The Second Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia, 1996 : Report

His interactive installation Bicycles (20)-1996 comprises twenty re-formed bicycles which go backwards when ridden. The installation also includes the history of the bicycles as well as the plans for their transformation. The bicycles are from Brisbane while their re-forming mechanisms were brought from China by the artist. The work combines the humorous and the serious, and comments on the failure of conventional wisdom. Zhang Xiaogang's paintings from the 'Bloodline: The big family' series are inspired by old portrait photographs. The term 'family' in this series can also refer to the concept of the revolutionary family, in which all members are brothers and sisters . These works are an intimate insight into the personal stories of the people of China. The artist has drawn upon the imagery of the Mao Zedong period standardised family portraits to comment on the subjugation of individuality and ideals in the interests of ideology. The passive , mask-like faces reflect a context in which individual feelings were not to be expressed . The monumental scale of the faces is contrasted with their impassive , emotionless expressions. This contrast alludes to the individual personalities and personal histories hidden behind the standardised portraits, recognising the strength and importance of individuality. HONG KONG Chan Yuk Keung produces i ntimate works. He creates assemblages with ready­ made objects that are reconfigured and reworked to extend and contradict their everyday meaning. H is work is executed with skill and precision and alludes gently to the innate nature of Hong Kong life and culture. Trained in Hong Kong and with a Masters degree from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in the US, he is currently a lecturer in the Fine Arts Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Ellen Pau is primarily a video artist but has previously been involved with performance. She has been associated with the avant-garde dance collective Zuni Icosahedron and, more recently, has been creating installations that usually include 4