lawrencelek.com Open in urlscan Pro
34.225.31.148  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

LAWRENCE LEK





Lawrence Lek 陆明龙 is a London-based artist known for his ongoing series of CGI
films, soundtracks, and games, often set within a Sinofuturist universe.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CURRENT      WORKS      NEWS      PRESS      ABOUT      ︎      ︎





BLACK CLOUD
黑云 



CGI film (2021, 11m)
Winner, VH Award Grand Prix

Prelude to the upcoming feature film Death Drive

More info ︎︎︎



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




NEPENTHE ZONE


忘忧区


Open-world game series (2021–ongoing)

Currently on show at
Worldbuilding: Gaming and Art in the Digital Age, Julia Stoschek Collection,  
Düsseldorf, Germany

5 June 2022–10 December 2023
More info ︎︎︎



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






AIDOL


爱道


CGI Feature film (2019, 83m)
Soundtrack out on Hyperdub Records

More info ︎︎︎



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------









GHOSTWRITER


代笔人



Solo exhibition
CCA Prague, Czech Republic
December 2019

More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




TEMPLE



寺庙



Simulation and Installation
180 The Strand, London
October 2019
Soundtrack out on The Vinyl Factory

More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




FTSE



(FARSIGHT STOCK EXCHANGE)



Simulation and Installation
Bold Tendencies, London
Summer 2019


More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




NØTEL


无店



Ongoing series of simulations and performances, in collaboration with Kode9
(2015-ongoing)

More info ︎︎︎

Site-specific installation
Urbane Kunste Ruhr
May 2019


More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




2065


Ongoing open-world game series
Exhibition at K11, Hong Kong
March 2018

More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




GEOMANCER



风水师



CGI Film (48m, 2017)
Soundtrack out on Eternal Dragonz

More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




SINOFUTURISM (1839–2046 AD)

Video Essay, 60m, 2016


More info ︎︎︎


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------







AIDOL


爱道



A fading superstar enlists the help of an AI ghostwriter for her comeback
performance at the world eSports Olympics.

More info︎︎︎




NEWS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



4 June 2022



WORLDBUILDING: GAMING AND ART IN THE DIGITAL AGE




Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the
JULIA STOSCHEK COLLECTION, the group exhibition WORLDBUILDING: Gaming and Art in
the Digital Age opens in Düsseldorf this June.

WORLDBUILDING examines the relationship between gaming and time-based media art
with a journey through various ways in which artists have interacted with video
games and made them into an art form. In the words of the curator Hans Ulrich
Obrist: “In 2021 2.8 billion people—almost a third of the world’s
population—played video games, making a niche pastime into the biggest mass
phenomenon of our time. Many people spend hours every day in a parallel world
and live a multitude of different lives. Video games are to the twenty-first
century what movies were to the twentieth century and novels to the nineteenth
century.”

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:  Larry Achiampong & David Blandy, Peggy Ahwesh, Rebecca
Allen, Cory Arcangel, Ed Atkins, LaTurbo Avedon, Balenciaga, Meriem Bennani,
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Cao Fei, Ian Cheng, Harun Farocki, Basmah Felemban,
Ed Fornieles, Sarah Friend, The Institute of Queer Ecology, JODI, Rindon
Johnson, KAWS, Keiken, Kim Heecheon, Lawrence Lek, LuYang, Gabriel Massan, Lual
Mayen, Sondra Perry, Jacolby Satterwhite, Frances Stark, Jakob Kudsk Steensen,
STURTEVANT, Transmoderna, Suzanne Treister, Theo Triantafyllidis, Angela Washko,
Thomas Webb 
More details︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



10 September 2021



FUTURE SHOCK AT 180 THE STRAND, LONDON




“Blurring boundaries between the physical and virtual, 180 Studios and Fact
present an exhibition by pioneering artists at the apex of sound and vision who
are imagining the new world of space.”

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Ryoichi Kurokawa, UVA, Caterina Barbieri and Ruben Spini,
Lawrence Lek, Actual Objects, Gener8ion, Weirdcore, Gaika, Nonotak, Ben Kelly,
Hamill Industries, Ib Kamara, Ibby Njoya, Object Blue and Natalia Podgorska

More details︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



10 September 2021



GRAND PRIX, 4TH VH AWARD 2021




“Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) has announced artist Lawrence Lek as the Grand
Prix winner of the 4th VH AWARD, an biennial event organized by the Group to
discover and support emerging new media artists of different Asian backgrounds.

Lek’s 4th VH AWARD Grand-Prix-winning work, titled Black Cloud, is the
culmination of the London-based artist’s ongoing body of virtual-reality
productions. Through his VR renderings, Lek, who is of Malaysian-Chinese
descent, opens up inquiries into the “geopolitical” implications of artificial
intelligence and illuminates the various links between AI and art—particularly
the ways in which the different societal attitudes toward AI control peoples’
values, lifestyles and modes of operation around the world.”

PARTICIPATING FINALISTS: Lawrence Lek (MY/UK); Doreen Chan (HK); Paribartana
Mohanty (IN); Jungwon Seo (KR); and Syaura Qotrunadha (ID).

More details︎︎︎







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




10 September 2021



34TH LJUBLJANA BIENNALE: ISKRA DELTA




“Iskra Delta was a name of a computer company from Slovenia and one of the
largest computer manufacturers in Yugoslavia, which had the potential to become
a major player in the global market before the breakup of the country... 

In a time haunted by the specters of "lost futures" the biennale harnesses the
desire to inhabit a reality different from the one we inherited. Against a
backdrop of social and environmental unrest, deep in the pandemic that has fixed
our bodies in place and our eyes on screens, Iskra Delta returns from the future
to provide a spark for imagining and constructing alternative presents.”

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Hamja Ahsan, John Akomfrah, Astrosuka, BCAA system,
Joshua Citarella, Simon Denny, Diffractions Collective, Digitonica, Drone Emoji,
Aleksandra Domanović, Fallwinter, Mark Fridvalszki, Galen Tipton, Giorgi Gago
Gagoshidze, Himera, Joey Holder, INSIDE JOB (Ula Lucińska & Michał Knychaus),
Interdependence (Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst), Jakub Jansa, Kristjan Kaluža,
Jure Kastelic, Zsófia Keresztes, Botond Keresztesi, Princess Ketamine, Kiss the
Future, Kladnik & Neon, Kukla Kešerović, Luka Lavrenci, Lawrence Lek, Mario Mu,
Nascent (Paul Seidler and Max Hampshire), Nimaš Izbire, Katja Novitskova, OMSK
Social Club, Other Internet (Toby Shorin, Laura Lotti, Sam Hart), Marko Peljhan,
Protektorama (aLifveForm, fed and cared for by JP Raether), Jon Rafman, Živa
Božičnik Rebec, Alex Selmeci & Tomáš Kocka Jusko, Petal Supply, Stach Szumski,
Dorijan Šiško, Andrej Škufca, ŠUM, T+U (Technologie und das Unheimliche), Toiret
Status, Liara T’soni, Torus, Miloš Trakilović, Suzanne Treister, Umru, Toyota
Vangelis, Jelena Viskovic, Warrego Valles, Neja Zorzut


More details︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




10 APRIL 2021



MIT WASSERMAN FORUM 2021: ANOTHER WORLD




Annual symposium on art and technology, this year focusing on artists engaged
with the politics and practices of virtual worlds.


PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Salome Asega, Rindon Johnson, Lawrence Lek, American
Artist, Lauren Lee McCarthy, Hito Steyerl

Watch here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





1 APRIL 2021




TRANSFER GALLERY: PIECES OF ME


A group show exhibiting new digital editions, in collaboration with
left.gallery.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: aaajiao,Morehshin Allahyari, Serwah Attafuah, Stacie Ant,
LaTurbo Avedon, Zach Blas, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Shamus Clisset, Harm van
den Dorpel, Francoise Gamma Carla Gannis, Julieta Gil, Claudia Hart, Auriea
Harvey, Faith Holland, E. Jane, Huntrezz Janos, Isaac Kariuki, Casey Kauffmann,
Keiken & obso1337, Wednesday Kim, Ryan Kuo, Kim Laughton, Lawrence Lek, Kristin
Lucas, Sara Ludy, Kumbirai Makumbe, Claudia Maté, LaJuné McMillian, Cassie
McQuater, Rosa Menkman, Lorna Mills, Marisa Olson, Eva Papamargariti, Pussykrew,
RaFia, Tiare Ribeaux & Jody Stillwater, Olivia McKayla Ross, Mark Sabb & Devon
Moore, Alfredo Salazar-Caro, Sydney Shavers, Rick Silva, Travess Smalley, Molly
Soda, Olia Svetlanova, Theo Triantafyllidis, Krist Wood, Qianqian Ye, Alice Yuan
Zhang

More details︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




19 MARCH - 19 APRIL 2021




PYRAMID SCHEMES AT THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM: IN BETWEEN DAYS


My 2018 video essay on virtual architecture will be screening at the Guggenheim
Museum Rotunda daily.

FEATURING WORKS BY: Meriem Bennani, Ali Cherri, Shezad Dawood, Sky Hopinka,
Steffani Jemison,Jesper Just, Liz Magic Laser and Simone Leigh in collaboration
with Alicia Hall Moran, Lawrence Lek, Beatriz Santiago Muñoz, and Lucy Raven.


More details︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




17 MARCH 2021




INTERDEPENDENCE PODCAST WITH HOLLY HERNDON & MAT DRYHURST


Had a great chat about working with new forms of creative economy, attempting to
work with AI, and the potential of encrypting the narratives of art...

Listen here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




13 MARCH - 21 APRIL 2021



BANK SHANGHAI, TRI-SOLO SHOW


I’ll be exhibiting AIDOL in Shanghai at BANK alongside Nik Kosmas and Tim
Crowley.

More details here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




20 FEB 2021




TEMPLE (WALKTHROUGH) AT SYSTEM RESTART - 4:3 FILM FESTIVAL


I’m showing a first-person walkthrough performance of the abandoned nightclub
Temple on Boiler Room’s film platform, 4:3.

FEATURING: Lawrence Lek’s Virtual Club, Slikback x Weirdcore: Void; Goldie x Shy
One; John Akomfrah’s ‘Goldie: When Saturn Returns’; ‘I’m the Slime’, Alex Bag &
Charlie Fox’s TV Freakout; Jenn Nkiru & Leilah Weinraub.

More details here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




21 JANUARY 2021




RESIDENT ADVISOR - EXCHANGE INTERVIEW PODCAST - EX.542

“The artist, filmmaker, and musician Lawrence Lek creates uncanny, speculative
worlds deeply altered by technology. His creations vary from simulated
environments to dystopian Brexit simulators, conspiracy theory video essays to
AI coming-of-age tales, and site-specific video games.”

Listen here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




12 JANUARY 2021




IT’S NICE THAT - INTERVIEW WITH JYNI ONG


Talking about Malaysian jungles, simulation art and my ‘interest in the
ambiguity between paradoxes’

Read here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




3 DECEMBER 2020




THE QUIETUS - REVIEW - SCI-FI LULLABIES: LAWRENCE LEK'S AIDOL 爱道 OST


‘A futuristic soundtrack to a science fiction fever dream gives visual artist
and musician Lawrence Lek a wide canvas for his sonic world-building, finds
Kareem Ghezawi‘

Read the review here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




27 NOVEMBER 2020




AIDOL OST - OUT NOW ON HYPERDUB


The soundtrack for AIDOL is out now on Hyperdub on Vinyl and limited edition
USB.
The record features new lovingly-rendered covers and four single-sided art
prints of scenes from the film.

Purchase here︎︎︎

Review by Andrew Ryce at Resident Advisor︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




26 OCTOBER 2020



‘THE SINOFUTURIST TRILOGY’ - TALK AT BERKELEY CENTER FOR NEW MEDIA


Together with Abigail de Kosnik, I discuss the worldbuilding and ideas behind
the trilogy of films Sinofuturism (1839-2046 AD), Geomancer, and AIDOL.

Watch and read more here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




10 OCTOBER 2020



UNSOUND 2020 X FACT


For the online edition of the Krakow-based experimental music and art festival,
I’ll be presenting AIDOL (Live), a special walkthrough edition of the CGI film.

Unsound 2020 programme ︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




22 MAY 2020



TEMPLE OST - OUT NOW ON THE VINYL FACTORY


The soundtrack to my installation at 180 The Strand is out now. The album is
accompanied by music videos for all the tracks, created from the virtual world
of the exhibition.

Purchase here︎︎︎






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




20 MARCH 2020



ID MAGAZINE - INTERVIEW WITH MAHORO SEWARD


In advance of the launch of the Temple soundtrack, I discuss the how the
contemporary influencer economy relates to AI and simulation worldbuilding.

Read here︎︎︎









AIDOL 爱道
Film, Soundtrack, Work, 2019
Ghostwriter at CCA Prague
Installation, Interview, Exhibition, Work, 2019
2065 at K11 Hong Kong
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2018
Nøtel at arebyte London
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2018
Play Station 玩站
Installation, Exhibition, Simulation, VR, Work, 2017
Play Station 玩站 at Art Night London
installation, vr, exhibition, work, 2017
Europa, Mon Amour (2016 Brexit Edition)
Video, Game, Simulation, Work, 2016
Geomancer OST (Eternal Dragonz)
Soundtrack, Music, Work, 2017
Geomancer 风水师
Film, Soundtrack, Work, 2017
Temple 寺庙
Simulation, Music Video, Soundtrack, Work, 2019
Farsight Freeport at HeK Basel
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2019
2065
Game, Installation, Video, Work, 2018
2065 at How Art Museum Shanghai
exhibition, installation, work, 2019
Nøtel 无店
Game, Installation, Video, VR, Work
Nøtel at Urbane Künste Ruhr
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2019
Berlin Mirror (2042 Retrospective)
Video, Simulation, Game, Work, 2016
Sky Line
Simulation, Game, Work, 2014
AIDOL OST (Hyperdub)
Soundtrack, Music, Work, 2020
Sinofuturism (1839–2046 AD)
Film, Video Essay, Found Footage, Work, 2016
FTSE (Farsight Stock Exchange) at Bold Tendencies
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2019
Pyramid Schemes
Film, Video Essay, Found Footage, Work, 2018
2065 at The Barbican
Installation, Exhibition, Work, 2019
Nepenthe Zone (NFT)
Game, Installation, Video, Work, NFT, 2022
Play Station 玩站 at MoCA Busan
vr, installation, exhibition, work, 2018
QE3
Video, CGI, Work, 2016
Unreal Estate (The Royal Academy is Yours)
Simulation, Installation, Exhibition, Video, Work, 2015
Bonus Levels (Essay Version)
Essay, Architecture, Website, Internet, Archive, Work, 2016
Temple OST (The Vinyl Factory)
Soundtrack, Music, Work, 2019

WORKS      NEWS      PRESS      ABOUT     SUBSCRIBE      ︎     ︎