Annie Wan: Borrowed Kitchen

In her recent exhibition 'Lost in Translation' during Kunsttage Basel 2024, Hong Kong artist Annie Wan challenged us to confront the ever-shifting landscape of language and meaning, blurring the boundaries between the tangible and the ephemeral. Unlike photographic images, her ceramic reproductions resist nostalgia, instead serving as tangible manifestations of the present moment.

As part of her residency with PF25 in Basel, hosted by our partner institution Atelier Mondial, Wan will develop a new body of work centred around food and community, drawing on her research in Basel for her upcoming exhibition 'Borrowed Kitchen'.

Annie finds inspiration from Fabio Parasecoli’s 'In Food, Identity and Cultural Reproduction in Immigrant Communities' (2014), which states: 'Immigrants cope with the dislocation and disorientation they experience in their new environment by re-creating a sense of place in their domestic environment around food production, preparation, and consumption. Cooking and other food-related practices play a crucial role...'

'Borrowed Kitchen' is a project about art, food, and home. Cooking exchanges, food sharing, and kitchen conversations will take place and be captured as food for thought for this ongoing research.

Vernissage: Wednesday, 16 October 2024 from 17:00 - 20:00

Exhibition: 17 - 27 October 

Opening Hours: 17 - 20 October  &  25 - 27 October  15 :00 - 19:00 

Location: Atelier Mondial Studio 2, Freilagerplatz 9, Münchenstein/Basel, Switzerland

Enquiry: connect@PF25.org

The programme is curated by Angelika Li, hosted by Atelier Mondial, and supported by Christoph Merian Stiftung and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

Biorgraphy of Annie Wan Lai-kuen

Annie Annie Wan Lai-kuen is a distinguished ceramic artist from Hong Kong, celebrated for pushing the boundaries of contemporary ceramic art by exploring the interplay of concepts and materiality. Through her innovative moulding techniques, she reimagines everyday objects, challenging conventional perceptions and fostering new interpretations. Her work addresses issues such as consumerism, the juxtaposition of craftsmanship and mass production, and the intersection of art with the mundane.

Wan was honoured as Artist of the Year (Visual Art) by the Hong Kong Art Development Council for 2019/20 and received a Certificate of Commendation from the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department for her outstanding contributions to the development of arts and culture. She is a fellow of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) and has extensively participated in a wide array of international exhibitions. Recent solo exhibitions include 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread' (2019) at the Hong Kong House of Echigo-Tsumari Art Project, Japan; 'Zan Baak Fo' (2017), Cheung Hing Grocery Store, Hong Kong; and 'Lost in Translation' and 'Borrowed Kitchen' (both in 2024), PF25 cultural projects, Basel. Her notable group exhibitions include the 11th Gwangju Biennale in South Korea; 'Remarking History' (2022), ACC at Art Basel, Hong Kong; 'Interbeing' at The Ceramic House, UK; 'Poetic Heritage' (2021) at Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong; 'Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint' (2019) at the Hong Kong Museum of Art; the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2014) in Kochi, India; and the Asia Triennial Manchester 2014 in Manchester, UK.

She has participated in artist-in-residence programmes at institutions such as Guldagergaard - International Ceramic Research Center, Denmark; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan; Watershed Centre for the Ceramic Arts, Maine; International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname, Japan; and PF25 cultural projects, Basel.

Wan's works are featured in collections at M+ Museum, Hong Kong; the Philippe Charriol Foundation; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Burger Collection; Hong Kong Heritage Museum; Hong Kong History Museum; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga Prefecture, Japan; Christian Dior; New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan; the Museum of International Ceramic Art, Denmark; and IWCAT, Tokoname, Japan.

Recently retired from her position as Associate Professor at the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, Wan now resides and works in Taiwan.