Renowned sculptor Lee Kuan-yu (李光裕) is holding a solo exhibition in Singapore from Aug. 6, 2020 to June 27, 2021, featuring 16 masterpieces that almost fuse together with their surrounding flora and greenery. Titled "A Sculptor's Secret Garden," the display will be on view in domed conservatory Cloud Forest in the city-state's nature park Gardens by the Bay.
At Cloud Forest's first-ever full-scale art exhibition, visitors will have a chance to see the artist' bronze sculptures brought from his studio in Taipei, including "Thinker," "Empty Procession," "Wandering in the Misty Mountains," "Hermit," "Timeless," and "Girl on a Lotus Leaf."
"Thinker" is Lee's signature work that pays tribute to French sculptor Auguste Rodin's masterpiece of the same name, while "Empty Procession" depicts a man dancing with joy. "Wandering in the Misty Mountains" is a hand-shaped mountain with a hole at its center, "Hermit," on the other hand, is a fruitful result of the Taiwanese artist's attempt to create a self-portrait, reflecting his mental and physical state living in the mountains.
"Timeless" is Lee's another signature work with his recurring lotus theme. To Lee, the aquatic plant's life cycle is reminiscent of humans', which is the main reason the artist has constantly drawn inspiration from the flower. "Girl on a Lotus Leaf," a sculpture of a vibrant teen and a withering lotus leaf, presents the stark contrast between young and old.
Lee was born in 1954 in Taiwan. In the 1970s, young Lee immersed himself with western sculptural techniques and theories while studying at Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain.
Upon his return to Taiwan, Lee taught at the Taipei National University of the Arts and the National Taiwan University of Arts. The artist has devoted completely to the art form after retiring in 2006. His works, which embody the complex nature of Taiwanese art, have been exhibited in Asia, the United States, and Europe.
The iconic artist's installations are also on display at the Civic Boulevard in Taipei, the National University of Kaohsiung, and the Taipei Metro's National Taiwan University Hospital Station.
'A Sculptor's Secret Garden'
Date: Aug. 6, 2020 – June 27, 2021
Venue: Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Site: https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg