Exhibition dates: April 9 – May 22, 2010
Opening reception: Friday, April 9, 6 - 8 pm
Location: Gallery EXIT, G/F, 1 Shin Hing Street, Central, Hong Kong
Opening hours: Mon - Sat, 1100 -1900
Website: www.galleryexit.com

Gallery EXIT is pleased to present Gleaning, the first solo exhibition of KONG Chun Hei. The show consists of intricate drawings made with ink on paper of an old suitcase, a few photo album sheets, book covers, a window, an old TV showing static and a box of rubber shavings. These objects escape our daily imagination but are transformed into containers of significance at the moment when we allow them to be what they are.

Learning how to see precedes learning how to draw, for seeing, is an act of relaxed concentration. One beholds the object of observation and makes visible marks on a surface in order to record in a particular way what is seen. Attention is given to the unchanging materiality of an object in order to imitate its nature and present it in another way. This is done in the hopes of realizing and grasping that which has been disregarded by habit and remained unnoticed. It also applies to how we sense the substance of a thing and extends throughout the fabric of our daily living. Uncountable things and qualities lie beyond the socially defined boundaries of utility and efficiency. These are the things and qualities that KONG Chun Hei gleans arduously.

Weeks and months pass by and a drawing is completed. This mode of drawing is akin to crooning when one studies alone, while paying attention to the minute details and gathering them one after another. As a form of self training, this “enter from hand into heart to establish character” method might not produce the usual socially sanctioned behaviors, but it is indeed able to give one the motivation and grounding to live in reality.

KONG Chun Hei (b.1987) graduated top of his class with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2009 by demonstrating through his work, a disciplined concentration. He sees, he sits, he draws.

The artist will be present at the opening reception.

For more information, please contact Doris Wong at 2541 1299 or email info@galleryexit.com.