Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
hearts and arrows
HEARTS AND ARROWS
Khan Lee
May 23 – July 27, 2013
Gallery Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11am-6pm
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 23, 2013, 8pm
Essay: Jenifer Papararo
“I wanted to see if the short duration of this action
in the video will compress the entire event…”
Centre A opens its new gallery in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown with an exhibition of new work by Korean-born, Vancouver-based artist Khan Lee. The exhibition hearts and arrows, takes its title from a new durational video work by Lee which depicts the process of the artist making an ice carving. Set against the stunning background of Vancouver’s city lights and working port, the artist labours from dusk to dawn to achieve the perfect form. Hearts and arrows literally refers to the intricate faceting of brilliant cut diamonds. The artist compares and contrasts the material quality of ice and diamonds. But further, in this video the artist records an alchemy- the convergence of time, space, material and labour to produce an ethereal form. Lee elaborates, “I wanted to create an all-inclusive magical moment when everything happens to appear in unison, and also reflects all daily events, localities, dramas, satisfactions, frustrations, and struggles as a person and as an artist.” The video depicts the clarity of the dawn following a dark night of labour. The mood of the piece is introspective, yet optimistic and celebratory.
Khan Lee was born in Seoul, Korea where he studied architecture at Hong-Ik University, and studied fine art at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. He is a founding member of Vancouver based artist collective ‘Intermission’ and presently a member of Instant Coffee artist collective. His experiments with form, medium, content, and expression have resulted in performance, sculpture, and media works. Lee lives and works in Vancouver BC, and has exhibited nationally, and internationally.
An exhibition brochure with an essay by Jenifer Papararo will be available at Centre A.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS at CENTRE A
Khan Lee in Conversation with Amy Kazymerchyk at Centre A
Saturday, July 20: 3pm
Free Admission
Please join us on Saturday, July 20, 2013 for a conversation with Khan Lee and Amy Kazymerchyk on Centre A’s current exhibition, hearts and arrows!
Khan and Amy’s conversation began a year ago, when they discussed projecting hearts and arrows onto a floating screen on the Saugeen River in rural Ontario. Transplanting this work to a distinct landscape, economy, and culture brought up questions about the work’s geographic and temporal specificity. One evening in early June, while tracking the coordinates of the setting sun in Crab Park, they acknowledged their mutual attentiveness, attachment, and wonder for living on this land– Coast Salish land–that we call Vancouver. Their conversation at Centre A will begin by reading a series of ‘letters’ written on their reflections, queries, observations, and concerns about the city. Their dialogue following this introduction will loop through thoughts on labour, craft, discipline, human and economic migration and displacement, perception, vision, and light.
Amy Kazymerchyk is the Curator of Audain Gallery at Simon Fraser University. Previously, she was Events + Exhibitions Coordinator at VIVO Media Arts Centre, and Director of the Signal & Noise Media Arts Festival. Since 2008 she has programmed DIM Cinema at The Cinemtheque.
Guided Visit of hearts and arrows with Centre A’s Executive Director
Saturday, June 8: 4pm
Free Admission
Please stop by the gallery on June 8th at 4pm for a general guided visit by our Executive Director, Haema Sivanesan.
Soap Diamond Cutting Workshop and Conversation with the Artist
Saturday, June 15: 2:00-5:00 pm
Free Admission
Learn how to carve clear soap into a brilliant cut diamond, with step by step instructions by the artist, Khan Lee.
All tools and supplies will be provided. Refreshments will be served during the workshop.
Limited to 20 participants. Please reserve your place by RSVP to [email protected], or call 604-683-8326 before June 12.
*Note: due to the set-up of the workshop, the video ‘hearts and arrows’ will not be available for viewing during the workshop. We apologize for the inconvenience.
PRESS COVERAGE
“The Five Best Art Shows of 2013 in Vancouver”, Curran Folkers, The SB Blog, December 19, 2013
“Khan Lee: Bringing Universality to Art”, Schema Magazine, August 14, 2013
“Khan Lee: Hearts and Arrows”, Here and Elsewhere, July 16, 2013
“Art as labour: Carving an ice diamond one chip at a time,” Kevin Griffin, Art Seen, The Vancouver Sun blog, July 3, 2013
“Khan Lee at Centre A,” Amy Fung, Akimblog, June 25, 2013
Epoch Times, Fany Qiu, June 17, 2013
“Khan Lee’s Hearts and Arrows ponders the nature of perfection,” Robin Laurence, The Georgia Straight, June 7, 2013
“Centre A launches video installation by local Asian artist,” Rachael Dudley, The Source, May 20, 2013