Visual Arts

Hong Kong—Pearl Lam Galleries is delighted to presentAccidents [Part 1],the first of a two-part group
exhibition at the Pedder Building gallery, featuring artwork by five artists: Ren Ri (b. 1984), An Zongde
(b. 1957), Carlos Rolón (b. 1970), Su Xiaobai (b. 1949), and Kim Tschang-Yeul (b. 1929).
Accidents examines the margins of meaning or 意 and investigates the potentials that lie beyond the
original intention of the artist. The making of art often relies on the creator to remain faithful to a
predetermined production process in the hope that it would result in something meaningful in the end.
This exhibition deviates from such a set narrative and focuses on bringing out the subconscious and
imaginary aspects of art. It questions to what extent is the artist conscious of his original intention. Can
an art object be the inevitable outcome of a series of uncontrollable and unforeseen accidents that not
only exist in their own right, but also gaze back at the author, asking him/her squarely how the piece is
made in the first place? Such a relational reading downplays the importance of authorship and shifts
focus towards the viewers and their active participation, giving art its meaning.
In this exhibition, five artists from different generations and cultural backgrounds experiment with
different materials and mediums to reveal the relational aspects of art. Accidents celebrates the
autonomous and alchemic qualities of artistic practice; a series of accidents turns into an alternative
reality not bound by any specific cultural or political circumstances. Using nature as a reference, these
artists incorporate natural phenomena into their practices and surrender control to a far greater force.
They translate what is inherently idealistic into something artificial by situating viewers in an ambiguous
space. Preoccupied with the unpredictable properties of different materials, they are all interested in the
possibilities of automatism, working laboriously with non-figurative means of expression to reflect on
what is left by our conspicuous daily consumption. In short, their common ulterior motive is to convey
higher spiritual ideals (意境) through their art to deepen our metaphysical understanding with society
at large.
Ren Ri works in the unique medium of beeswax, creating, in collaboration with the insects, mesmerizing
sculptures that document his intimate experience with bees as both an artist and a beekeeper. He
manipulates the movement of bees and the formation of honeycombs to create metaphysical and
hybrid sculptures, which investigate the force of nature and consequences of human intervention. Ren
states, “The duality of interactions between the human body and the bees is not simply in the physical
sense; more importantly, it hints at an interrelated force and its counterforce.”
The objects of An Zongde’s Le Temps series of works are worn and faded through a process of
weathering, revealing the temporal nature of worldly matter. The communication between time and
substance creates a projection of an idea, with scenery that is beyond logic and expectations. The artist
follows the philosophy of “always finding materials by chance” and seeks art in nature and in daily life.
Through the beautiful passage of nature and intervention of everyday objects, the artist intends to
capture the coexistence of nature and civilization.
Born to a Puerto Rican family and raised in Chicago,Carlos Rolón bore witness to how first-generation
immigrants adapted to new American middle-class lifestyles. These families brought the diaspora into
the homes by decorating walls and furniture with exotic colours, textures and patterns to create a sense
of identity, comfort and, ultimately, an aspirational lifestyle. It is from here that Rolón’s present
characteristic incorporation of custom culture, faux luxury and excessiveness in his art originate.
Su Xiaobai has developed a sensuous yet rigorous art that defies classification, and yet whose own
chosen medium, lacquer, is steeped in Chinese history. His works are mystical, defiantly sculptural while
exquisitely painted. Su’s gently curved paintings are an exploration into the cosmic and the meditative;
they serve as portals into a complex subjectivity. Rather than depict other objects, his art engages with
the idea of being itself. Su invites the audience into a sublime unconsciousness where pigments and
skeins of resin form the ground for contemplation.
Kim Tschang-Yeul’s“water drop” paintings incorporate elements of photorealism and abstract
expressionism, straddling an ambiguous space between abstraction and reality. For Kim, water is the
origin of all things. Kim believes that water and water drops exist anywhere around us, including in space
and time, but are also vulnerable and exposed to an infinite emptiness. Over the decades, we see the
water drops become a path through which Kim searches for an infinite revelation.