Makeshift Histories

In my multiple conversations with Hsu Chia-Wei about his film-based practice, the artist elaborated at length on the political histories of Asia. These discussions, however, were devoid of pedantry; Hsu is candid about the accidents and coincidences that led to his excavations of these marginal histories. “I think as I work. I don’t usually embark on a project with comprehensive research or a defined theme,” he said to me, during a Skype call in May. While working without a preset outcome is an important part of the practices of many artists, for Hsu, who is cognizant of the caprices of authoritative histories, this approach is rooted in a determination to find unprejudiced,