I first saw the works of San Francisco based, Hong Kong born artist Mung Lar Lam on the very back page of an old Fiber Arts magazine.  I was immediately drawn to her use of the act and the folds of ironing as her medium of work.

Mung Lar performs Ironing’s in which she creates elaborate “drawings” with her iron, the act of folding, and reclaimed sheets. These Ironing’s can go on for many hours of the day and many days upon days.  For one performance she ironed for 15 days, creating a new Folding each day. I myself did a video performance of ironing- the act of which can be very satisfying and meditation like- but I much prefer how Mung Lar brings it into real time and then uses this time to create beautiful drawings of folds.

Mung Lar’s work and performances question domesticity, gender  roles, and labor intensive tasks. The nature of the work illustrates ideas of temporality, process, remnants, and memory.

She challenges what can be used as medium in art, the role of women in both art and labor practices, as well as referencing traditional forms in art.

I was also very drawn to Mung Lar’s use of language in describing her art, the softness and kindness  the words she uses such as reclaimed, concerning, and perceptual experience.

And I did not even get started on the unbeleivable quality of her palette and use of tonal variations.  I truly look forward to what the future brings for thie very interesting artist.