PARK PARK

James Lai : photographer

Alexis Venerus : curator

Trinity Bellwoods : where

07.24-26.2018 : when

Trinity Bellwoods Park is the nexus for summertime activities in Toronto. From millennials having beers on the down-low by the dog bowl (with hawkish Chinese seniors scoping for empties) to the hardcore slacklining/frisbee guys to family-friendly picnics - there are all types of people hanging out all the time. It’s a park that's filled with laughter, single gear bikes, doggos and wafts of pot smoke.

In early July I had a brief 9-day vacation in Berlin and became curious about the summer leisure life there. These photographs placed throughout Trinity Bellwoods are small, surface level snippets of various park-like spaces in Berlin.

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-James Lai

James Lai is Ness Lee's favourite Asian Canadian photographer. His photos mark a place with their existence of someone who was truly present in the moment. James loves to dance. Instead of depicting a story, he moves around taking photos of little quirks and after shooting rolls and rolls of film - some of which he develops and all of which he scans himself - he finds the story in what he's seen. 

With Park Park James shares the story of the open spaces he experienced while on a trip to Berlin in June 2018. The photos are placed in location in his local park Trinity Bellwoods allowing a contrast and comparison to occur between there and here. The nature of exhibit using lawn signs explores the temporal nature of a photographed scene. It also allows the printed images to be "stolen" by admirers bringing the show to an end when all the pieces have been removed from the location. 

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The exhibition is organized by Alexus Projects with help by Emmett Phan for graphic design. 

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See more of James work @thejameslai

Check out James, Emmett and Ness's troll thing SAD ART STORE