New Zealand/ Samoan Artist Lorene Taurerewa exhibits in Hong Kong

Chrysalid
12 June - 4 July, 2009
Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong

Brought together for the first time in Hong Kong, Amelia Johnson Contemporary presents Chrysalid, an exhibition featuring the highly distinctive works of Lorene Taurerewa, Dhruvi Acharya, Afsoon, and China de la Vega. Under the hand of each of these artists, existing objects, ideas or even emotions undergo intense transformation or metamorphose into something unexpected.

Award-winning New Zealand/Samoan artist Lorene Taurerewa’s Sensible World installation comprises small ink drawings on Duralar. Drawings of mysterious solitary figures, objects and animals are suspended from wires and randomly gathered around a central core. The fragmented narratives emerging from Taurerewa’s evoke an interior world of solitude and imagination.

Indian artist Dhruvi Acharya’s paintings focus on pollution, violence and discord of the current world. Using subtle, wry humour, the artist draws viewers into a world where thoughts are as visible as “reality”, and where the protagonists live and metamorphose by the logic of that world. Influenced by Indian miniatures, comic books and contemporary street art, Acharya’s paintings are based on her drawing books which chronicle her thoughts, observations, emotions and experiences resulting in works that are visually and psychologically layered beneath a smooth physical surface.

London based Iranian artist Afsoon’s works are drawn from two series, ‘Talismans’ and ‘Mix and Match’. Talismans come in many forms, from the lucky interview suit or pen, rabbit’s foot or a piece of paper folded seven times. The power of a talisman lies in the belief that a tangible object can have the power to do something intangible such as make someone fall in love. Afsoon’s ‘Talismans’ are collages of images of based on old love talismans which have been sewn and overlaid with lino cuts. ‘Mix and Match’ comprises minute photo etchings of individuals executed on match boxes. These small scale works are also visual puns, her individuals are either perfect love matches or mismatches.

Young Australian artist China de la Vega’s small scale sculptures are a manipulation of found objects discovered by the artist in the Barkly Region Northern Territory of Australia. Using the forgotten artifacts of contemporary culture to create poetic and often humorous objects, such as broken china that has magically resurfaced after many years or discarded and rusted cans, de la Vega’s describes her work as ‘celebrating the ultimate authority of nature’.

For more information please visit the Amelia Johnson Contemporary's website www.ajc-art.com.

Amelia Johnson Contemporary
g/f 6-10 Shin Hing Street
(off Hollywood Road)
Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2548 2286
Email: info@ajc-art.com
Website: www.ameliajohnsoncontemporary.com