Shifting Landscape, 2012
Rice, LED lighting
Hayoon Jay Lee has used rice extensively in her work both as an art material with multiple aesthetic possibilities and as a cross-cultural referent. In the context of this exhibition, rice is seen as a commodity that can be traded, a measure of wealth and a base for sustenance of life. 11 large sacks of rice are hung on the wall, some left intact, some slashed and battered as if by life, allowing the rice to spill onto the floor. The scattered rice has been shaped into small islands, some with LED lighting placed under the rice piles giving them an inner glow and creating variations of line, color, and surface.
At the end of the exhibition on March 9th, the artist will draw on a strong aspect of her work, community participation, by creating a performance amidst the rice. Visitors will be given brown paper bags and be invited to take some of the rice home, thereby sharing in the physical, visual and spiritual sustenance of the piece.