a x edge 2021 is the 10th iteration of the aedge exhibition series showcasing the art practice of teacher-artists. The Roman numeral “x”, chosen to mark the occasion, has multiple symbolisms. “x” marks our destinations, preferred choices and also that which we choose to cancel out. As with previous iterations of aedge, a guest curator was invited to work alongside teacher-curators to lend an eye and hand to the curatorial process. Another practice that continues this year is the physical exhibition of teacher-artists’ works in response to an Open Call for proposals.
This edition also reflects two tweaks. The first is increased digitalisation. Most of the high-bandwidth and text-heavy companion information, such as this text you’re reading, have been pushed online. When the physical exhibition is over, it lives on as a three-dimensional visual documentation (using Matterport) on this website, providing an immersive, virtual experience.
The second is increased mentorship. In the weeks leading up to the exhibition, teacher-artists met up in small groups at STAR’s Art Studio to present their works-in-progress and receive valuable feedback from curators and fellow participants. Informal mentoring within the curatorial team was facilitated by meetings and sharings on this exhibition and other notable ones as reference points. Such adjustments and arrangements reflect the need to balance pragmatism and quality amidst the ongoing pandemic and the series’ aspiration to build on past achievements.
Click below to view our reflections on the three thematic sections derived from the artwork submissions.
Teacher-curators Victor Gan and Maisarah Kamal, with Guest Curator Michael Lee
Read more about the team and this year’s logo.
All in all, the creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds his contribution to the creative act.
—Marcel Duchamp
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