HKDI Gallery Presents “Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory”
Committed to promoting design and culture through partnerships with international museums and organisations, Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) (Lee Wai Lee), member institutions of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), are delighted to present “Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory” as the grand finale of the world-class interdisciplinary exhibition line-up curated by HKDI Gallery in 2018.
Lauded for his artistic direction and costume designs for the acclaimed film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (Oscar Academy Awards, 2001; British Academy of Film and Television Award, 2001), Tim YIP is a world-renowned visual artist, stage and film art director and costume designer who has over the decades left an imprint in art, culture and performance across the globe. His film credits include “Red Cliff” (2008) and “A Better Tomorrow” (1986) directed by John WOO, “The Banquet” directed by FENG Xiaogang (2006); and “What Time Is It There?” (2001) and “The Wayward Cloud” (2005) directed by TSAI Ming-liang. Having collaborated with numerous internationally renowned practitioners and groups on dance and theatre productions, Tim YIP’s notable work includes visual design for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games handover ceremony; “1433 – The Grand Voyage” (2010) with Robert WILSON and U Theatre; collaborations with Akram KHAN including “DESH” (2011), “Until the Lions” (2015) and “Giselle” (2016) with the English National Ballet; and costume and set designs for San Francisco Opera’s world premiere of Bright SHENG’s “Dream of the Red Chamber”, which made its Asia debut at Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2017. YIP has also furthered his footprint in the fashion industry through partnering with esteemed global luxury brands, such as Christian Dior (Dior’s 60th Anniversary Exhibition “Christian Dior and Artists”, 2008), Chanel (“Looking for Coco Chanel” featuring GWEI Lun-mei, 2016), Swarovski (“Tim Yip: Reformation”, 2016), as well as Fendi (“Fendi China Peekaboo Project”, 2017).
Marking his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, “Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory”, held at HKDI Gallery from 17 November 2018 to 31 March 2019, aims to capture the evolution of Tim YIP’s artistic journey over the past three decades, bringing to life his multidisciplinary works along with his collaborations with some of the world’s best filmmakers. The exhibition is curated by Mark HOLBORN, international editor, designer and curator who boasts a vast portfolio with YIP and other leading artists worldwide, including Annie LEIBOVITZ, Issey MIYAKE and Daido MORIYAMA. “Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory” is his fifth collaboration with Tim YIP, following the exhibitions “Silent Passenger” (Beijing, 2013), “In Parallel” (Amiens, 2016); “Tim Yip: Reformation” (Shanghai, 2016), “Migong” (Chongqing, 2017).
“Blue” is the starting point for this exhibition: it plays on ideas and symbolisation from nature of human imagination to the depths of the subconscious mind, from collective history to human memory. According to Tim YIP and Mark HOLBORN, “Our imagination is limitless. It can be described as being as vast as the blue ocean, and our subconscious mind can be described as being as deep as an ocean. Blue is also the colour of our planet, defining our home on Earth and with it, our collective history, measured not in centuries but in the millennia of our evolutionary past.”
Drawing up on Tim YIP’s imagination, history and memory, the exhibition is divided into 3 distinctive stages, offering a rare glimpse into the history of his legendary career. The first stage of the exhibition will feature 21 costumes from YIP’s films and original creations, prominently focusing on the original costumes from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” as well as “Red Cliff” and “The Banquet”. One of the highlights includes “Sights”, one of the six sets of independent costumes under the installation series "Timeless Time" that is inspired by time and space. Combining interpretations of ancient Chinese history and abstract artistic expressions, the masked face is a representation of Tim YIP's imagination and hope for the future – that people who live under the veil will be able to return to China's traditional culture. Another centre piece of the exhibition is “Shaping”, a Gothic corseted dress adorned with 100,000 crystals commissioned by Swarovski in 2016.
Moving from costume design to film, the second and the third stage of the exhibition will introduce a series of installation and film focused on Tim’s ongoing muse and creation, “Lili" – a wigged manikin posed as a human model that has been a focus in several of Tim YIP’s work. Representing a symbol of separate reality, the third and final stage of the exhibition will feature “Robot Lili”, where the robotic figure is the speculation and imagination of the future of collective memory and artificial intelligence. Other highlights of this exhibition include “Outdated Magazines” and “Blue”.
