Commonwealth and Council

Art Basel

Gala Porras-Kim, Harold Mendez, Kang Seung Lee

Press Release

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower

Gala Porras-Kim

The Weight of a Patina of Time

2024

Graphite, colored pencil, encaustic on paper

Triptych: 91.25 x 73.25 x 2 in (232 x 186 x 5 cm) each; overall dimensions variable

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower

Harold Mendez

Vessels (III)

2022

Water soluble graphite, toner, watercolor, spray enamel, gesso, wax marking pencil on ball-grained aluminum mounted to Dibond

16 x 20.75 x 0.75 in (41 x 53 x 2 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

Thiss time (Quipu)

2023

Water soluble graphite, cotton, watercolor, spray enamel, gesso, wax marking pencil on ball-grained aluminum mounted to Dibond

15.25 x 26 x 0.75 in (39 x 66 x 2 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

Exiles (or what kindred and relation)

2022

Scarab, reclaimed walrus skin, steel rod, magnet

Approx. 6.5 x 6.5 x 2.25 in (17 x 17 x 6 cm) each; overall: 6.5 x 15 x 2.25 in (17 x 38 x 6 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

The Diviner (After Noah Purifoy)

2023-24

Pigment, encaustic, indigo, toner, oxidized copper, mica on paper mounted to Dibond

35 x 25 x 1 in (89 x 64 x 3 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

Archive (Antioquia)

2016–21

Silkscreen on linen, watercolor, soot, wax marking pencil, lacquered wood frame

48.75 x 40.5 in (124 x 103 cm)

Framed: 52.25 x 44 x 2 in (133 x 112 x 5 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

at the side of the varied (Jardín)

2021–22

Fiberglass filaments, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal on paper, oxidized brass, patina, lacquered wood frame

Approx. 11 x 8.5 x .25 in (28 x 22 x 1 cm)

Framed: 12.75 x 10.25 x 1.5 in (32 x 26 x 4 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

Untitled (Judge)

2016-17

Resin coated photo paper, silkscreen ink, paper pulp, lacquered wood frame

16 x 23 in (41 x 58 cm)

Framed: 21.75 x 25.75 x 2.5 in (55 x 65 x 6 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Harold Mendez

unending recollection of a repetition

2022-23

Reclaimed polishing wheels with traces of gold, platinum, and silver, tallow, cloth, ceramic, steel

Approx. 21.5 x 42 x 23 in (55 x 107 x 58 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (Small, Quiet Things)

2023

Graphite, watercolor, dried seeds from Elysian Park, feathers, silver wire, piercing needle, antique 24k gold thread, sambe, pearls, 24k gold leaf on parchment, brass nails, walnut veneer, walnut frame

Approx. 49 x 32.25 in (124 x 82 cm)

Framed: 53.5 x 36.75 x 3 in (136 x 93 x 8 cm)

Photo: Mark Blower

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (David Wojnarowicz, Peter Hujar’s Hand, 1988)

2020

Graphite on paper, wood frame

5.5 x 8 in (14 x 20 cm)

Framed: 16 x 16 x 1.5 in (41 x 41 x 4 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled

2024

Antique 24k gold thread on sambe, brass nails

Approx. 92.5 x 13.5 x 0.5 in (235 x 34 x 1 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (Goh Choo San 3)

2018

Graphite on paper, walnut frame

5 x 8 in (13 x 21 cm)

Framed: 13.5 x 16.5 x 1.5 in (34 x 42 x 4 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (Peter Hujar, Hall, Canal Street Pier, 1983)

2020

Graphite on paper, wood frame

8 x 8 in (20 x 20 cm)

Framed: 16 x 16 x 1.5 in (41 x 41 x 4 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (Elysian)

2023

Watercolor, graphite, dried seeds from Elysian Park, piercing needles, antique 24k gold thread, silver wire, pearls, feathers, 24k gold leaf on parchment, brass nails, walnut veneer, walnut frame

Approx. 43 x 32 in (109 x 81 cm)

Framed: 47.5 x 36.5 x 3 in (121 x 93 x 8 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Kang Seung Lee

Untitled (Put Badly, Gi Hyeong-do)

2022

Antique 24k gold thread on sambe, brass nails, walnut veneer, walnut frame

69.75 x 23.25 in (177 x 59 cm)

Framed: 74 x 29 x 2 in (188 x 74 x 5 cm)

Photo: Paul Salveson


"Put Badly" by Gi Hyeong-do

A few shadows
hung around in the dark
Some stayed
by the pitch black wall
Sensing trouble
vehicles killed their lights
In an instant
each building bolted its door
and waited in fear
An explosion of kerosene fumes
a thin slinky sound
of dragging metal
black leaves leered
as they rumbled by
hands and feet moved quickly
the flicker of cigarettes
somebody who walked
into the alley
uttered a cry of shock

Those guys why do they gather
in the dark every night
Where do the desires of
those young men go
Why are human pleasures
all the same

Detail view

Photo: Paul Salveson

Installation view

Photo: Mark Blower