EVENT DESCRIPTION
Dolly Land is a fantastical exhibition created by Hong Kong artist Leung Lai Man, Jess, who uses ink and brush as a bridge connecting past and present, memory and dream. Through three interwoven series of works, this exhibition poses a timeless question: how have the objects and spaces that carry our hopes and define our image—from ancient times to today—acted as a mirror, reflecting the soul of an era and the inner landscape of the individual?
The exhibition opens on a modern echo of an ancient painting. Ji Sheng’s Ming Dynasty work, The Peddler, records everyday life. The dazzling array of birds and toys on the peddler’s stand ignite wonder in children’s eyes — they are not merely goods, but anticipation for a novel world. In Dolly Land, Leung reinterprets this spirit for the modern era, transforming these ancient stalls into consignment stores, gachapon machines and sought-after art toys. This series is a dialogue through time and space — regardless of the era, we project our dreams and expectations onto objects.
The exhibition’s Ladies Series is an exploration of feminine aesthetics and intrinsic value. From the opulent fullness celebrated in Tang Dynasty works like Zhou Fang’s Court Ladies Wearing Flowers to the delicate, solitary grace of the Qing Dynasty seen in Ren Xiong’s Ladies with Fan in an Autumn Garden, and onto the modern diverse standards that often prize slenderness, the female pursuit of “beauty” has never ceased. They pose a poignant question: beneath the ever-shifting standards of beauty, where does the true “self” reside?
This fusion of dream-laden toys and clothing culminates in the specially crafted Dolly Land, narrated through the meticulous techniques of Gongbi painting. With precise lines and layers of washed color, Leung places pop culture symbols and modern portraits within classic artistic frameworks. This is not merely a continuation of technique, but a cultural attitude: tradition is not set in stone, but a living spring, capable of reflecting the most vivid realities of contemporary life and our deepest emotions.
