Dossier’s Diorama-tic Diffractions

Colour is life; for a world without colours appears to us as dead.
— Johannes Itten(1)

2 years after Ivan Lam: after all these years…, we welcome a Panorama of idyllic images. The dictionary definition of Panorama reads as, “An unbroken view of surrounding region, picture or photograph containing wide view.(2) In Ivan Lam’s hands, the aforesaid is elevated to a more complex and sophisticated level.

In a way, Ivan says that Panorama was something which he always wanted to do. Prodding and poking into his artistic mind provided a richer and deeper inquiry into the processes, concerns and subjects closest to his heart, so much so that, it invoked a rush of recollections from this talented artist. A plunge into the depths of his memory gave interesting methodologies and a deeper insight into the subjects of concern. From his printmaking days, Ivan has redirected his energies to the realm of painting. What we see today, is an extension from the contextual and conceptual ideas initiated in 2005. Earlier subject matter or themes featured in Ivan Lam, after all these years..., came in the form of love or star-crossed lovers. Images seen then, were akin to looking at distilled pictures derived from romantic movies. In the coming exhibition, Ivan invites the audience to look deeper, reminiscing familiar settings and scenes. We feel an acquaintance to the nostalgic, where images are even more personalized as compared to the somewhat linked imagery with a sense of unification as seen in the previous solo exhibition. This time round, the sensitive observer may notice the standardized works of art in shape and size.

These days, popular culture reinvents and configures traditional coffee shops into chic cafes, re-enacting the acquired taste in an ultra-modern setting. With localized flavours making a comeback, albeit through new presentations, how do we perceive Ivan’s work? Are we perchance transported back in time to the era of our forefathers, experiencing an atmosphere and mood of peace and serenity? Ivan’s penchant for the past, to remind us of memories in hand-picked images, vigorously selected and straddled in the present bestows upon us the best of both worlds. The artist also suggests that the timeline eluding from the paintings may be due to the tonal values and colours layered onto the paintings. Derived from a personal visual language, his narration and influences by contemporary issues and popular icons has progressed into a vista of evocative scenes. Progressively, Ivan has developed and pushed his ideas further. There is nothing neither beautific nor quixotic in the scenes. Rather the current showcase marks specific moments we may all share or experience. Such portrayals are illustrated by means of reinventing painting based on meticulous application of a spectrum of colours. As a continuation of this genre of painting, Ivan has ventured beyond the confines of experimentation. With subject matter closer to his heart, the new found confidence and familiarity of medium resulted in a diorama-like setting of pictures with maturity in abundance. I shall discuss about his colours and processes later in this essay but Ivan himself acceded to a new found self-assurance in the application of polymer synthetic paint.

Highly disciplined, the artist spent the previous 2 years developing his conceptual and contextual framework. He attempted to portray visuals in a way that conveyed his intentions and the way he wanted to see it. Trained as a designer, I am assertive of Ivan’s understanding towards Marshall McLuhan’s seminal work, ‘The Medium is the Message’.

“McLuhan warns us that we are often distracted by the content of a medium (which, in almost all cases, is another distinct medium in itself.) He writes, "it is only too typical that the "content" of any medium blinds us to the character of the medium." (McLuhan 9) And it is the character of the medium that is its potency or effect - its message. In other words, "This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium - that is, of any extension of ourselves - result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology."(3)

The process, hence, became an important configuration in the final product. Ivan acquiesced to the whole process (preparatory to actual painting) being highly critical to the outcome of the art works. He recalls thinking that it would be an easier transition to Panorama with Ivan Lam: after all these years. The laborious process still marked the need to maintain a high level of consistency. Indeed, he had to move beyond a similar framework of layering paint. Already inclined towards the texture and fabric of material qualities, Ivan pushed the paint boundaries to exceed expectations. Such is his control of layering, stroke and modulation, and a daily painting routine led to new discoveries. Colours are thus utilized in less imagined or conventional principles as compared to previously.

Ivan was also keen to reiterate that not many more of such lyrical paintings would be produced. The reason he said is his inclination to move away from his comfort zone, having exerted his efforts in this direction for a while now. Due to his familiarity with certain mediums, he has even ‘reinvented’ certain methods. From printmaking to polymer painting, the artist has merged certain techniques and methods into his own peculiar comportment. The artist said that ‘print’ is always innate to him. An instantaneous outcome of print (with its consuming preparatory work) is totally different from painting. Consequently, the tediousness and protracted process of painting resulted in a slow output of 1 painting every 2 months.

His strong foundation in Western Art History enabled Ivan to refer to and apply different methodologies into his own work. Renaissance (skin tones) and Pop Art (graphic elements) were important influences on the artist. While Impressionism and Post-Impressionism offered lessons on vague colour impressions. All things fast, past, shiny and glittery is not gold is a chiaroscuro exemplary on Caravaggio on the artist. Ivan’s inclination to history facilitated his references to different topics and subject matter. I enquired in regards to his orientation with Johannes Itten and Piet Mondrian, 2 iconic figures of art.(4) Ivan replied with his fascination of their processes. In fact, he went one step further, reflecting on such influential figures in art history which has given new meaning to art works produced today. His view of art history in a contemporary context is indeed refreshing. How do you describe photo realists or colourists today, questions Ivan. Such pertinent issues are what make this artist reflect on his position as a contemporary artist. He says:

”Contemporary art today, includes everything and excludes nothing. Everyone have a voice. This is a great time to be an artist (postmodern era). The usage of colours is less restricted and stringent. I try to look at things differently, or be sensitive to what’s going on. How do I see myself in the scene, be it groups of people or localities? I want to be different, to have an Ivan Lam signature. Like a trademark and ability to be myself and not someone else.”

At the end of the day, Ivan wants to be known as a painter. He looks up to artists who dedicated their lives to painting, like Lucian Freud, Morandi, Monet and Manet. He is extremely disciplined in his studio practice, be it preparatory work or actual painting. From taking photographs to sketching and visualization, Ivan develops and refines his images until the very last touches of paint on canvas. Even though he knows what he wants to do, 70% of the work can be modified says the artist. as he is not too rigid in doing things in a singular trajectory.

So, how many layers of paint are on a painting? Ivan replied that there is a contour on the surface, sort of like a concave and convex. It depended on the composition, as well as the layers needed in each area of the painting. It can be as thick as 7 to 8 layers to get the right tone. He also has a rhythm of painting, left to right and top to bottom (the reading of the paintings may perchance be similar to Chinese ink paintings). As a whole, Ivan related to the paintings as distilled layers of paint. The artist credited Nippon paint’s product consistency that allowed him to push the material further and he was humbled by his visit to the Nippon paint factory, witnessing the effort poured into the development of thousands of colours. How different was synthetic polymer paint to acrylic or oil? Ivan felt that the pigment was thinner. He started by using it as a primer. Why not use it on the surface, thought the artist. The ready availability of pre-mix colours ensured consistency in quantity. Also, the plasticity of the medium withstood any concern of cracks (if applied thinly). This is a ‘boy’ who has discovered a new ‘toy’ and is not afraid to get his hands dirty playing with it.

Coming to the current exhibition, Panorama, Ivan looked beyond the square or rectangle of a canvas frame. He formatted our visual optics to 170 degrees from the natural 120, unlike distilled movie frames. The discerning Ivan Lam follower would notice that this is the first time the artist is adhering to such a guideline. Such a regulation also impinged on the choice of subject matter. In Ivan Lam: after all these years, the artist created a ‘Preview’ piece as a visual promise to viewers and collectors of what is to come in 2 years time. Ivan reminisces that it was an idealistic thought then as 2 years is a long time, where many things may occur. The artist concurs that the ‘Preview’ piece brought along a baggage of memories and emotions, going back to the mentality and concerns of the day. He says that there will not be any more preview pieces, as he will not revisit this experience as time distilled again. Ivan completes the second half of the ‘Preview’ piece in this sequel showcase. In fact, the artist has produced 2 such diptyches in this sequel, with the other being 3 Buses. Notably, his ‘earlier’ painting of the Three Buses received a final bid of  HKD120,000 three times the higher estimate from Christie’s Hong Kong Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art May 2008 auction.

It is an open ended beginning to the coming exhibition. Beginning with Ivan Lam: after all these years and Panorama as the sequel, Ivan considers himself a novice who is learning to paint seriously. He is taking Panorama as an impetus to the next course of action. Although the 3rd show may come as a sharp break from the 1st and 2nd, he considers the former two as learning stages. Without them, there will not be a 3rd, though the last may stand alone. Ivan is bent on bringing the platform to the viewer. No longer looking back to the past, it is now your place and your interaction.

(1) Janet Lynn Ford, “Itten’s Colour Contrasts” 22 July 2009 <www.worqx.com/color/itten.htm>

(2) Maurice White, ed. The Little Oxford Dictionary 7th edition, United States: Oxford University Press, 1994, p. 456.

(3) Mark Federman, “What is the Meaning of the Medium is the Message?” 23 July 2009 <http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm>

(4) Johannes Itten was a master at the Bauhaus School in Germany, In the course of teaching; Itten published the highly acclaimed The Art of Color, which is still being used today. Mondrian was involved with De Stijl art movement, as well as an influence on abstract geometry painting.