Para/Site Art Space, G/F, 4 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong www.para-site.org.hk, info@para-site.org.hk, Tel: (+852) 25174620 Open Wednesday to Sunday 12- 6
Lee Kit - 3/4 suggestions for a better living Opening: Friday 4 May, 6:30, exhibition runs until 10 June 2007 TABLE TALKS with Lee Kit at Para/Site Art Space 5 May at 5pm: Leung Chi Wo and Lukas Tam 12 May at 5pm: Christopher Ku
Lee Kit’s works challenge the fundamentals of painting, sculpture, installation and interactive art in a unique and compelling way. His art can be read and function on multiple levels, leaving it to the individual to find out how it “works” for him and which questions it poses. An obvious starting point could be the almost paradoxical question if Abstract Painting can be useful? Lee Kit’s hand-painted fabric with minimalist patterns are utilized as everyday material such as curtains, tablecloths or picnic blankets to be then displayed along with the photographic evidence of its performative part in daily life. In the gallery space they instantaneously transform into minimalist paintings, handcrafted objects and memorabilia from these mundane occasions. The are refereeing to both Minimal icons like Robert Ryman and Agnes Martin but also New Realism artists as Daniel Spoerri or early Eat Art performances of artists like Joseph Beuys or Dieter Roth. With this dualism between artwork on the one side and everyday object on the other, Lee challenges the different genres and -isms of art as well as the common idea that art can/-not be useful. In today’s contemporary practice, everyday life often challenges pure art; he turns around and plays with the idea that art can be something even more then just useful. With all these issues open to debate, communication becomes part of the artistic process. The picnic in the grass, the meal with friends or a common bar: the communicative part of the works is as important as the actual object itself. For the exhibition 3/4 suggestions for a better living at Para/Site Art Space, the artist will therefore exhibit his works but also install a communal area: a full bar/café for his friends and visitors to enjoy accompanied by a series of events and talks. Here the visitors can experience Lee Kit’s work not only as beautiful paintings on the wall but also “in action” as tablecloth for the bar or towel for the bath. The active participation and use of the works is an essential part of them. The scheduled talks with other well established artists of the local art community take place in the installation. Here the artist will discuss the idea of painting as well as the problems of high and low art in more detailed terms. The talks will be in Chinese with simultaneous English translation.