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.
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
李傑 ：一些有關美好生活的提議 開幕: 五月四日（星期五） 6 :30, 展期至六月十日。
Para/Site藝術空間席間雜談: 五月五日下午五時:梁志和及譚偉平與李傑對談 五月十二日下午五時:谷敏昭與李傑對談
李傑的作品是挑戰基本的繪畫、雕刻、裝置和多媒體藝術的獨特和令人注目的方式。他的作品於 不同的層面上有可閱讀及其功能，獨立抽離去了解其作品，如他所言 - 藝術品應有的本質作用。 開門見山的問題是近乎荒謬的 -「抽象繪畫能有用途嗎？」。李傑的人手繪布料作品，利用日常 的物料如窗簾、檯布或野餐毯子，運用簡約藝術風格的條紋繪印於布上。又以照片為證，展示日 常的生活中能實現願望之行為的部份記錄。在展覽場內的空間，李傑的作品能將這平凡的場合， 即時轉化成帶簡約藝術風格的繪畫、手工藝品和值得紀念的事物的場景。作品參據兩位簡約藝術 家 – 羅拔．萊曼 (Robert Ryman)及艾格絲．馬汀(Agnes Martin)，同時有新現實主義藝術家–丹 尼史．波利(Daniel Spoerri)或早期同以「食藝術(Eat Art) 」表演的藝術家如約瑟夫．博伊于斯 (Joseph Beuys)或迪特爾．羅特(Dieter Roth)發展而成。籍着運用此雙重主義論，再思考藝術作品 與日常用品的兼行性，李傑向不同的藝術類型的流派或主義宣戰，平凡的意念，同樣地能藝術能 成為有用或無用的事物。 當代的試練，以日常生活常常挑戰純藝術。他玩弄概念，指藝術能轉化成為一些比「有用途」更 多一點的事物。根據以上的議題的討論，「溝通」成為此作品的重要元素。草地上野餐、與友人 共進餐、或在酒吧暢飲等種種活動，都表現出作品的交流性比作品本身來得更重要。是次於 Para/Site 藝術空間的展覽，李傑不僅會展示他的作品，而且會建立一個交流空間--咖啡廳，好讓一 眾友人與觀眾坐下細賞及享受展覽期間的講座和活動。 李傑將與本地知名藝術家於其裝置藝術場地內舉行言討會。各藝術家將會討論繪畫的觀念、更多 細節如出現於高雅藝術和通俗藝術內的不同問題。次活動將以中文及英語同步進行。