A Portrait of Lee Ka-sing as a Gallerist
(POLAROID, 4x5 inch, black and white, 2003)
We started from scratch—a fact well-known among many friends in Hong Kong. Over time, the projects we undertook and the initiatives we started unfolded naturally, evolving into a more coherent development. However, when we relocated to a new place, the circumstances were vastly different. People were unfamiliar with our history, and it was impossible to wear multiple hats simultaneously.
In my first ten years in Toronto, I primarily presented myself as a gallerist. Alongside this role, I continued creating new works and exhibiting in Hong Kong and other cities. For instance, in 2000, my photography series “Hong Kong Arts Policy and Strategy at the Turn of the Century” was exhibited at Mizuma Gallery in Tokyo (a series now part of the M+ Museum collection). In 2004, the Foodscape project, a collaboration with Yesi, culminated in a large-scale exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. In 2005, my De ci de là des choses series was featured in a duo solo exhibition with Yesi in southern France.
In 2003, Holly took two portraits of me at different times, coincidentally capturing two distinct identities. This portrait, taken at the gallery in the Candy Factory Lofts, was shot for gallery-related promotional purposes. At the time, the gallery was exhibiting Doll Mouth, a photographic series by our represented artist Diana Thorneycroft.
By 2008, although the gallery continued to operate, we ceased representing other artists entirely. Holly and I returned to being creators—an artist and a writer. A decade later, in 2018, the gallery closed permanently. Since then, our focus has shifted to archiving our own works and documenting art-related activities from the past 50 years. We have also established ourselves as alternative publishers.
[李家昇肖像，作為一個畫廊策劃人]
我們是由零開始，這是在香港的很多朋友都知道的事情。所以後來發展開來，我們所做的不同事情或計劃，大家都不難理解，因為經過歲月，它有著一個較完整的發展脈絡。但是當我們移居異地，那個情況就很不相同，你不能夠一下之間，頭上就戴那麼多頂帽子。我的第一個十年在多倫多，基本上都是以一個畫廊策劃人的身分對外。雖然在另一邊，我仍頻有在香港或其他地區做新作的展覽。例如 2000年在東京Mizuma畫廊展出的 《在世紀末的香港藝術政策及策略》(Hong Kong Arts Policy and Strategy at the Turn of the Century)(該組攝影作品今已為M+美術館收藏)，2004年在香港文化博物館的 Foodscape，及2005年在法國南部與也斯共同的展覽De ci de là des choses 系列等。楚喬在2003年，在不同時間拍了兩幅我的肖像，恰巧分別拍下了兩個不同的身份。這幀肖像，楚喬是為畫廊的對外使用而拍。畫廊當時正在展出我們所代理的攝影師 Diana Thorneycroft「娃娃咀」(Doll Mouth)系列照片。直至2008年，畫廊雖然繼續營運，但我們已完全不再代理其他藝術家，回到作為一個創作人的身份。再推後另一個十年，2018年畫廊完全停運，集中整理我們私下的東西，以及以一個另類出版人自居。