Polam Chan. (b.1998) Born in Hong Kong, he lives and works in the UK. Polam studied for a Bachelor in Fine Art Sculpture at the University of Brighton.
Polam Chan
Polam’s practice investigates how one views society, from human interactions/emotions, architecture to social and political issues. Polam primarily focuses on his home city Hong Kong. Boundaries, propaganda, media manipulation, and barriers create blockages to people physically and mentally. These themes often exist in his work, materially and digitally.
Polam primarily works with clay/ceramic, casting/ moulding, videos & digital media.
Polam believes art will generate conversations and confront the audience with unusual ideas that one would not easily conceive by living in the system.
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I'm Just Not There, 2021 — Ink on Earthware ceramic.
I'm Just Not There - Detail, 2021 — Ink on Earthware ceramic.
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Project HONG KONG by Polam Chan begins from 2020 - 2021.
Selected live streams are presented on the website, highlighting significant events in Hong Kong from the past years.
This project showcases individuals and the community's power;
I'm Just Not There translate digital spaces into handmade written tiles. Allowing the audience to hold on to the tiles. Expressing the freedom of different emotions and political positions on this event.
Medium:
Website & Installation*Recommended watch on phone to have the full experience of the work*
This video focus on digital relationship and documentation of immigration during the isolated time of 2021. This reflects his family & Polam's perspective of immigration from Hong Kong to the UK.
Medium:
VideoSize:
07:40 minutes
FENCE (II), 2020 - 2021
In the Fence series, the fence is used as a motif to examine ideas of borders/boundaries, political movements, or the restrictions of human activity. These are topics that I am aware of in the world. The project started in 2019 when the Hong Kong protest happened, the situation where protesters use fences to defend/ block from the riot police, furthermore stopping the traffic as an act of protest. Since then, the exploration of borders has expanded to other countries in the world.
It also explores the fragility of the material clay/ ceramic, the government, the system, and the society. As these fences are incredibly fragile, they usually will be made on the site, and every work will be unique. When I create the pieces, they express my current emotional state.
Medium:
Clay, wire, plaster & paperSize:
80 x 140 x 30 cm From 2020 Autumn - 2021 Spring
Cry On is an ongoing project that uses many living organisms’ emotional/ physical reactions- crying. The project began when Polam experienced lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The feeling of being caged, PTSD, and responding to adverse events were happening around the world. Polam wanted to bring out the point that people should express their feelings, whether positive or negative. Crying is an essential expression one should realise.
