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Elaine Yau

Name: Jayne Dyer; Occupation: Artist

Young Post: What types of artwork do you create?

Dyer: Photography, installations, wall works and sculptures. They can be ready-made or hand-made. I select the media that best articulate my ideas.

YP: What do you do in Hong Kong?

D:  I have been the artist-in-residence at Lingnan University's  visual studies department since March.  It's exciting for an artist to work in a liberal arts university. I  am working on a project, Words for Pictures.

YP: What is Words for Pictures about?

D: I am intrigued by text and language in relation to visual arts.  Sometimes I may spend hours in a bookstore browsing through books or reading books.  Books can be a source of knowledge, but they can also be obscure.

I am part of an increasingly paperless generation  in which virtual technology offers quick access to  information. In Words for Pictures, I explore the access, meaning and authority of language.

YP:  Have you created any artworks at Lingnan?

D:  I have been doing different types of artworks over the past two months.  I did some projects to spice up the library. I placed shredded paper between books and the paper cascaded down bookshelves.

In another installation, I covered newspapers and periodicals with black paper.  Staff and students donated books which I painted solid black and inserted among the library collection.

And perhaps, most ambitiously, I  covered the library walls,  windows, bookshelves, computer terminals, floor and ceiling with black butterflies.

YP: Why did you use butterflies in your work?

D: Butterflies are transient, colourful creatures.  Filling the  library with the black  insects contradicts our expectations of a place we usually associate with consistency.

YP: The works in your studio are mostly black and red. Why do you choose such intense colours?

D: I only use black, red and white. All three convey mixed feelings.  Red  symbolises urgency and danger,  but it is also an auspicious colour commonly associated with festivals  in Hong Kong.

Black is also stimulating, and like white,  can be neutral or suggest endless possibilities.

YP: You have staged exhibitions around the world. How do your travels inspire your creations?

D: I am based in Sydney, Australia. I travel all over the world to do research for  new works or visit collections.  Travel itself is stimulating, even addictive, and helps me focus on my work.

Since 1994 I have regularly visited Hong Kong and Beijing and developed personal and professional links with artistic communities in both cities.

YP: What do you think about the artistic development in China?

D: Mainland China is experiencing unprecedented change. The  emerging contemporary arts scene, particularly in Beijing and Shanghai, is a throwback to  Paris in the late 1800s or perhaps New York after the second world war.

Artists, writers, critics and curators from around the world are converging on  Beijing and Shanghai to experience  the artistic energy.

YP: Have you enjoyed your stay at Lingnan University?

D: Absolutely! The campus is serene and  encourages research. I spend  a lot of my time in the studio.

The visual studies students have become my project assistants. They are curious about art - they want to explore  unconventional approaches to creating artworks.

YP: What's next on your schedule?

D: After my stint at Lingnan,  I will return  to Australia for my next exhibition, Spare Room, which opens in July at Elizabeth Bay House Museum, Sydney. There will be 2,000  books and  3,000 butterflies, all black!

RESUME

1987-1993: Worked as a lecturer at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT)

1989: Awarded Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) from RMIT

1994: Awarded Master of Art in painting/research at RMIT

1997-2006: Head of Public Programmes at National Art School, Sydney

2005: Awarded Commonwealth of Australia public service medal

2007: Artist-in-residence at Lingnan University

How to get there

Course: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Visual Studies

School: Lingnan University

Duration: Three years

Characteristics: The programme involves both theoretical and practical training in visual arts. Students learn to appreciate visual images.  Courses dealing with the history and significance of visual imagery are also included.

Enquiries: http://www.ln.edu.hk/

Course: Associate of Arts in Media Technology

School: City University of Hong Kong

Duration: Two years

Characteristics: The programme focuses on moving images and multimedia productions. Students learn new media-related technology and the inner workings of the local arts and media industry. There are various courses, including 2D and 3D animation, video making,  creative writing, art theory and appreciation.

Enquiries: http://www.cityu.edu.hk/cityu/prgm/index.htm

The path

Graduates can work in areas such as digital video production, public arts, installation/performance art and computer animation. Creative industries, such as advertising and graphic design, also seek graduates with a keen visual sense and artistic training. Those interested in education can work at arts schools or as university lecturers.



Black, red and white