側記｜「複調」實踐
2024-04-29
講題Topic｜「複調」實踐 Polyphony in Practice
講者Lecturer｜Dr. Karin G. Oen-Lee (Nanyang Technological University, School of Humanities
活動時間Date & Time｜2024年4月29日 18:30-21:30 台北(Taipei time)
地點Location｜線上論壇Online Forum
主辦人Host｜劉紀蕙（陽明交大文化研究國際中心主任）
活動連結Info Link｜https://iccs.chss.nycu.edu.tw/zh/activity.php?USN=1439
側記作者Author｜陳妍均（亞際文化研究國際碩士學位學程碩士生）
所屬子計畫Sub-project｜藝術介入與社會行動Social Intervention and Artistic Production
子計畫主持人Principal Investigator｜Prof. Joyce C.H. Liu（劉紀蕙）、Wen-Shu Lai（賴雯淑）
Dr. Karin G. Oen-Lee occupies various roles and identities within academia and the curatorial field. As a lecturer in art history and museum studies, she contributes to scholarly discourse, while also engaging in curatorial activities such as art historical research, exhibition curation, and as a keeper of museum collections. These roles, though sometimes complementary, also present tensions, thereby enhancing her understanding of curatorial practices.
Contemporary art movements and their accompanying discourses are deeply intertwined with the production and dissemination of official knowledge. The practice of critiquing institutions and their methods, known as institutional critique, has a rich history spanning over a century, marked by its confrontation with Eurocentric and patriarchal hegemonies. Dr. Karin G. Oen-Lee's training as a curator and art historian involves navigating these complexities by actively seeking out alternative perspectives and spaces within the art world.
Drawing on the concept of polyphony from Western music theory, we can better understand the complexities of contemporary curatorial practices.. “Polyphony is a musical texture that features two equally prominent melodic lines played at the same time. Each of these lines can be thought of as a melody in its own right, one that could be song played or listened to independently of the others, but it is the combination of the different strands all interacting together that creates polyphony.” Just as each melodic line retains its independence, each voice in the curatorial discourse contributes to the richness of the overall narrative. “Polyphony can be likened to a dialogue, discussion, or even an argument between two or more speakers, all talking concurrently.” As a complex musical texture, it is characterized by the presence of two equally prominent melodic lines played together. Each melodic line can be considered its own melody, capable of being sung, played, or listened to independently of the others. However, it is the interplay of these different melodic lines that creates polyphony, which also significantly challenges the listener's attention.
In the realm of literary criticism, Bakhtin (1984) borrowed this concept to analyse the plurality of independent and unmerged voices and consciousness in Dostoevsky's novels: the characters in the novels are not only objects of authorial discourse but also subjects of their own direct signifying discourse. It is worth noting that Trinh (1992) reminds us that multivocality can also fall into the trap of pluralism, where "multi" means "no" — no voice — or is used only to better mask the Voice — that very place from where meaning is put together.
Polyphony, as an analytical concept, offers valuable insights into the contemporary shift towards diversified educational and curatorial discourses. In the 21st century, there has been a concerted effort to depart from the monolithic hegemonic narrative paradigms of the past century. This shift is reflected in mainstream discussions surrounding post-humanism, decolonization, speculative tabulation, and gender creativity. In recent years, many institutions both within and outside the art world have adopted a mode of rapid-response programming and content release, prompted by the recognition of the need to accommodate more diverse voices and spaces of authority. However, this approach often lacks depth and polyphony, failing to fully engage with the complexities and nuances of contemporary discourse.
Dr. Oen-Lee demonstrates the integration of polyphony into curatorial practices by introducing diverse curatorial experiences. In Jean Shin's installations, such as "Inclusions" and "Celadon Landscape," (2015) discarded remnants are repurposed to create large-scale outdoor artworks. These pieces, constructed from raw celadon fragments, encourage audiences to critically reflect on their preconceptions about these materials. Similarly, Liu Jianhua's "Collected Letters," (2016) crafted in collaboration with Jingdezhen artisans, presents porcelain letters or radicals as installation art, reflecting on the historical significance of ceramics in Asian art and their portrayal in museum exhibitions.
Dr. Oen-Lee's co-curated exhibition "Divine Bodies" (2018) delves into the intersection of divinity and humanity, examining the incorporation of multi-vocality, poly-vocality, and polyphony. In the duo exhibition "Residual," (2023) Lee Wen’s two-dimensional artworks merge with Jason Wee's three-dimensional creations, blending distinct artistic approaches. Additionally, the exhibition "Mountains and Rivers Remain" (2023) features ink paintings by artists Bing Yi, Cheng Haw Chien , and Tang Da-Wu, which depart from traditional literati painting conventions, fostering a space for meaningful and polyphonic dialogue.
In the exhibition “Haroon Mirza: The Night Journey” (2018), Dr. Karin G. Oen-Lee collaborated with Haroon Mirza, utilizing new media creations such as reduced and pixelated images translated into sequences of sounds at different frequencies, derived from an 18th century miniature painting of the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad. This work critically examines a departure from materiality within the context of Islamic art. The exhibition "FreeJazz III" (2020-21) emerged during the pandemic, facilitated by remote collaboration on commissioned sound projects. Unlike traditional exhibitions, it does not necessitate a physical exhibition space; instead, it offers an experiential journey through natural or urban environments while wearing headphones. Another NTU CCA Singapore exhibition features a retrospective of films by Trinh T. Minh-ha, prompting reflections on the presentation of films or other forms of video production within exhibition settings. Lastly, the collaboration between Oen-Lee and Fyerool Darma, titled "Landscapes," encompasses a physical exhibition space. It incorporates stock images related to songket and other textiles associated with the historical Nusantara region, transforming digital elements into analogue forms and deliberately creating glitches. Through this, it showcases the post-internet, highly glitched culture that characterizes contemporary society.
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