The Works：Theaster Gates, WYNG's "Mobility" & in our studio: the Storioni Trio

The work of American artist Theaster Gates focuses on urban planning and environments, community, and urban regeneration. He’s sometimes described as a “social practice installation artist”. Some of his best known projects are based in the south side of Chicago where he grew up. He sees his own works as “practising life”, and says he hopes to revitalise poor neighbourhoods and tell the stories of African Americans through art. Sometimes referencing the communal and spiritual values of religion, his art also incorporates materials he has harvested from the Chicago spaces in which he’s worked, as you can see in his current exhibition at White Cube: “Tarry Skies and Psalms for Now”.
Other than the occasional, or maybe not so occasional, irritable taxi driver if you’re able bodied you probably don’t have too many problems getting around Hong Kong, For people with disabilities it can be considerably harder, as a current project by the WYNG Foundation points out. And that’s not the only mobility issue it examines. Each year the foundation arranges the WMA Awards for photographic works focusing on social issues in Hong Kong. Themes from previous years include, poverty, waste, air and identity. In response to this year’s theme, “Mobility”, the submissions explore ideas of freedom of movement, migration, social mobility, barrier free urban design, and more.
Of you love classical music you’ll likely have many favourites among the concertos for single instruments and orchestra. Concertos for multiple instruments and orchestra are somewhat less common. Beethoven ventured into the triple concerto just once, with his Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano, in 1803. It can be a particular challenge for performance as you need not one, but three accomplished soloists who have to achieve a balance between shining individually and working together. It can become something of a battlefield of egos. With Ben now in the studio are the members of the Storioni Trio from the Netherlands, who are in Hong Kong this week to perform the Triple Concerto with the Hong Kong Philharmonic.