Sammy Lai

Sammy Lai (b.1996) is a Hong Kong-born, Manchester-based multimedia artist whose practice centres on painting and installation art. His work embodies a unique duality, fostering a dialogue between imaginary abstraction and concrete reality.

Lai's paintings are vibrant products of imagination, challenging minimalism with rich colour, texture, and form. These abstract works evolve organically, reflecting the artist's pursuit of free expression and visual exploration. Each piece invites viewers into a realm of endless possibilities, projecting Lai's inner world onto canvas.

In contrast, Lai's installations are firmly rooted in reality. They respond to and intervene in urban spaces, exploring interactions between people and their environment. Through careful observation of urban infrastructure and everyday details, these works reveal overlooked aspects of city life, prompting viewers to reconsider their surroundings.

This duality creates a productive dialogue within Lai's practice. His abstract paintings inform his installations conceptually and visually, while real-world observations enrich his painterly imagination. This interplay invites contemplation on the relationship between imagination and reality, abstraction and concreteness.

Lai's artistic journey, shaped by his education at Chelsea College of Arts (BA Hons in Fine Art) and Hong Kong Baptist University (MA in Visual Art), challenges the minimalist notion of "less is more". Inspired by Ettore Sottsass's rejection of stigma against "noise and colour", Lai embraces richness in paintings and meticulous detail in installations, fostering a distinctive visual language bridging abstract concepts and tangible realities.
At the core of Lai's work is a fascination with urban landscapes and art's power to transform perception. His creations explore physical and imaginary spaces, examining the interplay between environments and human activity. Lai invites viewers to reconsider overlooked aspects of urban life and discover fresh perspectives.
Through his art, Lai constructs a dialogue between concrete and abstract, real and imagined. His paintings burst with vibrant colours and complex forms, offering portals into realms of endless possibility. His installations respond directly to urban spaces, revealing hidden narratives and encouraging re-evaluation of familiar surroundings.

Lai's practice becomes a lens to view the multifaceted nature of contemporary urban existence. It challenges viewers to engage deeply with their environment, questioning boundaries between reality and imagination, and uncovering the extraordinary within the ordinary.

By blending rich visual elements with conceptual depth, Lai creates immersive experiences that prompt reflection on the urban condition. His work invites audiences to see their surroundings anew, fostering a renewed appreciation for the complexity and beauty of city life.