Kwago welcomes a Japanese media artist to explore Zoom as a site for artistic expression

In response to the global pandemic, Kwago bookstore hosts “Bad connection or subtitles to silence”—a series of 20-minute art performances at Zoom featuring various artists and poets across Asia.

“To confront and examine how digital technology is affecting the ways we express, connect and live during this period of crisis and great change, we developed Bad Connection prompting a diverse group of artists to explore the online space as an exhibition platform different from the material world,” Kwago founder and co-curator of the event mentioned.

“Digital technology has warped our geographies and contexts, transcending borders and time zones. We’re excited to introduce the next artist that investigates this evolution while engaging the audience to make them part of the performance,” she added.

An attempt to create a critical and playful space to (mis)understand our relationships with our avatarized selves and digital environments, “Bad connection or subtitles to silence” don’t announce who’s performing each gathering to give room for surprise, serendipity and spontaneity in this algorithm-controlled world.

Co-curated by Kwago co-owners Czyka Tumaliuan and Roy Voragen, “Bad connection or subtitles to silence” has grown into a community and is now run with a team of young female artists, writers and designers: Dyem Carreon, Karishma Etong, Rai Hamid and Niña Sherizze De Sagun.

‘Bad Connection’ opened the series of performances on May 18 with visual artist-musican Datu Arellano. It was then followed by Singapore-based artist Ila and most recently, poet Nerisa del Carmen Guevara, who set up an online performance of her elegy.