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Contemporary Art Gallery

555 Nelson Street
Vancouver, Canada
Open from Tuesday to
Sunday 12 pm → 6 pm

Admission always free
ArchiveExhibition
29 Sep 23until7 Jan 24

Lotus L. Kang

In Cascades

B.C. Binning Gallery, CAG Façade and Yaletown-Roundhouse Station

Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film.

Lotus L. Kang, In Cascades (installation view), 2023. Courtesy of Chisenhale Gallery, London. Photo: Andy Keate.

Unfolding across sculpture, installation, drawing, and photography, the practice of Lotus L. Kang takes up questions of “becoming” on expansive terms. Known for her use of unstable, continuously sensitive materials and a visual language that melds structural, organic and entropic forms, Kang’s dexterously layered works explore self and environment as contingent, continuous and inseparable.

At the Contemporary Art Gallery, Kang presents her most recent installation, In Cascades, a scaffold of industrial steel joists sheathed with lengths of unfixed photographic films. Presented in a palette of visceral hues, these films — described by the artist as “skins” — remain sensitive to their environment, developing over the course of the exhibition as they’re exposed to the light and humidity of the gallery. A series of intimate sculptures punctuate the installation, provisional, often changeable forms in arrangements that nod to processes of reproduction, exchange, inheritance, and transformation.

Alongside In Cascades, Kang will present a suite of new public-facing works on the façade of the gallery’s Nelson Street building and at nearby Yaletown-Roundhouse Station.

In Cascades is co-commissioned by Chisenhale Gallery, London, and the Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver.

Biography

Lotus L. Kang (b. 1985, Toronto) lives and works in New York. Her recent exhibitions include the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Mercer Union SPACE, Toronto; Hessel Museum of Art, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY; the 2021 New Museum Triennial, New York; SculptureCenter, New York; Remai Modern, Saskatoon; and Oakville Galleries. In 2022, Kang was the inaugural resident of Horizon Art Foundation, Los Angeles and was also in residence at Triangle Arts Association, New York. She has also been artist-in-residence at Rupert Vilnius; The Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Alberta; and Interstate Projects, Brooklyn. She holds an MFA from the Milton Avery School of the Arts at Bard College.

Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams.
A wide view of long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from the ceiling. A sculpture, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sits against a white wall in the background.⁠
Folded tatami mats are stacked against a white wall with cast aluminium objects visible between the folds of the mats.
Folded tatami mats are stacked against a white wall with cast aluminium objects, silicone and nylon visible between the mats and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial metal ceiling beams. Two sculptures, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sit on the cement floor in the background. Large windows are visible near the ceiling.
A yellow-coloured cast glass sculpture depicting three rat pups sits near the edge of the floor and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from the ceiling. Two sculptures, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sit on the cement floor.
Edge of a suspended sheet of film visible on the right of the photo, in the centre lies a partially unfolded patterned tatami mat with silver discs arranged in a curved line on its surface.
Detail view of a patterned tatami mat with one bronze and ten silver discs arranged in a curved line on its surface. The edge of a manila envelope is tucked underneath the mat.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film.
A yellow-coloured cast glass sculpture depicting a rat pup sits near the intersection of the floor and a wall.
Three fruit wrapped in green tissue sit on folded tatami mats wrapped in silicone on a concrete floor in front of suspended sheets of film.
Silver sculptures hanging in a vertical arrangement from a string are surrounded by hanging sheets of photographic film in various earth tones.
Silver sculptures hanging in a vertical arrangement from a string cast shadows on a hanging sheet of yellow photographic film.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. In the foreground silver sculptures hang in a vertical arrangement from a string.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film. A sculpture of tatami mats and cast aluminum objects sits in the background.
A brown-coloured cast glass sculpture resembling two rat pups sits near the edge of the floor and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. The edge of one sheet is visible along the side of the image.
A sculpture, made of small pieces of silver and silicone, sits on a concrete floor surrounded by large sheets of suspended photographic film that curl at the ends.
A sculpture, made of small pieces of silver and silicone, sits on a concrete floor casting a reflection on the bottom edge of a large sheet of suspended photographic film.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. On the floor near the back of the room sits an unfolded tatami mat with cast aluminium sculptures laying flat over it.
Two silver discs depicting lotus roots are perched inside of an industrial steel beam with silicone wrapping one side.
A copper sheet of film is suspended from the ceiling. On the floor sits an unfolded tatami mat with cast aluminium sculptures laying flat over it. Sunlight from the window is refracted on the white wall behind both sculptures.
Detail of cast aluminium cabbage sculptures sitting on a flat tatami mat.
A small gold sculpture resembling a lotus root is wedged between a cement wall and white drywall.
"CAG’s façade with Lotus L. Kang's Synapse across eight street-facing windows. The artworks are photograms, each depicting nylon produce bags against backgrounds of various neon colours. "
"A pair of windows featuring a pair of photograms depicting nylon mesh produce bags against neon orange backgrounds."
Three windows featuring three photograms depicting nylon mesh produce bags against neon photographic paper. From left to right the photograms colours' vary from orange to pink and red.
"CAG’s entrance doors. Windows on either side feature photograms depicting nylon produce bags stretched against photographic paper in tones of pink and red."
"A pair of windows featuring a pair of photograms depicting nylon produce bags in neon pink and red colours. "
"A frontal view of a SkyTrain station with three photograms in its windows depicting mesh nylon bags against neon photographic paper. The left photogram resembles an orange X. The centre is red and pink. The right photogram is green and yellow "
A diagonal view of a SkyTrain station with four photograms in its windows, each depicting various forms of nylon mesh bags against neon photographic paper.
A frontal view of a SkyTrain station with one photogram in its window. The photogram depicts a yellow nylon produce bag against dark photographic paper.

Documents

Large print exhibition materialpdf438kbProgram guidepdf6mbExhibition materialpdf305kb

Talks & Events

Edge of a suspended sheet of film visible on the left of the photo, in a white room in front of a partially unfolded patterned tatami mat with silver discs arranged in a curved line on its surface.EventOpening ReceptionFall 2023
28 Sep 23·7:00 PMuntil9:00 PM
A close-up photo of a Senegalese woman facing the camera with a neutral expression.EventCuratorial Tourwith Godfre Leung
10 Oct 23·6:00 PM
A portrait of Coco ZhouEventSaturday SessionCoco Zhou on Lotus L. Kang
21 Oct 23·12:00 PM
EventTalkAstrida Neimanis, "Holdfast (Learning Feeling)"
24 Oct 23·7:00 PM
Lotus L. Kang, In Cascades (installation view), 2023. Photo: Rachel Topham Photography.EventCuratorial Tourwith Matthew Hyland
7 Nov 23·6:00 PM

Publications & Editions

PublicationLotus L. Kang$55.00
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams.
A wide view of long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from the ceiling. A sculpture, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sits against a white wall in the background.⁠
Folded tatami mats are stacked against a white wall with cast aluminium objects visible between the folds of the mats.
Folded tatami mats are stacked against a white wall with cast aluminium objects, silicone and nylon visible between the mats and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial metal ceiling beams. Two sculptures, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sit on the cement floor in the background. Large windows are visible near the ceiling.
A yellow-coloured cast glass sculpture depicting three rat pups sits near the edge of the floor and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from the ceiling. Two sculptures, made of tatami mats and cast aluminium objects, sit on the cement floor.
Edge of a suspended sheet of film visible on the right of the photo, in the centre lies a partially unfolded patterned tatami mat with silver discs arranged in a curved line on its surface.
Detail view of a patterned tatami mat with one bronze and ten silver discs arranged in a curved line on its surface. The edge of a manila envelope is tucked underneath the mat.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film.
A yellow-coloured cast glass sculpture depicting a rat pup sits near the intersection of the floor and a wall.
Three fruit wrapped in green tissue sit on folded tatami mats wrapped in silicone on a concrete floor in front of suspended sheets of film.
Silver sculptures hanging in a vertical arrangement from a string are surrounded by hanging sheets of photographic film in various earth tones.
Silver sculptures hanging in a vertical arrangement from a string cast shadows on a hanging sheet of yellow photographic film.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. In the foreground silver sculptures hang in a vertical arrangement from a string.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours suspended from metal ceiling beams. A small box supporting three fruit is visible between two perpendicular sheets of film. A sculpture of tatami mats and cast aluminum objects sits in the background.
A brown-coloured cast glass sculpture resembling two rat pups sits near the edge of the floor and the wall.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. The edge of one sheet is visible along the side of the image.
A sculpture, made of small pieces of silver and silicone, sits on a concrete floor surrounded by large sheets of suspended photographic film that curl at the ends.
A sculpture, made of small pieces of silver and silicone, sits on a concrete floor casting a reflection on the bottom edge of a large sheet of suspended photographic film.
Long earth tone sheets of film of various colours are suspended from industrial steel ceiling beams. On the floor near the back of the room sits an unfolded tatami mat with cast aluminium sculptures laying flat over it.
Two silver discs depicting lotus roots are perched inside of an industrial steel beam with silicone wrapping one side.
A copper sheet of film is suspended from the ceiling. On the floor sits an unfolded tatami mat with cast aluminium sculptures laying flat over it. Sunlight from the window is refracted on the white wall behind both sculptures.
Detail of cast aluminium cabbage sculptures sitting on a flat tatami mat.
A small gold sculpture resembling a lotus root is wedged between a cement wall and white drywall.
"CAG’s façade with Lotus L. Kang's Synapse across eight street-facing windows. The artworks are photograms, each depicting nylon produce bags against backgrounds of various neon colours. "
"A pair of windows featuring a pair of photograms depicting nylon mesh produce bags against neon orange backgrounds."
Three windows featuring three photograms depicting nylon mesh produce bags against neon photographic paper. From left to right the photograms colours' vary from orange to pink and red.
"CAG’s entrance doors. Windows on either side feature photograms depicting nylon produce bags stretched against photographic paper in tones of pink and red."
"A pair of windows featuring a pair of photograms depicting nylon produce bags in neon pink and red colours. "
"A frontal view of a SkyTrain station with three photograms in its windows depicting mesh nylon bags against neon photographic paper. The left photogram resembles an orange X. The centre is red and pink. The right photogram is green and yellow "
A diagonal view of a SkyTrain station with four photograms in its windows, each depicting various forms of nylon mesh bags against neon photographic paper.
A frontal view of a SkyTrain station with one photogram in its window. The photogram depicts a yellow nylon produce bag against dark photographic paper.