{"id":18434,"date":"2021-03-16T11:50:04","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T03:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/?p=18434"},"modified":"2021-05-27T14:22:40","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T06:22:40","slug":"can-art-really-go-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/2021\/03\/can-art-really-go-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Art Really Go Online?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Local artists and art organisations are taking creative ways to adapt to the virtual realm under COVID-19 pandemic, but some fear that joys, experiences, and transactions of the art world are hard to replicate on-screen.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Bonnie Yam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephen Wong Chun-hei, who used to do frequent outdoor sketching, can only paint virtual scenery at home now as pandemic wears on.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 34-year-old landscape artist has started \u201ctravelling\u201d and painting with Google Earth since March 2020. He shares his works with his 2,255 followers on Facebook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wong has \u201ctravelled\u201d to many places, such as Salisbury Cathedral in England, which he visited before, and Merry Cemetery in Romania. Wong also takes virtual tours to some destinations he never thought he could visit in real life, such as unreachable sites around Mount Fuji.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wong Chun-hei virtually travelled to Mount Fuji in August 2020.
(Photo courtesy of Wong Chun-hei)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Other than painting alone, Wong occasionally invites friends and followers to join his virtual trips by initiating the \u201cGoogle Earth Sketching Challenge\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the challenge, he tags friends under each of his virtual scenery paintings and provides them with a GPS coordinate that refers to a specific place. Individuals taking on the challenge are required to paint the scenery on screen. Participants include Wong\u2019s social media followers, as well as famous local artists Chow Chun-fai and Yeung Hok-tak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Individuals taking on the \u201cGoogle Earth Sketching Challenge\u201d are required to paint sceneries on screen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am surprised that artists who have not been tagged by me on Facebook still voluntarily join the \u2018challenge\u2019,\u201d Wong says. \u201cAlthough all artists I tagged previously accepted the invitation, there is no large circulation, as it takes time to finish a piece,\u201d Wong adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThough I enjoy sketching with Google Earth, I still prefer doing outdoor sketching. But for the moment, it is the best alternative I have,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovating under the Pandemic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As fears of COVID-19 infection keep buyers away from galleries, exhibitions and networking events, art organisations also innovate by pushing for digital transformation of art sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Art in the Field\u2019, a local non-profit art organisation, launched a Takeaway Art project in December 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShutdown of venues made us rethink the possibility of art under the pandemic,\u201d Roy Wong Chung-him, programme coordinator of Art in the Field, says.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Art in the Field, a local non-profit art organisation, launched the Takeaway Art project in December 2020.
(Photo courtesy of Art in the Field)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Under the project, the team provides administrative service while artists arrange transactions with buyers by themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe used to work in physical venues that are more controllable and familiar to us,\u201d Wong recalls. \u201cThere are many uncertainties with art takeaway, such as the content and venue,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although more preparation is needed, he hopes that Takeaway Art can attract artists to employ different art mediums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from hosting art events online, May Cheung Yuet-ming, chairman of Innovative Arts & Media Association, says many local artists put their works up for sale on online platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online sales of artworks worldwide accounted for 37 per cent of total sales in the first half of 2020, a huge jump from 10 per cent in 2019, according to a report co-published by UBS and Art Basel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Cheung noted that while the online mode boosts flexibility, it is hardly sustainable or scalable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs there is no cost for sharing or liking, netizens are more willing to like or share than buying their works,\u201d Cheung says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany netizens bought artworks to support the artists, but not in appreciation of their works. So artists cannot secure continuous income from online platforms,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheung suggests that artists improve administrative and executive skills, such as writing themselves an attractive bibliography. She points out while most foreign artists have a bibliography, only around 10 per cent of local, non-commercial artists that she knows has one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany netizens bought artworks to support the artists, but not in appreciation of their works. So artists cannot secure continuous income from online platforms.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A Poor Substitute<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While both artists and art organisations actively adapt to the virtual realm, Teresa Kwong Pui-see, Programme Director at Hong Kong Arts Centre, says online mode cannot replace physical events for artistic exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kwong was initially surprised by audiences\u2019 active participation during the first online workshop under the Cultural Masseurs Programme in November 2020, as physical ones were cancelled under the pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme was designed to bring art into lives via guided tours, talks, workshops, internship and apprenticeship, as well as the process of art-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cultural Masseurs held various art workshops via Zoom and Facebook to boost cross-disciplinary online learning. 
Source: official website of Cultural Masseurs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince audiences now cannot reach out to others physically, they have a strong desire to collaborate, communicate and express themselves,\u201d Kwong says. \u201cSo when opportunities for group work come, they are very keen to show great willingness inparticipating,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kwong later finds that online workshops are not an ideal substitute for physical interaction. \u201cWe really want to have a chit-chat salon in which guests and artists can mingle. But physical networking events are suspended up until today,\u201d Kwong says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hong Kong government relaxed temporary ban on some businesses on February 18, allowing the re-opening of cinemas, performance venues and museums. But Cultural Masseurs will still hold their workshops online for February and March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art lover, Ray Chan Chak, shares Kwong\u2019s view. He finds virtual art experiences unpleasant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chan joined the online PolyU Design Degree Show last year, and quit just after 10 minutes of viewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy eyes felt uncomfortable,\u201d Chan recalls. \u201cThe sense of reality was absent, so I did not want to continue watching the online exhibition,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI find physical interaction important in artistic activities. As the interaction allows audiences to feel artists\u2019 emotions and thoughts more intimately,\u201d Chan adds.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe sense of reality was absent, so I did not want to continue watching the online exhibition.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Editd by Savoki Zhang<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sub-edited by Sarah Ryou<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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