Lilly Wei: LES is More

Rebecca

Visiting Artist Response

Lilly Wei is a curator and art critic in New York that has an eye for the strange, grotesque and up-and-coming. A subject matter that many up-and-coming artists focus on, but find they are not able to enter the commercialized Chelsea art market. Lilly Wei has found that these artists, along with galleries located in the Chelsea area, are moving to the Lower East Side to open galleries that offer affordable art and take advantage of the cheap real estate. Because these galleries offer affordable art to the average art lover, the LES (Lower East Side) avoids the commercialism of the Chelsea. Of course, Wei makes clear that this is the case at the moment and will most likely change as its popularity grows. When asked if LES will become like Chelsea, she believes that it will not. She acknowledged that LES will change, as transition was "part of New York life," but that it would find its own niche in the art market.

As for her interest as a curator, Lilly Wei does not stick with one subject matter or media. She prefers to stay eclectic in her interest, avoiding academia school of thought. Currently, though, Wei is focusing on video artist; an art form that she sees as becoming more prominent, and deserving a deeper look at. She encouraged artist not to "be married to a specific subject" and to go outside their comfort zone. A statement that, I personally, agree with. Certain subject matter requires the use of media that one may not normally use, and it helps artists expand their subject matter. Wei, also, stated the importance of artist statements. She showed many examples of what the galleries in LES were showing, and many had what the average person would view as strange or borderline pornographic. However, when she read or explained the contents of the artists' statements on their works, the viewer reads the art in a totally different manner. Artist statements are very important, particularly for artist who are showing in conservative areas in the US and around the world.

The presentation seemed rushed and, for many, a bit boring, but it was very informative. Lilly Wei briefly spoke of and mentioned artists that many of us have never heard of. She, also, encouraged us to visit these galleries in LES. By telling us about the new movement of galleries in New York, it gives us an idea of where we may want to show our works.