Orchestrations

Para Site is proud to present Orchestrations, a solo exhibition by Samson Young that looks at the modalities of "orchestra-making" in the various communities of Hong Kong. The exhibition consists of a selection of existing works and new commissions. It is the culmination of a year-long musicological research into the history of orchestras by Young in conversation with curator Qinyi Lim and musicologist Dr. Giorgio Biancorosso.

The exhibition draws from Young's training as a composer, his understanding of the politics behind the Western musical notation system, and his view of orchestras as formed collectives. Through music making, orchestras are invested in both the formal act of performing music and the informal act of creating harmony. Interested in the slippages that can occur in the use of "orchestra" as a word, Young's presentation questions the structures that govern the way we experience music and the audiences they construct. In addition, the accompanying publication elaborates on the possible methodologies that can be used to build these temporary communities.

The newly commissioned video, Orchestrations, focuses on three segments that are loosely stitched together, consisting of interviews, rehearsal footages of Hong Kong community orchestras, and an enactment of a community building activity. In the accompanying publication, Young addresses his research on historical examples such as Cornelius Cardew's Scratch Orchestra in 1969 where musical improvisation was seen as a form of political and social emancipation.

Samson Young studied music, philosophy and gender studies at the University of Sydney and holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition from Princeton. He was the inaugural winner of the BMW-Art Basel Art Journey Award in 2013. Young participated in the Asia Triennial Manchester, the Moscow Biennale of Young Art, and also at group exhibitions at Kunsthalle Winterthur, Switzerland; Today Art Museum, Beijing; and Taipei Contemporary Art Museum, Taiwan.

Orchestrations is curated by Qinyi Lim.

This exhibition is co-presented by Para Site and Connecting Spaces Hong Kong - Zurich and is part of Draft. It is on view at Connecting Space Hong Kong: G/F, Wah Kin Mansion, 18-20 Fort Street North Point, Hong Kong. Open on Monday–Sunday 11am–7pm.

Para Site is Hong Kong's leading contemporary art centre and one of the oldest and most active independent art institutions in Asia. It produces exhibitions, publications and discursive projects aimed at forging a critical understanding of local and international phenomena in art and society.

Para Site is financially supported by the Springboard Grant under the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The content of this activity does not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.