Candice Lin, Lithium Sex Demons in the Factory
Canal Projects, New York.
September 22–December 16, 2023.
Deploying natural elements such as fire, wind, earth, and water as conceptual collaborators, Lee's multimedia performances expanded the lexicon of the 1970s' turn towards environmental aesthetics marking his practice as an early proponent of eco-art.
Celebrating his life-long preoccupation with the environment, Canal Projects will host re-enactments of two of Lee's most well-known works: Wind-Folk Amusement (1971) and Earth Performance (1989-1996). Documentation and re-enactments of his performances will contextualize Lee's practice amidst today's most pressing ecological concerns while also drawing back to the global environmental movements of the 1970s.
The show seeks to provide a wider understanding of Lee's incessant aim to disrupt mainstream ideas of art. In subverting artistic hierarchies, Lee's practice centers instead on the use of quotidian, unsuspected, and at times found objects imbuing his practice with unparalleled humor and irreverence.
Special thanks to the artist, Jungsook Lee and Gallery Hyundai.