An Artist Talks with Toby Tam, Shanghai Special, 08.05.2011, Ailing Foundation, Shanghai.

 Toby Tam paints mostly and has produced a series of human figures approaching sometimes female gender such as series "Madeleine" a female character he created. And sometimes the figures he paints ressemble Chinese shadows, and you cannot always tell them a part from female or male.

He says "that does not mean so much" and "why would this be so important?"

His work is about identity and fitting into a space. He sinks into a moment, a woman holding a knife, or is it a man? The viewer is led into a story, he ignores the beggining and the end. Toby sets his characters into a wide white space, maybe they are lost, or searching for a new way to exist ? After seeing his works you are taken into his world. You cannot leave it.

 As I go further into the discussion, it is clear that this world, he describes though these tiny persons,  is his own world and experience. Toby shows how his life, his social background and his artistic views can be in confrontation with his environment.

 The miniature is a fabulous way to emphasize, as much as monumental, that many Chinese contemporary artists have explored. Toby concentrates on the essence and the detail. The subject becomes alive because of the viewer looking into it. 

This energy the spectator gives to the characters is important. Toby is like the puppeter, who plays with these figures.He likes to make us react and rethink our position and place in society.

 Toby is shy though, and remains very humble, as he  explains his motives. Being an artist is just being himself. Toby has recently participated the "In Between" event, and has performed in Studiorouge Gallery, in Mogashan lu, on the 21st of May 2011, and in the BM space Taopu, on the 27th of May 2011. He  experienced travelling from one character to another, using his own face to paint, over and over again, recognisable gender details. He will be showing his works in the coming year, in the Studiorouge Gallery space, in Shanghai, China.

 Both videos of performances will be accessible soon on the you tube. A short piece of the interview will also be available to watch.