Keh Ng is an artist who starts from urban legends and myths: a headless bear on Hackney Marshes, a vanished vigilante, a seven-legged lamb. Each one is re-staged as film, video, photography, street posters, paintings, books or installation for new audiences. He is a founding member of the Modern Language Experiment.
“My practice is concerned with stories that people remember, recount and re-interpret over time”
My practice is concerned with stories that people remember, recount and re-interpret over time. Urban legends and mythology form the starting point of my practice from which I then re-contextualise known events into a new event for both existing and new audiences.
At the centre of my practice is a core question: Why do people re-tell stories? Are we looking for a metaphor to say something we find too difficult to otherwise say? Are we trying to express a moral position? Perhaps there is a desire to inject humour or mischief into our lives? Or is there simply an instinctive need to share the things that we feel connected to?
I consider my practice to be an ongoing compendium that is independent from the found events. My works attempt to "forget" known tropes and instead access a "social memory" which dictates the outcome of my work.
Material Nature, Galerie J.J Heckenhauer, Munich(Group/Curator)
What is an Art Book, volume 4, space n.n. Munich(Group/Curator)
The Conversation, H8H Space, Frankfurt(Group/Curator)
Prologue (to the conversation), H8H Space, Frankfurt(Group/Curator)
Essex Neck, Sluice Colchester(Group/Curator)
Territory, Sluice Lisbon(Group/Curator)
Sluice Exchange, Berlin(Group/Curator)
Zero Recoil Damage, Silver Screen cinema, Folkestone Triennial(Group/Curator)
Modern Language Experiment "Art & Labour", Sluice Art Fair, London(Curator/Artist)
Euro Los Angeles Film Festival, Los Angeles(Film festival)
Passion for Freedom, Mall Galleries, London(Competition)
Pop Living, Schwartz Gallery, London(Group)
Filmarmalade screening: The Modern Language Experiment, IMT Gallery, London(Collaborative installation)
Art Tarts, Phantoms and Ingenious Strategies for Improved Worker Productivity, Arnolfini, Bristol(Group)
Tijdsdocument, Eddie The Eagle Museum, Amsterdam(Group)
Largo das Artes Residency Exhibition, Rio de Janeiro(Residency)
Title Art Prize, Blank Space, Manchester(Group)
Modern Language Experiment stand, Sluice Art Fair, London(Curator/Artist)
What is an Art Book NYC?, Garis & Hahn, New York(Group)
Zu Haus, LoBe, Berlin(Group)
30 Artists, 30 Days, Studio 1.1, London(Group)
The Bastard Children of Pop, Angus Hughes Gallery, London(Artist, Curator)
Waiting for Suicidal Hares International Video Art Festival, Chongqing(Group)
Modern Language Experiment stand, Sluice Art Fair, London(Curator/Artist)
What is an Art Book?, Mews Project Space, London(Curator)
The Wolfson Syndrome, Dragon Court, London(Curator)
Shift Work, Art Under the Westway, London(Curator/Artist)
The Modern Language Experiment presents Deceit, Hackney Wicked Festival, London(Group)
Traverse Tourist, Tenderpixel Gallery, London(Group)
Red Mansion Prize Winners Show, A-Space, London(Group)
Bay Views, Bay Gallery, London(Group)
Final Degree Show, Central Saint Martins MFA, London(Group)
Jamais Vu, Hackney Wicked Festival, Formans, London(Group)
The Low Down, The Foundry, London(Solo and book launch)
Catch My Drift, CSM MFA Interim Show, Bargehouse, London(Group)
Wanted, Rag Factory, London(Group)
MOTUV, 2Kolegas, Beijing(Group)
I am not a terrorist, Blue Room, London(Solo)
Summer in Soho, Blue Room, London(Group)
People Beautiful Street, Knot Gallery, Sydney(Solo)
Knot an Exhibition, Australia Council for the Arts, Sydney(Group)
Hope & Fear, Bondi Pavilion, Sydney(Curator)
Australian Asian Arts Council End of Year Show(Group)
Fishibision, Knot Gallery, Sydney(Group)
Monopoly, Performance Space, Sydney(Group)
The Delightful Chickenfish & The Dangler, Knot Gallery, Sydney(Solo)
Life Drawing Exhibition, Knot Gallery, Sydney(Group)
Australian Asian Arts Council End of Year Show(Group)
Artist residency, Surface Arts + Rumpueng Collaborative Residency, Chiang Mai
Artist residency, Largo das Artes, Rio de Janeiro
Winner, Title Art Prize, Blank Space, Manchester
Invited contributor, "Who are we writing for?" symposium, Deveron Arts, Huntly
Invited panellist, Conference for Emerging Art Organisers, Resonance FM
Published writer, Patricide Issue 1
Winner, Red Mansion Prize
Recommended student for Central Saint Martins at ELIA
Shortlisted, Vivacity grant and exhibition, Urbis, Manchester
Finalist, Alberta St Art Prize, Sydney
Selected artist, Smith Family Charity Auction, Sydney