Opening Reception:
Dec 4th 2008 6 - 9 pm
Works on Paper
Royals vs. Robots features works by Connecticut Artist Suzanne Benton and New York Artist Ray T. Lam.
The show focuses on the juxtaposition of Bentons classical approach to unique, hand-crafted Monoprints of transcultural imagery, and pits them against Lams use of technology, mass production and iconic data in his prints and tee shirts.
It becomes a perfect metaphor for this time and place in Hong Kongs Contemporary society and in the rapidly changing world.
Is there more to this battle than meets the eye? As the ruling society is becoming more mechanized, and the world seems to be on the verge of financial ruin, will the machines rule? Should they?
Suzanne Benton is often described as a transculturalist whose work extends from New York City to remote parts of Africa and India, which includes her fascination with images of Royals. Widely exhibited with over 250 solo shows and representation in museums and private collections worldwide, Benton Believes that the purpose of art is to explore humanity and that art comes alive as it relates to people's lives.
“My art draws upon multicultural themes and engages the participation of others. As a printmaker, I create monoprints (one-of-a-kind prints) using the collage technique, Chine colle (Chinese glued). The collage papers are hand-made, pre-inked and hand-painted. My dimensional printing plates create a rich texture onto the prints. “
Page two royals vs. robots
The images and collage papers are placed on the plate where they fuse to the printmaking paper, as the plate and paper roll through the etching press, creating an inextricable bond of art and surface.
Ray Lam celebrates his second showing in 2008 with the New Art Lab gallery and introduces his new space oddity pieces. His work is primarily Digitally Generated giclee prints, in inks of many colors on paper, as well as his wearable art on tee-shirts.
Mr. Lam feels that art should be enjoyed not only on walls in homes and offices, but that our clothes on our bodies can be a billboard of thoughts and controversy.
Controversy isn't any nuisance to Mr. Lam, Having worked in many exceptional fields. His free spirit flows wild in these pieces that thrill the techy and computer world fans, thriving on digital information. “There is often a satirical message about technology, politics and everyday life in every one of my pieces”.
When sent to the mid-west to live and work in the family run food business, Lam, an American born Chinese, was finding the idea of peeling shrimp too confining. His creative energy deviated him from the families interests, and he started to take the shrimp shells and create mosaics and images out of them.
The family recognizing his abilities, packed him up and sent him back to New York, where young Ray Lam spent his developing years. His work reflects his own inner symbolism, complication, and his cartoon like characters, some influenced from his 5 year old daughter, are all fused with his deep passion for all things electronic and high tech, and expressed in his own language of Iconic Imagery.
