Samson Young's Hong Kong Pavilion at 2017 Venice Biennale Explores Charity Singles and Neoliberalism

Samson Young represents Hong Kong at the 2017 Venice Biennale, with his pavilion located at Campo della Tana, Castello, opposite the Arsenale's main entrance. His exhibition features new work examining charity singles as historic events tied to neoliberalism and the global music industry's rise in the 1980s. Young's research was sparked by the 2014 remake of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' by Bob Geldof and other artists for Ebola relief, which he found 'out-of-time.' The project also draws from the 2010 remake of 'We Are the World,' noting similarities in production but differences like auto-tuning. He describes the Biennale as a large, significant show but notes his theme wasn't a direct response to its context. Young emphasizes that representing his country is an honor, though he avoids being a 'local informant.' He has never attended the art biennale before, only seeing part of the architectural biennale during a 2016 site visit. The Venice Biennale runs from 13 May to 26 November 2017.