Intrigued by the fundamental elements of mutual respect and equal status that underlie practices of hospitality, Alecia Neo seeks to experiment with “acts of radical hospitality” to push forward a critical engagement with the culture of our time.
Alecia Neo
1 October 2019 - 28 April 2020
Intrigued by the fundamental elements of mutual respect and equal status that underlie practices of hospitality, Alecia Neo seeks to experiment with “acts of radical hospitality” to push forward a critical engagement with the culture of our time. Today, hospitality is mostly associated with the tourism industry and private etiquette but it can also be understood as a political practice whereby a community negotiates its identity and its relationship with “the others.” Engaging with diverse rituals of hospitality practiced in the region, the artist aims to understand how communities draw boundaries and connect with outsiders. During the residency, she will reach out to several individuals and groups and she will invite them to perform acts of sharing and exchange as a form of empowerment. Through observing and experimenting with these rituals, Neo aims to gain a better understanding of how hospitality may serve as a resource to establish forms of connectedness across different communities.
