10 Questions with | Bernice Ong

1. Tell us about yourself in one sentence.

Hi, my name is Bernice Ong. 

2. How did you end up in Curating Lab?

A forwarded link from a friend, an application, an interview, and magic! But primarily, I was looking for another project to be part of, guess I projectified myself well enough to end up here.

3. What has been your coolest moment of Curating Lab so far?

Hong Kong was pretty cool. Not a fan of large group trips, had thought I was past the age of excursions. But yeah, that was real cool. Thanks NAC! Another please?

4. Tell us about Conditions of Production.

May I simply insert our exhibition blurb:  COP is an ongoing project that seeks to pursue a field of enquiry situating objects and process within the complexities of artistic production and reception. To emulate the plurality of situations where artistic discourse may arise, this project calls attention to less tangible structures immanent in the creation of an artwork by adopting the multiple platforms of an exhibition, dialogue sessions, and an online repository of interviews and essays.

5. Tell us about your curatorial journey.

I’m a bit hesitant to latch on to this lab experience as a journeying towards a destination. I suppose, I have found it to be more about practicing my ninja eyes and ninja chops, observing and thinking about what the world needs more of, daring to ask those questions, being critical, practical, and trusting your intuition. Funny story, my group had looked at (artistic) ‘post-fertility’ as a starting point, and now we’re into the conditions of production. Ok…

6. What is the most exciting thing about your exhibition?

For me, the exhibition is as much about the unseen, as it is about the exhibited. We have three main artworks which I think dialogue really well with each other: a light fixture L O D N H A C G E E K of Chun Kaifeng's which for me exists as a sort of urban beacon, the documentary images of Matthew Ngui’s public art project TIMBRE!! that had come only partially into existence, and Amanda Heng’s intimate embrace with her mother in a beautiful photographic image Twenty Years Later.

7. What’s next for you?

Plodding on through life, finding more work as a freelancer. I’m onto a range of jobs, as theatre technician, set builder etc. and looking to get paid for my art and curatorial labour someday.

8. Favourite book.

FB

9. Favourite artwork.

Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square (1915)

 Source: http://www.tretyakovgallery.ru/en/collection/_show/image/_id/378

10. Favourite local art space.

HDB estates are my favourite observatories. When days were much freer, I enjoyed taking the elevator up random flats facing large construction sites to peer beneath the hoarding.