Extended Figure: The Art and Inspiration of LalanAsia Society Hong Kong Center

Xie Jing-lan (1921-1995), nicknamed Lalan, was an inspirational figure whose legacy lies in the art form known as integrated art, incorporating painting, music, and dance. Having received professional vocal training, Lalan studied composition and modern dance, and began her artistic career painting abstract art after relocating to Paris. Without making any sketches, Lalan choreographed the paintings with her instinct and voluntary gestures. The abstract presentation documented the transition of Lalan’s inner psychology and reflected the harmonious state she had been yearning for.

Showcasing over thirty masterpieces and archival materials of her cross-disciplinary attempts, Extended Figure: The Art and Inspiration of Lalan traces the artist’s transformative moments, and experimentation and introspection through the bodily focused art-making practice. As the fourth instalment in the 20th Century Chinese Female Artist Series, Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK) hopes to commemorate the artist’s centennial, while celebrating her significance as a pioneer of cross-disciplinary art, and her impact on merging the aesthetic of East and West.

With the aim to reconstruct Lalan’s imprint on integrated art, we will collaborate with local choreographer Allen Lam to deliver a retrospective performance combining elements of music, dance, and Augmented Reality technology. In her creative process, she explores diverse possibilities within cross-disciplinary art forms, while staying true to her authentic self. Her profound desire for breaking boundaries allows audiences to stretch their imagination, and contemplate the unfamiliar in the artistic realm.