-1Dangdai Dolls Stream From Childhood Dreams

By Arturo Tora
(25 November 2009)

Whirly-bird seeds, cat-tails and acorns are just a few of the flora and fauna motifs,
derived from childhood imagery and indelible memories of nature, that adorn Lee
Shi-min’s Dangdai Dolls character series of works. A time when all things, hopes
and dreams were and could be, not wholly fantastic, in the realm of possibility.

Minimalist features portrayed by sea shells, tadpoles and birds in flight, each
component part discrete, compact, defined and distinctive in and of itself delineate the
face, which together with the head and body serve as a contrast to that of their
adornments; a dichotomy between simplicity and complexity. The face and body
features, the artist professed, are meant to embody the simplicity of nature, while the
apparel nature’s apparent complexity.

The bespoke beanie and hair arrangement feature four or five circular hair portals that
loop the hair, bundled into two pliable strings whose ends are curled but can be
unfurled, from back to front and vice-versa and thus keep the Dolls in the loop.
Interestingly, the dynamic, mobile strings may indicate emotional states of the Dolls,
whether conscious or unconscious, awake, sleeping or dreaming.

The elements of each composition, which include floral seasonal indicators of

different shapes and sizes in the foreground, middle ground and background which
are combined in a repeating motif on the attire of the dolls, and a strong singular
silhouette of each doll’s associated animal, in its corresponding signature colour,
flying at the pinnacle of the background, work as a whole to form a captivating
quintessentially Cute Constitution which the artist has termed Haute Cuteur.

While the Dolls look slightly upwards as a gesture of respect to Mother Nature and
viewers, the greatest allure and appeal of the works, executed in fluid, soft, smooth
natural flowing legato lines, muted, understated tones, with well-appointed details,
may be that they allow ample room and space for imagination and hint at the great
promise, potential and elation of discovery.