This lecture will offer an historical context for Khvay Samnang's participation in the current documenta 14 exhibition (2017), through a reflection on documenta, the institution. Held first every four then five years since 1955, documenta, one of the largest art exhibitions in the world, began as part of reconciliation efforts in the wake of World War II. It sought to reconnect Germany—which had isolated itself during the Nazi regime—back to the world through art and culture. Documenta11 (2002) is widely acclaimed for having opened up to more global perspectives under Artistic Director Okwui Enwezor. Professor Ute Meta Bauer, currently Founding Director of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art in Singapore, was a co-curator of that edition of the global exhibition, and in this lecture will reflect on her experiences working over several years on this vast project, to discuss its continuing relevance today. 

About Guest Lecture:

Ute Meta Bauer is the Founding Director of the NTU CCA Singapore and Professor at School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore and was prior Associate Professor (2005-2012) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, United States where she served as the Founding Director of the MIT Program in Art, Culture, and Technology. Bauer was Co-Curator for Documenta11 (2001- 2002), Artistic Director for the 3rd berlin biennale for contemporary art (2004), and the Founding Director of the Office for Contemporary Art Norway (2002-05). She recently co-curated with MIT List Centre for Visual Art Director Paul Ha the US Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015), Italy presenting eminent artist Joan Jonas, and developed the concept for Cities for People (2017), the pilot edition of NTU CCA Ideas Fest. She co-edited with Brigitte Oetker Southeast Asia Spaces of the Curatorial (2016) published by Sternberg Press.