In early July, the Simon Lee Gallery in Central held an intimate preview of the latest works by acclaimed US artist Gary Simmons, entitled Dancing in Darkness. In Simmons' distinctive style, the work explores racial, social and cultural politics using the artist's signature “erasure” drawings. Taking inspiration from racist cartoons from the 1930s and 1940s, Simmons' pieces include lighthouses and watchtowers as a metaphor for surveillance in the US: a subtle reminder of the inequality and racial injustice faced in his home country. The artist uses smudge techniques to create the effect of a memory while simultaneously conveying a feeling of loss.
The international art gallery, which currently represents over 35 artists, welcomed a bevy of guests, including William Zhao, Calvin Wang, Geoffrey Chuang, Nadia Harilela, Veronica Lam, Queenie Rosita Law, Ruth Chao and Jacqueline Chow.