We Are the Monument: Yuen Fong Ling

Exploring risk and care in the gallery space, that arose from the context of his residency, artist Yuen Fong Ling was based at Sheffield Museums Trust. Hear his thoughts about his 20/20 residency, which resulted in the curation of the exhibition We are the Museum at the Graves Gallery. Viewing the plinth as a social, political and cultural symbol, the exhibition encourages visitors to consider the significance of those represented on, or in opposition to, the plinth. This includes the newly commissioned work Monumentalise (2023), a series of short films made by Ling in response to artworks and objects from Sheffield’s collections.

Artist Biography

Yuen Fong Ling is an artist, curator, researcher and lecturer based in Sheffield. His socially engaged art practice explores omitted histories and alternative forms of public memorial.

He uses his own lived experience as a starting point to make biographical connections to other people's lives - searching archives, galleries, museums and heritage sites to find the spirit of the body, the human presence, in amongst the artworks and artefacts. Recent projects include “Towards Memorial’ (2019-ongoing), and “Mo(nu)mentaries” shown at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre (October 2021 – March 2022).

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About Chelsea Space

Chelsea Space is a public exhibition space at Chelsea College of Arts. The gallery's programme is international and interdisciplinary, reflecting and responding to the artistic approaches, research and interdisciplinary focuses of the College.

The emphasis is on the exposure of process and ideas, critical discourse and relationships with key cultural partners, through a yearly exhibition, residency and events programme.

www.arts.ac.uk/chelsea-space

About The UAL Decolonising Arts Institute

UAL Decolonising Arts Institute seeks to challenge colonial histories and imperial legacies, disrupting ways of seeing, listening, thinking and making, to drives social, cultural and institutional change.

We recognise the importance of past and current research and curriculum change projects at UAL and beyond. These include the ground-breaking AHRC Black Artists and Modernism research project, numerous initiatives led by UAL Teaching and Learning Exchange and Arts SU, as well as wider local and global movements to decolonise, and the complex genealogies and geographies of postcolonial, decolonial and intersectional thinking and practice yet to be reflected in our histories and cultures.

20/20 is generously supported by funding from Freelands Foundation, Arts Council England and UAL.

www.arts.ac.uk/ual-decolonising-arts-institute

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Header image: Yuen Fong Ling, We Are the Monument. Photo Credit: Jules Lister

Host or Publisher Chelsea College of Arts, UAL