Lee Kit

Lee Kit (born 1978) is a contemporary artist who currently lives and works in Hong Kong and Taipei. Lee's practice spans a broad range of media including painting, drawing, video, and installation. Best known for his works with hand-painted cloth, Lee’s works often focus on quotidian and ready-made objects that address ordinary daily rituals. He won the Art Futures Award in the Hong Kong Art Fair in 2012. Lee was selected as the representative artist for Hong Kong's participation at the Venice Biennale, the 55th International Art Exhibition, in 2013.

Lee Kit was born in Hong Kong and graduated with a BA in Fine Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2003. He then went on to study the MFA programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2006–2008.

He is best known of his hand-painted cloth with works such as Sunday afternoon: Picnic with friends and hand-painted cloth at Yung Shu O, Sai Kung (2003), Hand-painted cloth used to cleaning window (2008) and My pillow seems like a bed, a pillow seems like my bed (2008). His latest series feature cardboard paintings and ready-made objects such as the karaoke lounge of Someone Singing and Calling Your Name (2009), Henry (Have you ever been this low?) (2011) and 'Every breath you take.' (2012). Other objects from his studio also figure into his installations. A desk, which he had scratched a hole into, appeared in his installation Scratching the table surface (2006–2010), which was part of "The Ungovernables" (New Museum, New York, 2012). Lee has an obsession with skin care products and logos; and these brands were featured in many of his cardboard paintings such as his favourite Nivea hand cream in Someone Singing and Calling Your Name (2009), Johnson’s (Mild and) (2010) and Pears (2011).

In 2007–2008, Lee was invited to the Bolton Street Cottage Artist-in-residence programme in Wellington, New Zealand.

In 2011, Lee's work was premiered in New York at Lombard Freid Gallery, with his solo exhibition 1, 2, 3, 4....

In 2012, Lee was awarded "ART FUTURES Prize" for his project Something in My Hands in Hong Kong Art Fair 2012.

Lee has participated in group exhibitions across the world including in leading museums, such as "The Ungovernables" in The New Museum, New York (2012); "No Soul For Sale" in Tate Modern (2010); "Print/Out" in The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2012) and "What should I do to live in your life?" in Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE (2012).

During his studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lee has already participated in a solo exhibition 'Painting Furniture' in Fo Tan. Despite working in many media – painting, video, sculpture, installations and performance-like social situations – his works are highly recognisable, often using a subtle pastel colour palette and reflecting on aspects of daily life.

Lee has been selected as the representative artist for Hong Kong's participation at the 55th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2013.

Lee's recent solo exhibitions include: 'How are things on the West Coast? (2014), Lombard Freid Gallery, NY; Something in my hands presented by Aike-Dellarco Gallery at ART HK 12 where he won the ART FUTURES prize (2012); Every breath you take. in Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai (2012); House M in The Pavilion, Beijing (2012); 'How to set up a room for Johnny?' presented by Osage Gallery as the first Hong Kong artist in Art Statements at Art Basel (2011); and Henry (Have you ever been this low?) at Western Front, Vancouver (2011).