A commissioned series of portraits for the Public Art Collection of Antwerp. Time. And Again. was curated by Samuel Saelemakers, curator of the Public Art Collection of Antwerp.
Work is one of the few truly universal and common aspects of human life. Work is a necessity, and a source of pride and self-worth. But all too often, also a source of the contrary: uncertainty and stress. The people portrayed in these new works are representative of what Ken Lum (1956, Canada) recognizes as “persons who are inheritors of the contradictory and too often pernicious effects of modernity. The contemporaneity they find themselves in is often oppressive and the characters have to struggle against it, often feebly.”
The job market is an important indicator of major changes in society, such as the emergence of the so-called gig economy. By observing working men and women, Lum reveals the often merciless nature of corporatism and capitalism. And yet, there is a humanity and largesse to these works, due to the fact that we recognise ourselves in the people shown. While each individual is portrayed in relative isolation, Ken Lum tells us we are not alone in our dealings with everyday struggles and challenges. The current global health crisis and its impact demonstrates once again how all of our private and professional lives are deeply entwined.
In this and other series by the artist, text and image together invite us to look differently at the other, and so, at ourselves. Lum’s work shows us that the line between the recognisable and the cliché or the stereotype is a thin one. The contrast or tension between what we see (image) and what we read (text) makes us question prejudices about identity and offers us alternatives that expand the field of public imagination and representation.
This new body of work is titled Time. And Again., evoking time as a fundamental backdrop or horizon of human life. Not so much linear time though, but circular time: in our lives, we often encounter the same concerns over and over. The title alludes to the often excessive amount of time we spend working and worrying (about work), reworking, and rethinking. Lastly, repetition is also stylistically present in the writing of the short texts included in each new work. Like a mantra or a prayer, through repeated phrases each individual tries to come to terms with what they are feeling.
Time. And Again. was on view at:
Cockerillkaai, Antwerp (BE) from 4 June until 3 October 2021
Kruisplein, Rotterdam (NL) from 5 November until 5 December 2021