Kang Seung Lee
Directing
Biography
Kang Seung Lee is a multidisciplinary artist who was born in South Korea and now lives and works in Los Angeles. His work frequently engages the legacy of transnational queer histories, particularly as they intersect with art history. Lee’s work has been included in international exhibitions such as Singapore Biennale (2025); 60th Venice Biennale (2024); New Museum Triennial (2021); and Gwangju Biennale (2021). He also participated in Made in LA at Hammer Museum (2023) and documenta fifteen (2022) invited by Jatiwangi Art Factory.
Known For
Lazarus (2023) is a reconstruction and extension of José Leonilson’s Lásaro (1993). The film also pays tribute to Goh Choo-San, a pioneering Singapore-born choreographer. Choreographed by Daeun Jung in collaboration with director Kang Seung Lee, the piece draws inspiration from Goh's ballet "Unknown Territory" (1986), known for blending classical ballet with contemporary introspection. In his multilayered video work, symbols from American Sign Language further challenge our perceptions of communication. The use of sambe—a traditional Korean funeral fabric—deepens the rituals of mourning embedded within the work, honoring the lives and memories lost to the AIDS epidemic. - Alexander Gray Associates
Lazarus
Skin presents a dynamic performance by Meg Harper, a dancer whose affiliation with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company dates to the 1960s. Close-ups of Harper’s creased and scarred skin highlight how time is etched onto the body. The suggestion that memory is both a mental and physical imprint is further emphasized by the appearance of emotive passages from Robert Glück’s book About Ed (2023), which recounts his partnership and friendship with the artist Ed Aulerich-Sugai during Ed’s physical decline and death from AIDS-related illness.