近日，我從社交平台上認識了一位年輕傑出的畫廊總監。Lyn於二零一九年創立個人畫廊，名為FoxLee。與Lyn的交談中便留意到FoxLee與一般新進的畫廊卻與眾不同。畫廊沒有一個固定的展覽場地，而目的是為了建立一間以環保及持續性為基礎的當代畫廊。
If you are one of many waiting online to buy tissue rolls, how about a click into FoxLee – an innovative digital space based in Hong Kong that promotes art with a sustainable emphasis! Yes, I know “sustainable emphasis” seems questionable, but hear me out for 60 seconds.
(Continue reading in English from below)
踏入新世紀第四個月份，沒有人會預料到二零二零年會出現這麼巔峰的開始。作為香港人，大家對類似疫情已不再陌生。可惜，如此微小的病毒卻有驚人的轉播力。現在，家中工作（WFH ，Work From Home)已變得習以為常。週末，宅在家中，盡量不出門的情景更是基本動作。從網絡平台裡，可見許多人開始發揮創意思維來抵抗宅在家的厭倦感。有的學習烘培蛋糕，有的繼續網上授課。至於藝術愛好者，就於自己社交平台回顧昔日展覽及作品。這樣好像能夠舒緩困在家的現實。然而，社交媒體漸趨成熟，也逐漸扭轉欣賞藝術的守舊方式。雖則大部分藝術品也是用二維空間來創作及展現，只不過，在電子平台上，一切都能變得生動，更容易讓觀眾仔細鑒賞和互動。
說到這裡，大家是否與我一樣，看到「環保及持續性為基礎」這些詞彙而迷茫？
妳會問，一間畫廊如何做到環保及可持續性？
那麼，從瞭解畫廊所代理的藝術家們，便能發掘它如何實踐以上目標。
其中，日本藝術家長坂真護是FoxLee畫廊最具影響力之藝術家。長坂真護在非洲迦納目見很多與他年紀相約的年輕人在煙霧彌漫的垃圾焚燒場裡挖掘可致癌的電子廢物來燃燒作生計，他頓時覺悟，接著，決定利用當地所收集的電子廢物來成為創作的一部分 。自二零一七年起，作品收益是用於建立電子廢物處理器。在二零一八年，畫家更與FoxLee合作，把部分收益為村落建立一所免費學校。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6jKp87Epu8&feature=youtu.be
FoxLee另一位傑出藝術家為韓國藝術家Yoon Hyung Taek。作為當代藝術家，作品靈感永遠在左近。正如畢加索的肖像靈感來自瑪麗·特雷塞（Marie-Thérèse），Yoon Hyung Taek的肖像畫作是基於他對妻子的愛慕之情。從油畫作品能夠充分強調藝術家對其妻子的敬佩。對於藝術家而言，妻子不單是她唯一的身分。反倒，其妻子也是為人母親，朋友等等，女性身份並不能取決於單一特定角色。同時，多重身分應該可以並存及收到該有的尊重。可惜，在發展國家，很多女性就只能擔當一位角色。因此，藝術家Yoon Hyung Taek立志要繼續宣揚女性平等的重要話題。
該藝術家的收益將捐給Reemi慈善信託基金（reemi.org），來教導發展中國家的女性有關女性生理期及週期用品。
在如此動盪的時候，FoxLee畫廊誠意邀請我們停下來，一起思考和檢視我們日常中如何增加可持續性的機會。對於【可持續性】的定義，就是盡量避免一次性的物件，並盡可能重複使用物品。
創辦人Lyn的目標是每兩個月展示一次藝術品，以保持畫廊可持續發展的足跡。如果妳發現自己有空，請出席FoxLee的短暫展覽，留意一下您可以如何與藝術家們同行，一起盡一點綿力幫助貧困群眾。
SUSTAINABLE ART EXPERIENCE
We are three months into 2020 and it is definitely a rocky start. Art fairs are cancelled and we are forced to stay indoors. Till this day, you may still be sourcing masks and sanitizers, but can I introduce you in sourcing something else?
I too, was skeptical when I first heard about it, but once you learn about the charities FoxLee partners with, it will definitely make you pause and think twice.
Imagine being in a smoke-filled landfill, having to dig through toxicated electronic waste, and liquify them to make a living everyday, will you be able to do it? For Japan-based artist Mago Nagasaka (長坂真護)(b.1984), it was this exact scenery and lifestyle juxtaposition that prompted the artist to raise an important awareness. Mago creates artworks by incorporating e-wastes he brought back from a village in Ghana, where people are breathing toxicated air due to our irresponsible disposal of wastes. Since 2017, Mago’s artworks have had one sole purpose of raising money for these people and our environment. In 2018, Mago and Foxlee were able to build a free school for children in the village.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6jKp87Epu8&feature=youtu.be
At a first glance at Marco (2018) and Plastic Youth (2019), it strongly demonstrates Mago’s talent, but more importantly, it is a definitive statement for the cause he hope people can contribute together! It is not just a cause to save generations of Ghanians, but to save a planet we call home!
Another outstanding artist FoxLee represents is Korean artist Yoon Hyung Taek (b.1985). Just as some of Picasso’s portraitures came from his muse, Marie-Thérèse, Yoon captured his muse and wife Hwa Yeon Park on canvas. Through a profile portraiture, the artist emphasizes the number of roles his wife plays – as a mother, a wife, a friend etc. A woman’s identity is not definitive upon one particular role, but to co-exist and be respected for whichever role they choose to express themselves in. As long as this rigid mindset lives in developing countries, Yoon will continue to address the importance of women recognition through his paintings. The proceeds from this artist will go to Reemi Charitable Trust (reemi.org), a social enterprise that fights period stigma and poverty in developing countries.
Together, FoxLee invites us all to pause and think how we can consciously increase our sustainability footprints in our daily lives. By sustainability, it means to avoid single use disposables and find ways to reuse items as much as we can. As an online gallery, Founder Ayaka aims to display artworks every two months as a way to maintain the gallery’s sustainability footprint. Should you find yourself available, FoxLee is certainly a gallery worth checking out and see ways you can contribute.
All it takes is a change in habit, and it is time to make a conscious effort in making greater changes for a cause.
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