Presence of Mind
10 December 2021 - 26 February 2022*
Presence of Mind is a residency and exhibition project that examines the intersection of mindfulness, Buddhism and the creative processes of visual artists in Australia and Singapore.
Presence of Mind, emphasises the practice of mindfulness, which is increasingly adopted as a strategy to cope with the stresses of modern living. Many contemporary, secular techniques of mindfulness have been developed from traditional Buddhist meditation practices. For the artists in this exhibition, mindfulness is foundational to their creative processes and can take many forms, from embodied processes to playful humour, as well as technological and traditional motifs. In bringing together diasporic artists from Australia and Singapore, Presence of Mind examines intersections of Buddhist lived experience and cultural differences. In its totality, the residency and exhibition project highlights the rich perspectives that spirituality can bring to art.
OPEN CALL (PRESENCE OF MIND)
Care Index (Presence of Mind) was created over a series of digital residencies with a working group of Australia and Singapore-based artists, writers, and curators involved in Presence of Mind: Alecia Neo, Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen, Kath Fries, Dylan Goh, Rachael Kiang, Kristina Mah, Aryadharma Aaron Matheson, Shirley Soh, Lachlan Warner. During the residency, the group explored activities and exchanged reflections on contemplative practices, hospitalities and care through the lens of Buddhism.
At the end of the digital residency, a series of video scores were created by the working group. Each score offers a meditation on initiations, dwelling and departures. This collective work was also exhibited as part of Performing Care (2023) by Alecia Neo, at the Esplanade in Singapore.