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Art galleries and exhibitions in Hong Kong
Prague-born artist Marie Lee is a new addition to the Hong Kong art scene. Based in her home studio on the campus of Chinese University, she takes a break from creating mixed media installations to talk to Clare Morin You’re not originally from these parts.
Did your husband lure you to Hong Kong?
Yes, I came to Hong Kong with him last year. Well, we’re not married yet. I decided to change my name in anticipation of getting married … Hannigova is my maiden name; it’s too long for people to pronounce and remember.
In your Artist’s Statement you write that you want audiences to interact with your art, to wake them up from the numbness caused by computers. Why do you hate the PC?
They’re good and evil at the same time. I’m hopelessly addicted to emails, but I see a danger, especially with students, where I teach at City U School of Creative Media. They just want to get on a computer and use a few tricks, apply some filters, some colours and their design will look good. I’m trying to break people from this consuming of art. I want people to interact and somehow get involved. And think.
You looked very mysterious as you were saying that…
Well, it’s very personal. It’s partly the physical passage from the US to here, and the things that have happened; they influenced me as an artist and designer. A more obvious interpretation of passage is that as you pass through the spaces [in the gallery] you will be passing through artworks. The other interpretation is, I have these books you can interact with – these are passages also, expanded books that can also be hung as be wall pieces. I see them as having rhythm, and they become musical passages. So, yes, the title [has] multiple levels.
This is a normal, very cheap blind – as nasty as it comes. There will be four vertical blinds hanging with four different types of eyes glued to them. As you approach, you see something but you’re not sure what it is. Then you discover, when you open the blind, or walk around it, the eyes.
I get the feeling in Hong Kong of everybody looking at me. In the US or in Europe I blend in, but here I stand out. I use toy eyes that are very benign. I call it Eye Spy because I think there are things that we are surrounded by, and we think they’re good. In fact they might be getting information from us. They are watching us.
The Octopus card, especially when it’s wired to your bank account, your credit cards, home security cameras, now they have these GPS bracelets for kids. It’s worrying, how long will it be until everyone is given a bracelet? Since I come from an ex-communist country, I haven’t had a very good experience with this.
Check out Marie Lee’s exhibition until Sep 9 at Shin Hwa Gallery, G/F, 32 Aberdeen St, Central, 2803 7960; www.shinhwagallery.com
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