Nomadic - A group exhibition curated by Dr. Vennes Cheng : Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok

Nomad refers to individuals who lack a fixed habitation and instead move from place to place. Appropriating the concept of nomadic existence, this exhibition reimagines the fluidity of one's identity and the multitude of homelands, which are fundamental conditions of Asia. The notion and composition of Asia are intertwined with the histories of human displacement. Wars, conflicts, and disputes in the region have compelled people to leave their places of birth and resettle in other countries. Human displacement represents both the past and the ongoing circumstances in Asia.

Asia has consistently been a contested zone. From the 19th century onwards, conflicts and unrest resulting from colonization and decolonization were followed by intense periods, roughly spanning from the 1950s to the 1990s, influenced by the Cold War. The geopolitical and ideological tensions and standstills in the West were exported as confrontations in the region. The aggression of Japan to Southeast Asia via the colonial Taiwan, the segregation and strained relations between India and Pakistan, the geopolitical tension driven by anti-communist sentiments that compelled Chinese individuals native of Malaya, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other parts of the region to leave their homes for China, and the protracted war in Vietnam manipulated by the US. These events led to forced migration and the disorientation and dilution of cultural identities, with Hong Kong occupying a complex position within this context.

The selected artworks by participating artists from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong form a constellation that investigates and highlights the histories of human displacement in Asia, particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions. This exhibition also seeks to delineate the connections and relationships between various parts of the region and proposes a plural lens to discern the multiculturalism of Asia, emphasizing that community and identity are social articulations of differences. It ultimately aims to mediate discussions surrounding the current circumstances of Southeast Asia and Hong Kong and to render imaginary one another’s reference points in the region.