The Apology Embassy
"This is the fictional space of the apology workshop, where audiences are invited to explore with the artist regarding the crisis that is the state of our apologies today..."
The Apology Embassy (2017-) is an ongoing series of lecture-performances and participatory workshops, predicated around the fictional institute of The Apology Embassy, a research facility that works with the public sector and individuals to produce well-crafted, sincere, and sophisticated apologies.
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Each lecture-performance and workshops explores the notion of the apology, strategies for its effective performance, as well as its uses in managing relationships. The Apology Embassy takes various world issues as a starting point, such as the 2017 US election and the failure of the Chinese Social Project, in its various video tutorials, workshops, and other educational activities.
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To explore the various projects within the series, see below.
The Apology Workshop (2017)
The Apology Workshop is an interactive workshop aimed at teaching its participants the processes involved in crafting effective apologies. It uses a range of teaching methods, including worksheets and roundtable discussions, encouraging participants to create effective apologies.
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The Apology Workshop was first performed as part of Americans 2017, LUMA Foundation, Zurich.
Read more here.
Ritual for an Apology (For Singaporeans, US election version) (2017)
This work was first performed at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore, as a Singapore Biennale Affiliate Project. The work takes the form of a tutorial, where the artist proposes a model speech that concerned Singaporeans can perform to Americans in the lead up to the 2017 US Presidential election, in order to persuade America to save itself from itself.
Read more here.
The Apology Embassy (2017)
The Apology Embassy consists of a video, A Tour of the Apology Embassy, where viewers are introduced to the eponymous fictional institute. The video follows the 24 hours in the work time of an unknown ambassador. Her job is to issue apologies daily. Each apology aims at the clarification, and the defense of an idea. They are expressed with the hope for universal camaraderie, and to facilitate dialogue and reconciliation.
Read more here.