As mentioned on our Substack, Timothy Lai recently opened his 2nd solo show with Josh Lilley. With this body of work, the Malaysian-born Providence-based artist takes a daring step (outside), introducing a body of work that feels open and airy, not only in the expansive vistas depicted but also in the charged atmospheres and emotive states they convey/evoke.
During the virtual studio visit conversation we had a few weeks ago, Lai mentioned that these works were influenced by the move to the Southern Providence area. The shift from the urban to a more natural, seaside setting inevitably seeped into the work, enveloping the ongoing topics and ideas within its elements. Underlined by a sense of escapism, the paintings still feel as if the desired moment of clarity and peace hasn't been achieved. This is seen from the postures and interactions of the protagonists w their surroundings, but also, in the landscape's own moody appeal. Whether through the storm clouds, the lack of light, or the presence of cold pebbles, rocks, and what appears to be barren ground, the environment itself seems to carry an emotional weight. This creates a sense of strong presence, which is further accentuated by the complete absence of figures.
What's important to note is that the exhibition pushes his paint handling and use of its materiality to new heights. Alongside a significant chromatic shift toward a fairly focused range of subdued pinks, purples, and dark blues, the visuals also rely on the surfaces and textures he's building. Whether a soft, feathery body of a bird, a rough surface of a rock, shivering skin of a distressed protagonist, rays of light protruding into a dusty interior, or a swaying gesture depicting a shadow, Lai seems to have the ability to convince the paint to act exactly the way he, or the picture, needs.
And while all this might come across as very fresh, this body of work actually feels like a logical progression of Lai's painterly research. What began as an exploration of personal history and family dynamics has now left the domestic environment and is exploring the similar in a wider, more universal context. Placed in the context of raw nature, removed from the dynamics of everyday life, the images also convey the preciousness and relentlessness of time. In that light, No Swans feels like a melancholic, unuttered realization. Realization about one's surroundings, but also a more general realization about being present in that given moment. —Saša Bogojev
