Founded in 1996, Para Site Art Space promotes contemporary art and art appreciation. In the past six years, we have held more than 70 exhibitions and events (excluding other art-related activities, i.e., forums and workshops), introducing local artists as well as those from overseas to the local community. Furthermore, we are the foremost art organization to provide art criticism, in the form of workshops, in Hong Kong. The workshop, which has just gone into its fifth anniversary, has introduced more than 100 participants (mainly students and individuals from the creative industry) to contemporary art with closer proximity to their own cultural concerns.
Para Site is also keen on publications. One of our primary objectives is, not only preserving exhibitions for archive but to extend and continue the dialogue beyond the space of the gallery. Our in-hour visual arts and culture magazine, PS Magazine, provides an open platform to all, encouraging young budding critics to tackle in-depth criticism, as well as introducing cross-disciplinary visual and textual experiments. Since the beginning of 2002, all our publications have been produced bilingually. We wish we can take advantage of the special ‘hybrid’ cultural setting of Hong Kong to promote contemporary art both on a local as well as international level. In 2003 we shall work toward the direction of ‘Think Global Act Local: Support Freedom of Expression and Encourage Creativity’. We hope to realize in 2003, a total of 11 projects; varying from exhibitions, publications, to an art education pilot scheme.
HK$160K.A Wealthy ParaSite.Is A Healthy ParaSite
To achieve the above ambitious goals, however, we will be needing substantial financial support. Since our establishment, we have been relying heavily on Hong Kong Arts Development grants (as well as some public funding), but a healthy cultural ‘organism’ cannot depend solely on one source of funding. The concept of the ArtSUPERmarket fundraising event, which is fundamental to the well-being and survival of Para Site, was conceived in 1998, in order to make up for the financial shortfall that inevitably comes about at the end of each year. The aim of the event is double-fold; partly to raise funds for Para Site, partly to encourage members of the public to participate, by offering them the chance to collect works by Hong Kong artists at affordable prices.
To reach our projected target of HK$160,000, we are not earnestly inviting the benevolence of our Patrons once again to participate in another unforgettable ArtSUPERmarket this December. This time more than 150 items of work, contributed by participating artists, will be priced at HK$1000 each. All hope this year’s ArtSUPERmarket will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors with even more outstanding results.