Kang Seung Lee, a South Korean multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, is making waves with his first solo exhibition in Brazil, "Video Room: Kang Seung Lee," currently on display at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) until October 27. The exhibition has garnered significant attention for its rich exploration of queer history and its challenge to the erasure of LGBTQIA+ narratives from art and history.

At the heart of the exhibition is the work Lazarus (2023), a deeply collaborative piece involving choreographer Daeun Jung and performer Nathan Mercury Kim. The piece serves as a tribute to two prominent queer figures: Goh Choo San, a Singaporean-born choreographer, and José Leonilson, a Brazilian conceptual artist. Through this tribute, Lee aims to bridge the lives and legacies of these two artists who, despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, share a connection through their untimely deaths and the lasting impact they left on the queer community.

One of the most striking aspects of the exhibition is its reinterpretation of Leonilson’s work Lázaro (1993). Created as a symbol of vulnerability, love, and fear of death, Lee reimagines this piece using sambe, a hemp fabric traditionally used in Korean funeral garments. This symbolic material not only highlights the traditional Korean reverence for the dead but also imbues the piece with a deeper layer of commentary on the historical erasure of queer lives, particularly those lost to the AIDS epidemic. Lee’s use of sambe evokes a powerful sense of mourning and remembrance, transforming the artwork into a statement on the loss of generations and the silence that often followed.

Its layered dialogue with the concurrent MASP retrospective, Leonilson: Now and Opportunities, elevates the exhibition. This retrospective delves into Leonilson's autobiographical works, which, much like Lee’s, are deeply entrenched in queer identity. Together, the two exhibitions form a conversation that transcends time and place, connecting the personal stories of marginalized artists from different corners of the globe.

Kang Seung Lee is known for his ability to blend various artistic media, including video, drawing, embroidery, and ceramics, to tell these overlooked stories. His practice centers on the archival process—often delving into both public and private collections to unearth forgotten or ignored narratives from queer history. His work creates imaginary encounters between figures such as American photographer Peter Hujar, English filmmaker Derek Jarman, and Chinese-American painter Martin Wong, allowing for a reimagined queer lineage that spans both geographical and temporal boundaries.

In Video Room, Lee continues this mission, invoking themes of suffering, intimacy, and belonging through the choreography recreated by Daeun Jung. Inspired by Goh Choo San’s ballet Unknown Territory (1986), the choreography showcases minimal, deliberate movements that emphasize introspection, paying homage to Choo San’s innovative fusion of classical and contemporary dance. The duet, performed in garments reminiscent of Leonilson's iconic two shirts joined at the waist, evokes a sense of shared experience, bridging cultural and artistic divides while emphasizing the universal themes of vulnerability and resilience.

The exhibition also incorporates American Sign Language (ASL), adding yet another dimension to Lee’s exploration of translation, communication, and the limits of understanding. By integrating ASL into the performance, the work challenges audiences to reconsider how we perceive and engage with marginalized voices in art and society.

Ultimately, Kang Seung Lee’s Video Room stands as a powerful commentary on the persistence of queer memory, the importance of archival work, and the ongoing battle against historical erasure. Through his thoughtful engagement with both past and present queer figures, Lee reclaims space for those whose lives and contributions have been too often forgotten or obscured.

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com