11 December 2015
Edited excerpts:
MA Fine Arts alumnus Khairuddin Hori, landed his job as the Deputy Director of Programming a year ago at Palais de Tokyo, one of the largest contemporary arts space in Europe. We caught up to this multi-disciplinary artist who pushes the envelope in his curatorial approach. He is the man behind Sous la lune/Beneath the moon, an exhibition presenting major existing and new works by 11 artists from Southeast Asia and France.
Why did you want to become an artist?
I decided to pursue art as I have an existentialist streak in me. As a kid, I was always curious about everything, even in history and science. So I asked myself, “Which field will allow me to know everything?” And I realised, it’s the arts. I can talk about anything and everything from religion to sciences and politics.
Khai with the Guest of Honour, Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth at the opening night of Sous la lune/Beneath the moon.
You dabbled in quite a lot of art forms and have multi-disciplinary experience (visual, performing artist, curator). What are your thoughts on specialisation versus generalisation?
I’m a multi-disciplinary artist because I get bored with one specialisation. So I thought to myself, “Why not try other things?”
As an artist, I could learn from what exists and create by experience. I learn through my experiences in different fields of art – as an actor, I learn through acting; as a director, I learn through observing and reading.
Can you tell us more about your role as a Deputy Director of Artistic Programming at the Palais de Tokyo?
My new role has been very challenging. It was almost as if I went into this totally blind. It wasn’t just the new administrative culture, new rules, new way of working, and new structure that I have to get used to, but also fundamental things like language. I don’t speak French. I also do not have family or friends in Paris.
My entire team is French with more than half of them working in Palais for more than seven years. I went in totally foreign and I wasn’t as up-to-date of the American and European arts scene as they are. My knowledge is in Asian arts. Rightfully, as a leader – I should know everything.
In terms of work, the organisation is structured in a different way. My colleagues are very open to opinions and ideas – we can debate professionally and respect each other’s opinion. We don’t start with a “No”. Whatever the artists dream of, we will try. If things don’t work out, we will try again with the artist. This is because whenever we invite artists to present a solo exhibition in Palais, it’s an open invitation. We don’t drop the artists that we invite simply because we can’t fix a schedule with them. We also don’t restrict what the artist should present at the exhibition. Instead, we will ask the artist what he wants to do and we will try to make it happen.
The pressure now is that I am on an international stage and the whole arts world will be reading what I say as the Deputy Director of Programming of Palais de Tokyo, and questioning the reasons for making that statement.
What are you passionate about besides your work?
Many people don’t know this, but I make techno/experimental music. I have a collective called ‘Occupation’ and we have performed in Singapore three times. We are all artists and our gigs are always thematic. Making music allows me to learn from a different dimension. In music, there’s colour, temperature and feeling but one cannot see it. It’s interesting to create something that I cannot see but yet gives me that kind of a feeling.
What are you trying to convey through your music?
For me, if I want people to listen to my music or look at what I do, I have to make it worthwhile for them. I have had this principle since I was a student, I would think of myself as a professional and that it’s not just school work. I would tell myself that I am an artist and make good art.
Any memorable stories/moments of your LASALLE days to share with us?
In the MA programme, you have freedom. You are expected to research. To me, LASALLE is perfect. I have my research questions and I can do whatever it takes to make art. As an artist, it is important for me to research, not just in practice but also in theories.
The MA programme enabled me to articulate what I have been trying to paint/sculpt/perform, in words. At the same time, the thesis contributed to the areas of development which I was researching on.
The candidate embodies the ‘Master’, literally. That’s what it meant to me when MA level was launched in LASALLE. I’ve always imagined myself as a ‘Master’. It’s a personal attitude. The school provided me with the best environment, but it is up to me to make it better.
LASALLE has this very contemporary environment. Everyone is a well-known figure in the field. I was inspired by the environment and its people – not just the lecturers or tutors but anyone, even the non-teaching staff. If you are studying Art History, it doesn’t mean you cannot speak with people from Performing Arts Faculty.
Sous la lune/Beneath the moon is co-produced by the Palais de Tokyo (Paris) and the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, LASALLE.
In the next series, LASALLE chats further with the curator on his curatorial approach to the exhibition.
