an opportunity for participants to engage in dialogues and exchanges with artists from different countries and representatives of local arts organisations.

The Guangzhou Triennial will run till 16 November at Guangdong Museum of Art (Address: No.38 Yanyu Road, Er-Sha Island, Guangzhou) and Time Museum (Member of GDMoA)* (Address: Huang Bian Bei Road, Bai Yun Avenue, Guangzhou). For detailed information, please visit the Triennial's website at http://www.gztriennial.org.

For photos of the Triennial's opening ceremony and artworks exhibits, please download at:
http://www.hkadc.org.hk/download/GZTriennial.zip

* Time Museum is temporarily closed and will re-open on 14 September.