Chan Wai-lap on Guarding Love

Description

Upon entering Chan Wai-lap’s new exhibition Loveguard, visitors are welcomed into the intimate office of a Loveguard, discovering their daily routines, observations, and personal passions. Chan offers three series of drawings, including “You come to me on a summer breeze,” which captures the essence of Budapest’s historic baths, and “Dreaming of Swimming Pools,” which reimagines pools as dreamscapes.

Another work, “Love Hate Lust Fear Envy Leisure Boredom Glamour Excitement Oblivion Inspiration,” presents swimming pool scenes from various films, revealing a rich emotional spectrum and allowing viewers to project their own experiences onto the scenes due to the absence of human figures. Installations such as “Little Cool Companion” and “Mr. Caution” offer a fresh perspective on modern relationships and safety protocols. The show also includes “Sweet Attraction,” a surreal scene where butterflies dance under showerheads, symbolising spiritual guardianship and purification.

Chan Wai-lap explores the interplay between public and private spaces, often focusing on swimming pools. In Loveguard, he examines the complexities of companionship and intimacy in uncertain times, reflecting on Hong Kong’s lifeguard shortage and the tension between professional qualification and practical abilities.