Critical Writing Index

Gap artist: Tim Lee works the staged fantastic

by Justin Hoffman

C Magazine, Winter 2005, no. 88, pp. 20-23

The article discusses the style of Canadian photography and video artist Tim Lee. Several elements in Lee's work are discussed. Lee creates works which portray cultural or societal events, altering a single important detail. He uses pop elements, but in an unusual way, such as using more than one monitor. He photographs himself performing extraordinary actions. His videos and photographs are humorous. His works are targeted towards people with or without previous knowledge of pop culture. The use of his own body is compared with the work of artists Valie Export, Peter Weibel, and Chris Burden. His use of humour is compared with the work of artists Martin Kippenberger and Paul McCarthy.

ITEM 2005.208 – available for viewing in the Research Centre

Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited

The move, The Beastie Boys, 1998 (2001)Tim Lee

Untitled (Ted Williams, 1941) (2003)Tim Lee

Untitled (James Osterberg, 1970) (2004)Tim Lee

Upside Down Water Torture Chamber, Harry Houdini, 1914 (2004)Tim Lee

Louie Louie, The Kingsmen, 1966 (2002)Tim Lee