journey of a yellow man *lifeboat* northern exposure British Premiere
Lee Wen is most popularly associated with his yellow man persona. In his series 'Journey of a yellow man' Lee appears as the yellow man wandering into different environments, traversing different countries and testing shifting contexts. Lee typically develops his performances in series, (examples of which include 'Ghost Stories' and 'Neo-Baba') questioning the relatively conservative assumptions about art and attempting to combine Southeast Asian contexts with international currents in contemporary art. For new territories (NRLA), Lee proposes to arrive as the yellow man with his 'lifeboat' and test the grounds in a northern exposure.
Lee Wen's performances and installations often expose and question the ideologies and value systems of individuals as well as social structures. Lee entered the art scene comparatively late in the 1980s, but quickly gained attention. His early practice was associated with Artists Village in Singapore and later he forged a more independent artistic career. Born in Singapore, Lee now lives and works between Singapore and Tokyo. He has also performed and exhibited in Thailand, Britain, India, Poland, Pakistan, Germany, Canada and Mexico. Since 1999 Lee has also worked with Black Market International.