Biography:Michael Lee Hong Hwee is a visual artist based in Singapore. He explores his concern with desire and space through different art forms especially model, book, photography, video, installation, writing and curating. International events in which he has participated include: The 3rd Guangzhou Triennial 2008 (Independent Projects section; Guangdong Museum of Art), The 2005 World Exposition (Singapore Pavilion; Nagoya) and International Film & Video Association Film Award & Festival 1997 (Winner, Experimental Category; Texas). He was the curator of architect Daniel Libeskind's first solo exhibition in Asia: Between, Beside, Beyond: Reflections & Key Works, 1989-2014 (Singapore Art Museum, 2007), and a recipient of Young Artist Award (Visual Arts) 2005, conferred by National Arts Council, Singapore.
Curriculum Vitae:Academic Qualifications
2001 M. of Communication Studies, Nanyang Tech. University (NTU), SG
1997 B. of Communication Studies (2nd Upp. Hons.), NTU, SG
Other Qualifications
2005 Specialist Cert. in Youth Mgt., Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2003 Postgrad. Dip. in Higher Ed., National Institute of Education, SG
2002 Basic Cert. in Creative Writing, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, SG
Solo Exhibitions
2008 A Psychotaxonomy of Home, Baba House, SG
2004 When a Body Meets a Building, Alliance Francaise de Singapour, SG
Duo Exhibitions
2008 A-Z, 26 Locations to Put Everything (with Pamela Kember), Asia Art Archive, HK
2007 Building Conversations: Michael Lee & Nadia Bhamadhaj, Singapore Art Museum, SG
Select Group Exhibitions
2009 Whose Exhibition is This?, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, SG (with Tang Ling Nah)
2009 Lost in the City, National Museum, SG
2009 Curating Lab: 100 Objects (Remixed), HT Contemporary Space, SG
2009 Air-conditioned Recession, Valentine Willie Fine Arts, SG
2009 Blackout, Q Square, SG
2009 Unspeaking Engagements, Chulalongkorn BKK & Lanchester Gallery, Coventry
2009 Sex in the City: Hong Kong, Blue Lotus Gallery, HK
2009 Love Simply, Hang Fat Studio, HK
2008 3rd Guangzhou Triennial (Independent Projects), Guangdong Museum of Art, GZ
2008 The First Edition, the shop, Beijing
2008 Greedy?, C+G Artpartment, HK
2008 ArtMART 2008, Para/Site, HK
2008 -bok, 1aspace, HK
2008 Blinded Colour, Cheng Ming Building, HK
2008 Hong Kong Anarchitecture Bananas, Artist Commune, HK
2008 Reform, Fringe Club, HK
2008 Eniminiminimos: Artists who make things small, Studio Bibliothèque, HK
2007 city_NET Asia (Singapore Pavillion), Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
2007 Focus Automatically, Museum of Suzhou Art & Technology Institute, Suzhou
2007 Labryinth, Art & Knowledge Space, Beijing
2007 14QK: Art responds to 14K, Para/site, HK
2007 WE, National University of Singapore Museum, SG
2007 From Words to Pictures: Art During the Emergency, S'pore Art Museum, SG
2007 Singapore Art Exhibition (Invited Section), S'pore Art Museum, SG
2007 26th UOB Painting of the Year, The Esplanade, Singapore
2006 Beneath the Pavement: Discovering the City, S'pore Art Museum, SG
2006 21st Asian International Art Exhibition, Epsite Gallery, SG
2006 SAMA SAMA, Theatreworks, SG
2006 WithDrawing, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2005 Creative Curating Lab, Raffles City Showcase, SG
2005 Asian Traffic, Jendela, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, SG
2005 The 2005 World Exposition (Singapore Pavilion), Aichi
2005 DC Celebrates!, Drama Centre, Singapore
2004 SCRATCH-OR, Imagine Library Art Loft, Shen Yang & Beijing
2004 SENI Singapore: Art and the Contemporary, Singapore Art Museum, SG
2004 VIDEO AS URBAN CONDITION videoPOOL, Vargas Organisation, London
2004 Reconstruction of a City, St. James Power Station, SG
2004 Best of Singapore Art 2004, Citylink Showcase, SG
2003 Now You See It, Utterly Art, SG
2003 Sensitive Parts, Plastique Kinetic Worms, SG
2002 abstraction02, NAFA Selegie Gallery, SG
2002 NAFA Founder’s Day, NAFA Selegie Gallery, SG
2001 Nokia Singapore Art 2001 (Curated Section), S'pore Art Museum, SG
2001 Deriving Spaces, Plastique Kinetic Worms, SG
2001 20th UOB Painting of the Year, UOB Plaza, SG
2001 Vanda Miss Joaquim Sculpture Design, Tanjong Pagar CC, SG
Select Group Screenings
2005 Rebranding Launch, Gallery Hotel – The Hotel That Inspires, SG
2004 Voices of Home, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, SG
2003 14th Videobrasil, Sao Paulo
2003 7th Thai Short Film & Video Festival, Bangkok
2002 7th Hong Kong Independent Short Film & Video Awards, HK
2001 1st Singapore Shorts Film Festival, The Substation, SG
1998 Art on the Run, National Institute of Education, SG
1997 NextFrame (travelling festival), Philadelphia
1997 9th New York L&G Film Festival, NY Film Academy, NY
Select Awards & Honours
2007 Highly Commended (Photo), 26th UOB Painting of the Year, Esplanade, SG
2006 2 Highly Commended (Photo), 25th UOB Paintg of the Year, Esplanade, SG
2007 Commendation Award, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2005 Young Artist Award (Visual Arts), National Arts Council, SG
2002 2 Commendation Awards, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2001 Highly Commended Entry, 20th UOB Painting of the Year, UOB Plaza, SG
2001 Consolation, Vanda Ms Joaquim Sculpture, Tanjong Pagar CC, SG
1997 1st Prize (Experimental), UFVA, Philadelphia (with W Phuan & Tan CT)
1997 Best Report, Professional Internship, Nanyang Technological University, SG
1996 Distinction, United Television Outstanding Video, SG (with Chong SH)
1995 3rd Prize, All-School Students' Video Competition, NTU, SG
1992 Outstanding Soldier of the Month, 42nd Singapore Armoured Regiment, SG
1988 1st Prize, Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Gan Eng Seng School, SG
1984 2 Colours Awards (Top in Math & Science – Pri 6), Keng Seng Pri Sch, SG
1982 Colours Award (1st in Standard – Primary 4), Keng Seng Pri Sch, SG
Select Scholarships, Grants & Commissions
2008 Commission, Integrated Art (Telok Blangah MRT Station - Circle Line), SG
2008 Young Artist Award 2005 Project Grant (for The Consolations of Museology), NAC, SG
2008 Project Grant (for Preoccupations), Hong Kong Arts Development Council, HK
2006 Exhibition Grant (for Txtrapolis), Lee Foundation, SG
2005 Commission, Rebranding Launch, Gallery Hotel – The Hotel That Inspires, SG
2005 Commission, Launch of New Drama Centre, National Library Board, SG
2004 Emerging Artist Grant (for When a Body Meets a Building), National Arts Council, SG
2004 Exhibition Grant, Lee Foundation, SG
2000 Travel Grant, Singapore Film Commission, SG
2000 Conference Grant, Nanyang Tech. University, SG
1998-2000 Full Scholarship for Graduate Studies, Nanyang Tech. University, SG
Curatorial Projects
2008 Hong Kong Anarchitecture Bananas, Artist Commune, HK (with Lee CF)
2008 Eniminiminimos: Artists who make things small, Studio Bibliothèque, HK
2007 Between, Beside, Beyond: Daniel Libeskind’s Reflections & Key Works, SAM, SG
2007 Autobiobliophiles: Artists who make or use books, Studio Bibliothèque, HK
2006 Appetites for Litter: 8th Emerging Artists Show, Plastique Kinetic Worms, SG
2005 Txtrapolis: Contemporary Text-Based Art from S’pore, NAFA Gallery 3, SG
2004 In the Flesh: Nude in Contemporary Art, NAFA , SG(with Sim KH & Tay SS)
2004 WoodLand, Woodlands Regional Library, SG (with A Mashadi & J Yap)
2003 Cinepolitans: Inhabitants of a Filmic City, Esplanade, SG (with Tang LN)
2001 Eye-dentifying Peranakan Cultures, NAFA, SG (with Sim KH & Hong SC)
Teaching Experiences
2007-8 Contract Lecturer (Dept of Communication), University of Macau, Macau
2007 Visiting Scholar (at rank of Asst Prof), Chinese University of HK, HK
2006 PT Lecturer (Faculty of Fine Arts), LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, SG
2006 Academic Associate (Sch of Tech for the Arts), Republic Polytechnic, SG
2004-6 Pathway Leader (Sch of Visual Arts), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2003-4 Acting Deputy Head (Fine Art Depr), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2000-6 FT Lecturer (Fine Art Department), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
1998-9 Tutor (Sch of Communication Studies), Nanyang Tech. University, SG
Other Working Experiences
1998 Documentary Director, Water Films Pte Ltd, SG
1997-8 Production Assistant, Water FIlms Pte Ltd, SG
1997 Freelance Videographer, Mediacorp, SG
Select Public Presentations
2008 Mara Show, Central Police Station, HK
2008 Fotanian Seminar, Wah Luen Ind Ctr, HK
2008 Artist’s Talk, HK Baptist University, Hong Kong
2008 Guest Lecture (with Cornelia Erdmann), RMJM, HK
2007 Artist’s Talk (with Isaac Leung & Katrien Jacobs), HK University, HK
2007 Artist’s Talk, Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong
2007 Hong Kong Salon Sexxchange, Videotage, HK
2006 STLL (want to matter), Singapore Art Museum, SG
2005 Creative Asia, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SG
2004 Performance Studies Int'l #10, S'pore Mgt University, SG
2003 Art in Conversation with Technology, Plastique Kinetic Worms, SG
2003 Contemporary Art Culture in Asia, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, SG
2003 International Visual Literacy Conference, Newport
2002 International Communication Association Conference, Seoul
2001 Eye-dentifying Peranakan Cultures, Singapore Art Museum, SG
2000 Asian Cinema Studies Society Conference, Oklahoma
2000 International Communication Association Conference, Acapulco
1998 Art on the Run, National Institute of Education, SG
Other Professional Activities
2006-8 Exco Member, Gallery Hotel Management, SG
2006-7 Member, Acquisition Committee, Singapore Art Museum, SG
2005 Judge, Singapore Art Show (Open Section), SG
Editorial Projects
2008 Preoccupations: Things artists do anyway (HK: S Bibliothèque), with C Erdmann
2007 Send Me An Angel (SG: Tang Ling Nah), as editor
2005 On The Haus (SG: Nanyang Acedemy of Fine Arts), as editorial advisor
2003 Nature/Nurture (SG: Lim Soo Ngee), as editor
Select Published Writings
2008 "Two's Enough," Singapore Architect, 246 (SG: SIA).
2008 "Small is big....," Eniminiminimos (HK: Studio Bibliothèque), pp. 2-5.
2007 “This books are made for....,” Autobiobliophiles (HK: Studio Bibliothèque).
2007 "Manifesto," MY ARTISTS (SG: WORM).
2007 Appearance of Desire (SG: Michael Lee).
2006 “One Trash’s Man….,” Appetites for Litter (SG: PKW).
2006 “Encyclopaedia Blankia,” Blank (SG, NAFA).
2005 "The Truth About....," A Divine Comedy (SG: Art Seasons), pp. 7-9.
2005 “On Being Unsure,” Boo Sze Yang (Singapore: Boo Sze Yang, 2005), pp. 4-9.
2005 “The Shadow Escapes….,” Kumi Yamashita (SG: Esplanade).
2004 “The Inevitable Body,” realtime (http://www.realtimeart.com.au/).
2004 “What’s a Body....?” When a Body Meets a Building (SG: Michael Lee).
2004 “Spirited Away,” Sexuality and Religion (SG: Andree Weschler).
2004 “Unclad,” In the Flesh (SG: NAFA).
2003 “Tackling History,” vehicle no. 11(SG: PKW).
2003 “Grouses Overheard,” vehicle no. 10 (SG:PKW): 20-2.
2003 “Contemporary S'pore Filmmaking,” Jump Cut (6 Aug), with Tan SK & A Aw.
2003 “Poetics of the Ruin,” Singapore Architect, 217 (SG: SIA): 48-50.
2002 “Critique of the Urban Order,” activated C (SG: Tang LN), pp. 13-19.
2001 “Eye-dentifying Peranakan....,” S'pore Art Today, 2 (SG: NAC), pp. 12-19.
2000 “Dead Man Gazing", Asian Cinema, 11: 99-131.
Select Print Coverage
2008 A Maerkle, “singa-pore,” AAP Almanac'08 Vol. 3 (NY: AAP), pp. 254-6.
2008 Clara Chow, “Small wonders....,” Sunday Morning Post (20 Jan), p. 9.
2007 David Chew, “Building Relationships,” TODAY (SG: Mediacorp, 4 Jan), p. 32.
2006 David Chew, “Drawing on memories....,” TODAY (SG: Mediacorp, 31 Mar), p. 6.
2006 Serene Yap, “New Media Art,” LIEN, 6 (Jun06) (SG: Alliance Francaise), p. 6.
2006 Joselina Cruz, “On Roads Much Travelled,” Beneath the Pavement (SG: SAM).
2006 Michelle Goh, “An Interview,” On The Haus, 2 (June 06) (SG: NAFA), pp. 3-6.
2006 Gregory Low, “ARThouse,” New Paper on Sunday (SG: SPH, 26 Mar), p. 26.
2006 “TXTRAPOLIS,” XFUNS, 22 (Taipei: Johnson), p. 108.
2006 Tay Swee Lin, “Creative Curating Lab,” S'pore Art Show (SG: NAC), pp. 49-66.
2005 T. K. Sabapathy, “Erased....,” Erased.... (SG: SSQ), pp. 4-5.
2005 David Chew, “Building Primal Bonds,” TODAY (SG: Mediacorp, June 17), p. 50.
2005 Cheah Ui-Hoon, “Drivers....,” The Business Times (SG: SPH, June 17), p. 28.
2005 Iola Lenzi, “Asian Traffic,” Asian Traffic (SG: Esplanade).
2004 Rajeev. S. Patke, “SENI 2004 as....,” SENI (SG: SAM), pp. 206-217.
2004 Clara Chow, “Building a Body of Work,” The Straits Times (21 Aug), p. L7.
2004 K. K. Goh, “Body Speaks to Building,” zbNOW (19 Aug), p. 5.
2004 Cheow XY & M Chopard, “Pushing Limits....,” Nanyang Chronicle (6 Sep), p. 7.
2004 Lindy Poh, “More Closet Space,” When a Body.... (SG: Michael Lee), pp. 14-18.
2004 Han KS, “A Conversation,” When a Body.... (SG: Michael Lee), pp. 25-40.
2003 Jason Wee, “Three on Sexuality,” vehicle, 10(2003): 34-7.
2003 Clara Chow, “Seeing Sex Through Art,” The Straits Times (5 Jun), p. L4.
2003 Susie Wong, “Void Decks and Movie Houses,” d+a, pp. 74-6.
2003 “Be a Big Man in a Small City,” The Straits Times (6 Mar), p. L5.
2002 Peter Schoppert, “Deriving Spaces,” vehicle, 4: 48-53.
2001 Sian E. Jay, “Art in the Open,” TODAY (4 Dec), p. 57.
2001 Lindy Poh, “Dancing on Jelly....,” S'pore Art Today, 1 (SG: NAC), pp. 40-5.
Select Broadcast Coverage
2006 Amelia Tan, “New Confidence,” City Lights, Channel News Asia, SG
2005 Wilson Yip, “Visual Arts,” Young Art Starts, Arts Central, SG
2005 Foo Yueh Peng, “Pride,” What Men Want… Really, Channel News Asia, SG
2005 Ray Ng, “Architecture & Urbanisation,” HeART & Soul, Ch U, Mediacorp, SG
2005 Marilyn Lee, “Caressing the Gallery,” Pop Art, WKRZ FM100.3, SG
2004 Spectrum, NTU In-Campus Television, SG
2004 Marilyn Lee, “A Psychotectonic Experiment,” Pop Art, WKRZ FM100.3, SG
2003 Mash, “Cinepolitans,” Passion FM92.4, SG
Select Online Interviews & Mentions
2007 DesignTAXI (http://www.designtaxi.com/news.jsp?id=6627)
2005 The Artist and His Model (http://www.anti-corporation.blogspot.com/)
2005 POST (http://www.post.fm/features/0705/michael.htm)
2005 FARM (http://www.farm.sg)
Collections
Guangdong Museum of Art
Singapore Art Museum
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore)
Prof. Richard Ho
Mr. Kelvin Ang
Mr. Terence Phuah
Ms. Lindy Poh
Ms. Tang Ling Nah
