‘We’re Shaped by Our Memories’: Claire Hsu on Two Decades of Asia Art Archive

By Mark Rappolt

Claire Hsu is the cofounder (with Johnson Chang) and executive director of Asia Art Archive, a non-profit organisation based in Hong Kong that aims at documenting, making public and activating the multiple histories of art across the continent. This past December marked the 20th anniversary of its founding and the moment at which Hsu is stepping down from her role as director of the organisation to become co-chair. A search for the new ED is underway.

ArtReview Asia You’re leaving your role as executive director at the AAA as the organisation marks 20 years since you cofounded it. Why now?

Claire Hsu I’m thinking about the future of the archive. Part of that is thinking about how to make sure that it can be led by different people, that it can be independent, that there is a natural evolution. It’s been a very personal project. This is what I’ve been doing for most of my adult life.

ARA Independent of what?

CH Independent from me. I’m still going to be here to support and evolve in my new role as co-chair, but I really want to be able to make space for new ideas and energy. I’m someone who very much follows intuition and the same voice that led me to co-found the organisation is now suggesting that it is time for the organisation to evolve in this way. AAA is in very good shape and I really feel that it is important to bring in energy that will expand what we have built in exciting new ways. At the same time, Jane DeBevoise, our Chair of 15 years and co-chair of two years will be stepping down from this position (although she will remain a board member and chair of AAA in the US) for exactly the same reason...READ MORE

AAA Library. Photo: Kitmin Lee

Cover Image: Claire Hsu. Photograph: William Furniss; courtesy Zolima CityMag