'Why do we discard things? What makes us give an object a second chance? What do moments of reflection look like? My history of things not going to plan has stemmed from imposed expectations: supposed to be good at maths, supposed to be a doctor, supposed to be demure…'
In this artist talk, Alison Lam will reflect on her British Chinese neurodivergent identity and experiences of navigating her artistic social practice engagements, all informed by her lived experience of raising children with autism in British cultural environments.
Part of Alison’s project 'Mind the Gap', funded by Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants, manifested in a series of ‘Holding Space’ paper-and-clay workshops with neurodiverse individuals and their carers at esea contemporary. Over gentle and fluid conversations, through the act of scrunching, making, squeezing, and tearing, these workshops examined the finer intricacies of the moments before and after overwhelm.
As a culmination of these physical workshops, this artist talk includes a conversation between the artist and Julia Jiang, the Associate Curator at esea contemporary, as well as a reflective exercise where universal feelings of unwantedness, or being an outsider, will be reflected upon as we collaboratively re-evaluate the meaning of value. ‘When things don’t go according to plan’ will generate a supportive space of conversation to bridge gaps between personal experiences, creative expression, and activism through reflecting on Lam’s artistic practices that centre around notions of isolation, belonging, and inclusion.
Please ensure you have a pen and paper for the session!
This online talk is part of esea contemporary's Summer Programme ‘From (Counter-)Archives to Activation.’ Entering the second year of programming following the institute’s transformation, we find it opportune to activate our platform through the lens of archives and counter-archives in collaboration with our extensive network of collaborators and co-workers. Throughout our summer programme, from May to August 2024, we will actively listen to, engage with, speak out about, write down, touch upon, and look into a diverse array of archival and counter-archival materials. This journey aims to highlight a multiplicity of perspectives while charting a course towards a more outward- and forward-looking framework. As we explore these materials, we remain attuned to the complexities of power dynamics, acknowledging the agency to navigate these exchanges with openness and respect. Through our collaboration with artists, curators, thinkers, scholars, and communities, we seek to foreground pluralistic narratives and empower individuals to shape their own histories.
Alison Lam is a neurodiverse social practitioner and artist, and a mother to two autistic sons. Alison holds an MA in Art & Social Practice, and has been funded by Arts Council England’s National Lottery Projects Grants programme.
