Representation, repetition, interpretation of cultural events and predecessors both musical and cinematic: These are consistent themes in Tim Lee’s work, albeit in consistently variable ways. He often finds absurd strategies for combining different layers of time and reality: past, present and future – original, reproduction and interpretation.

With total physical and theatrical commitment and a dose of humorous distance, he links cultural and historical events with his own biographical data. Evidencing an abundant enthusiasm for slapstick, Lee himself appears like a stand-up comedian à la Buster Keaton in his own photographs and films, linking and overlapping the most diverse of references.

Born in Korea, Tim Lee was raised and studied in Canada. Against this backdrop, the topic of identity that echoes through his work can be read differently. References abound to classic representatives of North American cultural identity from various artistic genres: Dan Graham, Steve Martin, Neil Young and the Beastie Boys. All of these question classic identity attributions in their own work. The result is a linking of early video art, slapstick comedy, 70s rock and experimental photography. Despite all the unlikely connections, he manages to build a bridge between subjective fandom and a more general cultural-historical understanding. Lee does not, however, play with references strictly in the sense of allusions and adaptations. He goes so far as to put months of effort into acquiring new skills, such as playing piano or drums. He thus surpasses producing a reproduction of existing material to posit a real equivalent for the struggle with content that takes place in the performative act.

This exhibition at the Arthur Boskamp Foundation will permit a comprehensive overview of Tim Lee’s diverse body of work from the last 9 years, such as has never before been possible in Germany. It encompasses videos, photographs and sculptures in which not only musical and cinematic but also art historical referents are clearly apparent.

curated by Katja Schroeder

This exhibition has been made possible through the kind support of the Canadian Embassy and the DAAD Artist Program, Berlin.