Struggling between art and politics in the political turmoil of Hong Kong as an art practitioner: A self ethnography.

Recently, Hong Kong has attracted global attention due to the anti-extradition bill protests. I, as a Hongkonger, started my career in 2010 as an art writer. In 2014, the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong shocked my mind. I questioned, after writing about so many artworks which “concern” about the society, if art really “helps”. At the time many artists ceased production because they cannot accept themselves painting or contemplating philosophy while the other citizens got hit by brutal police. I as a writer cannot stand too. I changed my field to become a politics reporter. In around 2016 I was attracted to Socially Engaged Art in Japan, such as the renowned Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale. The model of these festivals offered a perspective to see art not only as a representation, but also an intervention to the society. In 2017, I started my PhD. research about these festivals. It is not until 2019 that I started to feel uncomfortable again. Seeing what is happening in Hong Kong, this time even the critical perspective of art sounds irrelevant: Art is often seen as a way to step back and think. But is it always true that people should step back and think all the time? If so, how should we express this criticality with empathy at times of conflict? If not, does it mean that we should just throw away our pen and brush to fight? I hope I can deal with these questions in this presentation.