Sticky
Encounters
Sticky
Encounters

Over three days, Mai Ling will reflect on the transdisciplinary processes that shape our collective and focus on ‘nourishing’ practices to explore more deeply with the Transarts group. Continuing our practice-based research as an Asian diaspora collective on the notion of ‘stickness’ as a survival strategy, we will engage in eating, moving, and reading activities that overlap artistic and everyday processes of nourishment, maintenance, reproductive labour. Starting with texts from our Mai Ling Reads, we will explore the connections between theory and practice through food, movement, and publication. 
 
In dialogue with the Transarts group, Mai Ling will unpack our collaborative artistic methodologies that centre intersectional, community-engaged activities, towards a new publication that documents our workshop gatherings. Please note, there will be activities with light physical exercises – all abilities are welcome. We will also be sharing, preparing, and eating meals together – if there are any dietary restrictions, please let us know.

Mai Ling, founded in Vienna in 2019, is an anonymous artist collective and association committed to fostering dialogues on racism, sexism, homophobia, and prejudice with a focus on FLINTA (women, lesbian, inter, non-binary, trans, and agender) of Asian descent diaspora and migrants.

The collective name, Mai Ling, refers to an eponymous German television sketch from 1979 that showcases sexist and racial stereotypes against Asian women, which are still embedded in German-speaking society. Challenging the Western heteropatriarchal gaze and racist fantasies that keep reproducing stereotypes about “Asia,” the collective amplifies multi-layered voices to reclaim agency through collective resistance and pleasure. Mai Ling engages in various forms of artistic practice and activism, including videos, audio installations, cooking performances, community gatherings, public interventions, and protests.