Justin Lee's 8th solo exhibition Show

I was very happy to pop by Art Seasons Gallery to view Justin Lee’s Solo Exhibition “Ten Years of Art and Craft”. Based on Justin’s memories of his late grandfather’s photography works, his trip to China, the city of Beijing, and his recent residency in Fukuoka-Japan, the exhibition features his most recent paintings and his performance art. For the past ten years, from paintings to sculptures, from installations to performance art, Justin’s art practise talks about his self-reflection as an artist, as well as a human being. His witty, thoughtful work blends traditional Eastern imagery and techniques with twenty-first-century consumerism and Western icons.

The feeling I get as I walked around, is this bits of playfulness and fragments of memories that remains as the world changes. Items of yesteryears, representing a younger Justin as various age & experiences.

Justin Lee's 8th solo exhibition Show

Also there are icons. For example, a large painting of Princess Diana – for she is the de facto representation of “Princess” for Justin and many others growing up.

Justin Lee's 8th solo exhibition Show

I asked Justin “Ten Years of Art & Craft…so is this a retrospective?”
Justin smiled & replied without pausing “NO, I don’t need or plan for a retrospective. Why look back when one should constantly move forward.”
“Most people would want to reflect on what they done.” I suggested
Justin “My focus is on creating, having to create new things. Moving on, to be better.”
“You don’t hope to define and show others about YOU? About “Justin Lee?” I try to dig deeper.
Justin replied “It’s up to others to define who or what I am about. I need not define it for them, those that are aligned with my thinking would know exactly what I wants to represent. I can’t force people to see exactly what I see. I don’t need to define myself to let other remember me by a certain image.”

This short chat with Justin, provided me a simple crystalised outlook of this showcase. Memories hold unique meaning to each individual, it’s best to let each person to define the meanings. That is what make life colourful.

Justin Lee's 8th solo exhibition Show

Justin wishes all our readers a great year ahead~

About the Artist:

Justin Lee (b. 1963) graduated from University of Huddersfield in UK,

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with a B.A. degree in Fine Arts in 2006, and

College of the Arts from Lasalle-SIA with a Diploma in Fine Art in 1999. He

has held numerous exhibitions, represented Singapore at the Venice Biennale

and been commissioned by commercial clients, the Esplanade and the Singapore

Art Museum.

Justin Lee's 8th solo exhibition Show

Exhibition Date: 29 Nov 2012 – 12 Jan 2013

Venue: Art Seasons

1 Selegie Road #02-21/24 PoMo

Singapore 188306

Tel: 6741 6366

Gallery Hours: Mondays to Saturday from 11am – 7pm

Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

View more photos of “Ten Years of Art and Craft – Justin Lee” at our Flickr album.