BEING ALONE TOGETHER 2019
Throwback to 2018, while I was about to start a new series, I took some time away to produce this mini series "Being Alone Together", as a personal letter to Hong Kong when political unrest strike fear in my homeland. The exhibition was set up in a pop-up space in 2019, upstair of a yoga studio in Central, where provided an intimate atmosphere for conversations and quiet contemplation surrounded by my drawings, objects and plants installations.
In time alone, there are moments I perceive a strong connection, soul recognition and resonance to nature and other human beings. Solitude, which is different from loneliness, emerged as a strikingly visual entity as an aesthetic emotion.
In my drawings and photos, I explored with charcoal and ink, clay and plaster, along with poetry to create a ‘spiritual landscape’ expressing a state of mind finding a harmonious place elevated from discordant reality.
Poetry prints titled POEMS ON SOLITUDE FROM 3 CITIES written in London, New York and Stockholm between 2018 - 19 was also launched alongside.
This exhibition is independently organised.




























THE AWAKENING 2017
Having been around bison before, I experience the simultaneous qualities in bison of power and vulnerability, portraying fragility, calmness, tenderness and peace – a raw and powerful energy. The collection expresses the inner turmoil of the bison on the ink drawings, along with the intimate poetry on conversation with myself. From the bison’s bold physicality, developing to abstract mindscapes, the journey represents a search in emptiness and seeks for spiritual awakening. Awakening is the courage to face, embrace and release the truth of a heart and its real needs.
Seeing a bison in person is both therapeutic and blissful experience.. A deep feeling of sorrow and compassion came over me when I recognised our souls’ reflection in these beautiful beasts.. But I also felt a warm sensation grow in my heart.
Over 40 pieces of ink and bitumen drawings, photographs and new collection of poetry in English titled In Between.
Exhibition presented and organised by C H A R B O N art space, Hong Kong





















UNDER PRESSURE 2015
This series is the continuation of her research-based art practice, this time exploring the theme of ‘pressure’. During a year of research, the artist was profoundly touched by her readings about people suffering from different degrees of pressure, from body anomalies to depression or mental disorders. They inspired her to create this collection of more than ninety artworks.
For Claire Lee, where pressure takes place, life manifests a great survival desire and energy, which she has represented in simply composed yet intense artworks. They express the tension, inherent to all human, animal and natural forms, between harmony and violence. The exhibition is an invitation to discover in insignificant forms the most powerful manifestations of beauty itself.
With Under Pressure, Claire Lee does not intend to shock, preferring instead to subtly push uneasy topics to the viewer’s eyes, opening the possibility to reflect on them. In the photographs, the artist stages her own body or oversized objects she previously squeezed, tied or sliced. They contrast with the drawings, in which she often leaves large blank areas, as an emptiness to be filled with the viewer’s own perception and emotions.
“I still remember visits to the Space Museum when I was little. I enjoyed lying down in darkness feeling pressured by the planets pushing in or pulling away from one another. This “planetary pressure” appears like a white giant sphere over the sky. I have no idea why this pressure, suffocating as it is, enchants me at the same time. “
Many autistic children seek pressure to cope with the pressure of living in this world. They search out the tiniest spaces through which to squeeze themselves in order to calm their body, to relax their heightened senses. Also, the grotesque and neurotic gestures in epileptic seizure reminded her of organic forms in our nature. There is a deeply touching energy reflected from these uncomfortable shapes formed by the intense muscles.
Animals and nature demonstrate violence and harmony as well as beauty and horror. In Claire’s ink drawings, the form and posture of plants, fruits and vegetables in deformation represents life’s fragility and strength to survive. Pain is colossal and its pressure could appear in a weightless but delicate form. The most insignificant forms could be the most powerful manifestation of beauty itself.
Inspired by the human body suffering under various forms of pressure, Under Pressure explores beauty in body forms and the spirituality. Where pressure is taking place, life manifests a great survival desire and energy.
Over 90 pieces of ink and pencil drawings, photographs and new collection of poetry in English titled FIST.
Exhibition presented and organized by Mur Nomade Gallery, and solo exhibition at art fair ART CENTRAL in Hong Kong

































TOFU & VIOLENCE 2013
Tofu—gentle, liberal, and easy, yet possessing an unsettling boldness and sincerity. When confronted with unfairness or violence, it retains its serenity, for it is always at ease, understanding, and possesses acumen.
This series of paintings is inspired by tofu, a metaphor of a gentle and unspoken power against violence. I explore how our souls might express spiritual strength and quality in times of pain. The two extremes are brought to confront each other, prompting viewers to consider the relationship between them. Neither succumbing to violence nor fighting it back is the solution.
In this project, I provided a brick of tofu to participants from diverse backgrounds. They were instructed to use their bare hands or any body parts to hold, feel, and coexist with it. Photographs were captured as the skin held it. At the session’s conclusion, participants were asked to reflect on their relationship with tofu.
Tofu reveals our fundamental instinct—to protect, destroy, or manipulate. To reconnect with our inner selves is a beautiful manifestation of gentleness.
Tasting tofu induces a moment of peace and tranquility. From the slower pace and the minutiae of life, we discern sensitivity and find comfort. This is the gentleness we can bestow upon ourselves. I hope we return to our origins: uphold our manners, broaden our perspectives, and demonstrate respect. Gentleness and nonviolence may not advance global development nor resolve all challenges we face, but I believe it is crucial to elevate our lives and interpersonal relationships.
Proceeds from the sale of the three-book set documenting the project, titled “Tofu & Violence,” were donated to support services for survivors of sexual violence.
Independently organized and crowdfunded. Exhibition held in PubArt Gallery and Mur Nomade Gallery. Public event at Unar Coffee, Tai Hang


























SACRIFICE 2012
Animal sacrifice is a religious ritual involving the slaughter of an animal. It serves as a symbolic representation of the inner turmoil experienced by artists seeking spiritual redemption through solitude in a complex contemporary world. Artist Claire Lee explores the interplay between animal and psychological drama, aiming to mediate between nature, emotions, and salvation. Lee endeavours to articulate a journey of spiritual subversion from one level of reality to another. The exhibition showcases a series of innovative mixed-media paintings and poems that delve into the exploration of fragility and strength. Through the manipulation of broken glass and its shadow projected onto the paintings, Lee creates a tranquil intensity that invites viewers to embark on an unusual yet intimate spiritual experience.
The series comprises a series of paintings depicting meditation on spiritual sacrifice through symbolic representations of animals. These paintings were exhibited in a former slaughterhouse (a cattle depot) and followed by a gallery exhibition. Poetry book RITUAL was launched in the exhibition with poetry reading event.
Cattle Depot Artist Village, Hong Kong New Gallery on Old Bailey, Hong Kong

















CALM BEFORE THE STORM 2011
“Andrei Tarkovsky stands as one of my most esteemed directors of all time. I am deeply connected to his distinctive and powerful visual tapestry and aesthetics.
In this series, by selecting each of the objects I retrieved from the Hong Kong seashores, nature serves as a ‘comfort zone’, each of the natural elements (stones, broken objects, leaves…) possesses its own sustained rhythm. My intention is to employ these natural elements to create a sense of harmony and tranquility. The birds and animals illustrations express psychoanalytical paradox of a calm and chaotic mind. “
Poetry in English were displayed with the artworks.
Independently organized solo exhibition at Fringe Club in Hong Kong, a Grade I historic building that served as a former Dairy Farm cold storage depot dating back to 1892.











THE WEIGHT OF A FEATHER 2009
“In my artistic expression, I employ distinct tonal variations of white to evoke an initial impression of lightness, tranquility, and a sense of detachment. However, shortly thereafter, the rich textures and layers are abruptly interrupted by a burst of intensity. This profound silence, surpassing the power of words, embodies the beauty inherent in imperfection and manifests as the diverse hues of white in my works.
My poetic compositions mirror the layers of my paintings, conveying passion through a distinct form of silence. Layering is not driven by an attempt to amalgamate media; rather, it serves as a reflection of my creative journey.
I am consistently captivated by the inherent tensions and conflicts within humanity, and I firmly believe that beauty often resides within the interplay of textures and layers. Throughout my extensive exploration, both tangible objects and abstract concepts undergo transformative changes in a matter of minutes. To me, art represents the process of discovering simplicity by comprehending the complexity inherent in our lives.”
The collection was initially unveiled at an artist’s studio. Subsequently, it was exhibited at the Hong Kong Fringe Club, a Grade I historic building that served as a former Dairy Farm cold storage depot dating back to 1892. A poetry reading event was held at the Fringe theatre.


















POETRY & ART BOOK














Writings & Interviews














Early works




