Presented by Pearl Lam Galleries, A Diary of States of Mind is a journey into the minds of three artists: Su Xiaobai, Leonardo Drew, and Dale Frank, each presenting a unique perspective on how their daily engagement with art serves as a means of self-reflection, liberation, and transformation. The exhibition beckons viewers to delve into the laborious art practices where the boundaries of materiality, time, and emotion blur, giving rise to the search for the essence of art.

Titled A Diary of States of Mind, the exhibition underscores how daily artistic practice cultivates an interiority through the making of art objects and precipitates material transformation to celebrate the autonomy of art. This group exhibition focuses on the emergence of the artists’ inner worlds and how we as viewers come to terms with such visual experiences in return.

With precision, Chinese artist Su Xiaobai reduces the materiality of the artwork to investigate its core meaning, creating curved, textured, and sculpture-like entities that are both tactile and contemplative. His daily ritual of applying and layering lacquer paint on linen is a meditative process that captures the ever-evolving states of his mind. Subtle undulations, light and shadows, depth of texture, tactile sensations, and movements in his paintings serve as tangible traces, inviting viewers to explore his inner world. Su’s use of traditional Chinese lacquer not only reflects his deep connection to China’s past but, more importantly, also conveys a sense of longing to bring forth the innate quality of the medium. Su’s art refrains from explicit meaning, hence inviting us to enter into his states of mind.

New York-based sculptor Leonardo Drew’s approach to raw materials is a powerful manifestation that draws from the memories of his own lived experience in the city. Drew uses jagged, gold-plated shards of porcelain to create “living” works that engage in a profound dialogue between geology and modernity. His creations, weathered and stacked to resemble the debris and ruins from urbanisation, carry the weight of his daily contemplation.

Gallery address: 6/F Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central