About Alfie
Alfie is a Singapore-born, New York-based artist working in the media of photography and writing. He produces works of fiction with the contiguous placement of photographs and text that ravel into complex semiotic tone poems.
Alfie is also a freelance commercial and editorial photographer, a writer of short fiction, a published poet and a designer of graphic tees.
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Artist Statement
I mean to use photographs and text, and any means necessary, to explore the complexities of a world rapidly becoming a field of signifiers.
Not unlike Eliot, "These fragments I have shored against my ruins"
These works mean to be more than simple deliverers of content. They will take into account all the qualities inherent to them, the morphology of design, the semantics of allusion, the very syn-text of the moment, and the things that meta.
They will refuse to be stripped down to any single, seductively obvious point, no visual sound-byte, nor instantly gratifying, simultaneously emptied signifier.
These works will attempt an extraction of the media from its own overwhelming mess(ed)age. They will be restored their potency. They will sing the power of the Imagination and make glad.
I look for nothing less than art at once rich, nervous, surprising, chaotic, obvious, funny, sun-drenched, boring, wintry, joyful, dumb as hate, breathtaking as love, wonder full as life.
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Curriculum Vitae
Art
Photo-series
Multi-discipline – photography and writing
2008
- “Malaproprisons'”, selection of 35 photographs, curated, Tiny Vices
- “You Said Wait Right”, website launch, www.yousaidwaitright.blogspot.com, in conjunction with BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Fall show '08: "Free Fall"
- “Malaproprisons'”, website launch, www.malaproprisons.blogspot.com, in conjunction with BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Summer show '08: "Hot!"
- “message:”, website launch, www.by-alfie.blogspot.com
- “hey!”, website launch, www.by-alfie.blogspot.com
- “dogged”, website launch, www.by-alfie.blogspot.com
- “shirley in the corner on the floor against the wall”, website launch, www.by-alfie.blogspot.com
- “ETA or 'Only music so that there're new ring tones'”, website launch, www.eta-alfie.blogspot.com, in conjunction with BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Spring show '08: "Spring Ahead"
- “By”, website launch, www.by-alfie.blogspot.com
- “you gotta get yourself another best friend”, website launch, www.anotherbestfriend.blogspot.com
- “project for a revolution in bangkok”, website launch, www.projectforarevolutioninbangkok.blogspot.com
- “driving to malacca”, website launch, www.drivingtomalacca.blogspot.com
- “5:13 the good road is waiting”, website launch, www.513thegoodroadiswaiting.blogspot.com
2007
- “Lady”, website launch, www.lady-alfie.blogspot.com, in conjunction with BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Summer show: "A Really Big-Art Show"
- “she loves NY but her heart baby…”, website launch, www.shelovesnybutherheartbaby.blogspot.com, in conjunction with BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Spring show: "Connections"
- “elephant”, print contribution to publication, Motorola Super-Style Mix 2007, “Singapore Style Creators Directory: Are You a Super Lover?”
- “Sing song”, website launch, www.singsong-alfie.blogspot.com
- “multiplex”, website launch, www.multiplex-alfie.blogspot.com
- “art will eat itself”, website launch, www.artwilleatitself.blogspot.com
- “triptychs”, website launch, www.triptychs.blogspot.com
- “when they played I’d sing along”, website launch, www.whentheyplayed.blogspot.com
- “Ping-Pong”, website launch, www.pingpong-alfie.blogspot.com
- “verisimilitude is the millstone around one s eye”, website launch, www.verisimilitudeis.blogspot.com
- “just like bob stein’s blues”, website launch, www.justlikebobsteinsblues.blogspot.com
- “hanabi”, website launch, www.hanabi-alfie.blogspot.com
- “elephant”, slideshow, website launch, www.elephant-alfie.blogspot.com
- “aware”, slideshow, website launch, www.aware-alfie.blogspot.com
2006
- “stage 4”, website launch, www.stage4-alfie.blogspot.com
- “love can move a man”, website launch, www.lovecanmove.blogspot.com
- “Love Triangle”, website launch, www.lovetriangle-alfie.blogspot.com
- “new york city vortex sutra”, website launch, www.newyorkphotographs.blogspot.com
- “hold on mom”, slideshow, website launch, www.holdonmom8.blogspot.com
- “please come home please serena kim we love you please”, slideshow, website launch, www.serenakim.blogspot.com
Photography
Traditional
2008
- “You Said Wait Right”, installation of 4 photographs, group exhibition, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Fall show '08: "Free Fall", Brooklyn, NYC, September 13th - October 26th, 2008
- “Lady #7”, juried group exhibition, "Reality or Fantasy", Gallery 364, Brooklyn, NYC, September 12th - September 30th, 2008
- “Malaproprisons'”, installation of 6 photographs, juried group exhibition, 'TImeOut NY hosts 2nd Saturday at BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Summer show '08: "Hot!", Brooklyn, NYC, July 12th - August 17th, 2008
- “Project for a Revolution in Bangkok”, juried group exhibition, in conjunction with 'Metamorphic_Gestures@Chelsea Art Museum', presented by Performing Arts at Chelsea Art Museum and Artlog.com, NYC, June 12th, 2008
- “ETA or 'Only music so that there're new ring tones'”, installation of 5 photographs, group exhibition, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Spring show '08: "Spring Ahead", Brooklyn, NYC, May 10th - June 15th, 2008
2007
- “Lady”, installation of 7 photographs, group exhibition, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Summer show: "A Really Big-Art Show", Brooklyn, NYC, July 28th – August 19th, 2007
- “Lady”, installation of 7 photographs, group exhibition, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) website
- “she loves NY but her heart baby…”, series of 5 photographs, group exhibition, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) Spring show: "Connections", Brooklyn, NYC, May 12th – June 17th, 2007
- “she loves NY but her heart baby…”, series of 5 photographs, BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) website
- “she loves NY but her heart baby…”, series of 5 photographs, "Rise: The Creative Community", Dazed Digital, Dazed & Confused magazine
- “No”, 8” x 11”, “What is Sexy”, “Lust Luxe”, Style magazine, June 2007
2006
- Selected work on Saatchi Online Gallery, including "hanabi #2", "hold on mom #2", "elephant", "suddenly everything spills over the rim"
2004
- “If you leave I will surely die”, 3’ x 3’ diptych, “+digitalized”, an exhibition of digital print art, featuring the leading names in the medium, Singapore
1999
- Group photo exhibition “Fresh Impressions: A Photographic Celebration of P5 Artistes” featuring portraits of Singapore’s biggest TV stars photographed by the country’s best photographers, organized by MediaCorp., opening at Singapore Art Museum, public presentation at Plaza Singapore Atrium, July 2nd – July 12th, 1999
1998
- Group photo Exhibition “The Fragile Eye” organized by Photographic Society of Singapore
Writing
2006
- "The Man Who Invented the Washing Machine", a short story,published by Quarterly Literary Review Singapore (QLRS), Vol. 5 No. 4, “The Vacuum of Loss”
2005
- Launch of writing website, www.alfieleewriting.com. Online publication of short fiction and poetry
1999
- Participate in “New Voices From Singapore” an audio CD of poetry readings by 3 of Singapore’s leading young poets organised by Dr Rajiv Patke, National University of Singapore
1996
- “Yellow: Ginnie’s Favourite Colour” is performed by Singapore’s leading theatre group TheatreWorks to acclaim. Play is part of prestigious Singapore Press Holdings Festival of New Writing
1995
- Publish “Yellow: Ginnie’s Favourite Colour”.
Publisher: Writer’s Forum, London.
ISBN: 0861626095.
Available worldwide, including London, Australia, online at
Amazon.com, and university libraries in the United States and United Kingdom
Commerce
Photographer
2000 to Present
- Freelance photography business working in a lead and critical role as photographer for multi-national and national corporations, advertising agencies and periodicals
Editorial Clients
- Contribute extensively in lead role as photographer to international fashion, entertainment, lifestyle and art magazines including:
- Shape
- Stuff
- FHM
- Citta Bella
- Her World
- Female
- Female Brides
- Nuyou
- Cleo
- East
- Women’s Weekly
- Style
- Style Weddings
- 8-Days
- i-weekly
- Lime
- BigO
- Designer
- Changi
- Arena (Singapore)
- The Straits Times
- Four Season’s Hotel and Resorts magazine (Forbes Inc, New York)
- International Piano
Commercial Clients
- Perform in a critical role as photographer on major advertising campaigns with the following multi-national and national organizations and advertising agencies that have a distinguished reputation and an international, regional or national presence:
- 10AM
- Bates Asia
- Lowe & Partners
- Draft Worlwide
- Ogilvy and Mather
- Style Asia
- HSBC
- Sony
- Singapore Airlines
- DBS Bank
- Dockers (Levi Strauss Co)
- Liz Claiborne
- Joan Allen
- The Body Shop
- Shiseido
- Omega
- City Chain
- Bata
- Converse
- Harley-Davidson Boutiques
- The Heeren Shops
- The Loft
- Estee Lauder
- Clinique
- U2 Apparel
- Bods/Bodyknits
- Lee Hwa Jewellery
- StarHub
- John Hancock
- Takashimaya Shopping Centre
- Giordano
- Flesh Imp Clothings
- The Agro-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore
- The Central Provident Fund Board of Singapore
- Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Singapore
1997
- Staff Photographer with MediaCorp Publishing, the publishing arm of Singapore's largest and most established broadcaster, MediaCorp. Fashion spreads and portrait photographs of celebrities published in 8-Days magazine (62,000 copies/week), i-weekly magazine (115,000 copies/week), Lime magazine (50,000 copies/month), Manja (35,000 copies/week)
Contributing Arts and Photography Columnist
2003
- Contribute to The Straits Times as the Arts and Photography Columnist.
The Straits Times is Singapore’s leading daily broadsheet newspaper and has a circulation of over 400,000 each day and is read by 2.7 million individuals. There is also an on-line edition which is widely read around the world and is considered an important source of news in and about the Southeast Asian region
Publisher
2004
- “Monster Construction” magazine available in Elliot Bay Book Company, Seattle, Washington
2002
– Publisher, Creative Director, Editor, Principal Photographer, and Graphic Designer of “Monster Construction”, an acclaimed women’s fashion magazine, available in major bookstores in Singapore, including Tower Records, Kinokuniya Books, HMV, Times Bookstore, published quarterly
Media & Press
2007
- One of six overseas Singaporeans (including world-renowned avant-garde pianist Margaret Leng Tan) living in United States of America featured in the exhibition ”Who’s Your Connection?” on the panel “Alfie Lee, Artist/Photographer/Writer” for the inaugural Singapore Day organised by the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Singapore. Wollman Rink, Central Park, New York City, April 21st, 2007
- Featured on online portal of Singapore Day, “Singapore Day Virtual Exhibition” on the panel “Who’s Your Connection: Alfie Lee, Artist/Photographer/Writer”. Website launched by Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Singapore
- Featured in article ”Men at Work 2007: The Next Industrial Revolution; Breaking the Creative Ceiling”, by Francis Kan, Arena Singapore, January, 2007
2005
- Featured in the Dazed & Confused Creative Directory for Photographers, October, 2005
2004
- Featured in article “A Different Kind of Monster”, by Ching Whee Main, Grain Photo, July, 2004
2003
- Featured in cover story “What’s Their Blueprint?”, by Jill Alphonso, Life! This Weekend, The Straits Times, December 5, 2003
2002
- Featured in article in “News” section, “What Kind of Monster Would Do This to a Woman?”, Designer Magazine, “Humour”, Issue 5, 4th Quarter, 2002, published by the Designers Association Singapore, supported by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Ministry of Trade and Industry
- Featured in “Gallery” section featuring photographers in Singapore and the region, Designer Magazine, “Play”, Issue 4, 3rd Quarter, 2002, published by the Designers Association Singapore, supported by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Ministry of Trade and Industry
1999
- Featured in cover story “Glamorama!”, by Andy Chen and Paul Calder, 8 Days Magazine, No. 455, June 26th, 1999, MediaCorp Publishing
- Featured in article “Hotshots”, Etc Magazine, Issue 112, June 25th, 1999
1996
- Featured in article, “All boxed up: New Age poetry with MTV flair”, by Juniper Foo, “The Back Page”, Life! The Straits Times, Aug 21st,1996
- Featured in article, “A visual quirky take on printed words”, by Yvonne Chew, in the Business Times (Singapore), 1996
- Featured in cover story, “Snuggle up to some new writing From Writer’s Lab to full festival”, by Susan Tsang, Sunday Plus, The Straits Times, July 21st, 1996
Miscellaneous
2007
- Brooklyn Arts Council’s Registry of Brooklyn Artists. The Brooklyn Arts Council is publicly funded by NY State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY City Council and its Brooklyn Delegation
- Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, exhibiting member.
Education
National University of Singapore
1997
- Master of Arts, publish thesis: “Urban Experience & Language Poetry”
1994
- Bachelor of Arts (Honors)
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alfie currently resides in New York City.
E: alfie@alfielee.com
P: (1) 347 323 7291
Photography Website: alfielee.com
Writing Website: alfieleewriting.com
Design Website: alfieleewriting.com
For official alfielee merchandise
please visit alfieleedesign.com
Buy: "Yellow: Ginnie's Favourite Colour" at Amazon.com
