In Hong Kong, the rent is really high. Only a few artist can afford the rent of studio where in downtown. Therefore, Fo Tan industrial centre s a good choice for them. It is because the rent is cheaper.
There are many different studios in 15 different industrial centres at this area. It is impossible to go every industrial centres. So that, I choose one of them to take a look. It is Wah Luen industrial centre.
Lee Chin Fai's workshop
Lee Chin Fai (Danny Lee) is a sculptor. We can also find many his work in the shopping mall. Such as, Element. There are his sculpture in the water zone.
" A tree"
The first impact of this piece is abstract. He use metal bar and rear-view mirror to form a tree. I think this is a meaningful art work. It gave me a big reflection.As I think everyone is finding many different answer in their life. Lee use rear-view mirror in his work. There should be a special meaning. Why he don't just use the simple mirror? I think it represents to look to the past. If you want to be more success, you should look back to your life and have a reflection. Also, most of the answer had already appear in the past. He use the rusted metal bars to form the structure. Rusted metal bars are represents the old things.
Also, I think this work have a sense of environment friendly. In recent years, Hong Kong government launch many plans for the infrastructure development. It damages our living environment, the landfill area become full. Also, it is a time for us to look back the urban development of Hong Kong. Is it suitable? Is it the best way of Hong Kong?
I think this art work was effected by the Chinese traditional landscape painting, Chinese ink painting. It shows the relationship between nature and the human. Just like having a conversation to the natural. Also, it shows the traditional Chinese spirit: Literati spirit. It is a big contrast to Hong Kong--- A busy city. It let me feel relax. Picking back a life attitude that I lost in the city--- A sense of silent.
As the information for the art work mentioned, Lee had tried to use different materials to do this sculpture. I think he was finding the relationship between art work and the possibility of the material. He tried timber, stone, concrete and metal. Finally, he use metal. I think the reason why he don't choose stone is that stone is present a sense of hard and the clod feelings. Furthermore, timber is hard to present the feeling of Chinese traditional landscape, can't show the sharp of mountain.
Laiyan Projects Workshop
Cornelia Erdmann is an artist , also is a entrepreneur. In her art work, she always play with aspect of light---( reflection, shadows and illumination."People"
It made by stainless steel and programmed LED lighting. It likes a paper cutting people standing on the wall. It cuts from stainless steel sheet. Its reflection of the light and shadow show on the white wall. It create an illusion of positive and negative. The scenes brought to life thought light, a second essential element of art work. It turns the simple wall in to a dynamic sense. Furthermore, the color of light will change throughout the day to the daily hustle and bustle.
It is same as the artwork set on the internal wall space in Legislative Council which is on the upper side on the electronic escalator. I think it can show the Hong Kong democracy. Hong Kong is an international city, many different nation people are living in there too. But they still can have a good cooperation with each other. Just like the art work, there many different kind of people, such as, men, women, children, elderly, different ethnicity..... Some of them are working, some of them are playing, some of them are passing time..... It shows different story of Hong Kong, also match the context of Hong Kong society.
I think it is a good example of contemporary art work connect to the architecture, functional with the human. Finally, the light create the link between the artwork the space and life.
Conversation with artists
I like your analysis of Danny Lee's sculpture. Interesting how you interpret the use of rear view mirrors and his use of material. It's too bad that you didn't write about the conversations you had with the artists. Did you have a chance to talk to Danny Lee or Cornelia Erdmann about their work? This would have added another layer to your review.
ReplyDeleteI don't have an chance to have a conversation with Danny Lee's. But I have a little talk with Cornelia Erdmann about her works.
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