Long distance relationships: on friendships and collaborations across borders
Next Wave Artistic Directorate members Tian Zhang and Kristi Monfries consider long distance relationships and partnerships — inviting Indonesian artists and organisers Marcellina Dwi Kencana Putri (Gudskul), Bayu Widodo (Taring Padi/Survive Garage) and Rully Shabara (Senyawa) into conversation.
Kristi Monfries
Kristi Monfries is a Javanese – Australian creative producer and curator. Kristi specialises in collaborative and experimental arts projects between Asia and Australia and she is particularly interested in risk and experimentation with a passion for working with emerging to mid-career artists. The projects that she has led include: The Instrument Builders Project (co-curated with Joel Stern) at the National Gallery of Victoria, Indonesian Contemporary Art Network and Kyoto Art Centre; Ancient MSG: A live Art Performance for Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces, Kuda Lumping: Ritual Trance from Java for Supersense Festival at the Arts Centre Melbourne, Tropis///Subsonics Experimental Music Festival at Yogya National Museum, Indonesia. In 2014 she was the Associate Producer for the Australian Embassy Jakarta’s Arts and Culture Program, where she assisted in the delivery of a series of programs for Footscray Community Arts Centre.
Tian Zhang
Tian Zhang is an independent curator, writer, facilitator and collaborative artist based on Dharug Country in western Sydney. Her practice is underscored by conversation, criticality, solidarity and joy. Tian a co-founder of Pari and part of the artistic directorate of Next Wave.