Hao Jingban wins the Han Nefkens Foundation, Mori Art Museum, M+ Hong Kong and Singapore Art Museum—Moving Image Commission 2023.
We are thrilled to announce that Beijing based artist Hao Jingban (b. 1985, Shanxi Province, China) has been chosen as the winner of the Han Nefkens Foundation, Mori Art Museum, M+ Hong Kong and Singapore Art Museum – Moving Image Commission 2023.
The Moving Image Commission 2023 Jury: “We are delighted that Hao Jingban has been selected for the second joint commission by the three Asia-based museums. During the selection process, from learning of the outstanding nominations to reaching a point of agreement with the three museums, it was clear that although we are all located in Asia, we all come from different contexts.
Hao’s experimental proposal that offers a powerful examination of modern Chinese history allows for a much-needed space for individual and collective reflection on death and mourning within the context of our recent shared history of Covid-19. It allows us to consider the impact of this crisis and other back-to-back crises we are experiencing, and this is imperative.
Hao’s previous body of work demonstrates that she will find a sensitive way to address such a timely topic, along with her unique visual language. We are enthusiastic about supporting the creation of works that unite us through humanity and a respect for life and we look forward to working with her.”
Hao Jingban: “It’s truly an honour to receive this grant. I really appreciate the timely support for the new project I am just about to start. This grant allows me to spend more time on the field research stage and I could take a comparatively more relaxed and long-term approach to the subject that I am interested in. It is indeed a privilege. My sincere thanks to all the people that make this happen.”
Han Nefkens: “I’m thrilled that we will be working with Hao Jingban. She’s a great storyteller who executes her work in a highly professional and aesthetic manner, interweaving complex historical narratives and social movements into structures of experimental and essay videos. In her very own and often poetic way she creates multi-levelled stories. I’m very much looking forward to see how she will give form to the challenges of her proposal.”
Hao Jingban will receive 100,000 USD for the production of a screen-based video artwork. An edition of the work will be donated to and exhibited in each museum and the Han Nefkens Foundation will also have a long-term loan of the produced artwork for presentation at art institutions worldwide with whom the Foundation collaborates with.
Hao Jingban was selected by a final jury chaired by Han Nefkens and composed of the directors of each museum (Kataoka Mami, Director, Mori Art Museum; Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+ and Eugene Tan, Director, Singapore Art Museum) in the presence of Hilde Teerlinck, General Director Han Nefkens Foundation and Alessandra Biscaro, Coordinator Han Nefkens Foundation. This unique collaboration aims to strengthen the relations among the institutions, developing a project that is first and foremost sustainable.
The Han Nefkens Foundation, Mori Art Museum, M+ Hong Kong and Singapore Art Museum—Moving Image Commission 2023 aims to be a tool for increasing contemporary artistic production within the field of moving images. It is directed at artists of Asian origin, nationality or living in Asia who have established a solid trajectory but have not been given a major opportunity to exhibit in world-recognised institutions. The Commission is organised by the Han Nefkens Foundation in collaboration with Singapore Art Museum, M+ Hong Kong and the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.
The artists on the shortlist, prior to the final selection were Ismailova Saodat (1981, Uzbekistan), Tesprateep Pathompon “MONT” (1978, Thailand), Araki Yu (1985, Japan) and Hao Jingban (1985, China).
The artists were scouted by nine curators working across Asia: Hsu Fang-Tze, Kim Hyunjin, Li Qi, Pansanga Mary, Rajendran Anushka, Takahashi Mizuki, Wu Dar Kuen, Yi Soojung and You Mi.