林 [Flower Boys] is a site specific performance by three queer asian artists: Oat Montien (rope bondage), JaiHao Peng (botanical art), and Sebastian Lee (cellist). Inspired by the exhibition Flora & Flesh, this collaboration contemplates on flowers as metaphors of effeminate masculinity imposed on Asian men. The artists will create their interpretation of such notion by engaging with a shared model, live in the middle of the gallery, while responding to each other and weaving a dialogue between themselves. Using bondage, flowers, music and movements, this impromptu performance will be a muti-sensorial journey that investigate the power within the powerless, the pleasure within the pain, and hope within despair.
Duration 30 mins. Saturday, December 16th from 8-9PM. 5225 Hollywood Boulevard
Oat Montien - Born in 1989, Oat Montien is among Thailand’s most prominent Queer artists. Growing up in a brothel in Bangkok, Oat has always been inspired by sexuality and nightlife. His background in museology has geared his artistic practice towards Queering of historical canon. His drawings and performances interrogate the intimacy between the artist and his models, with strong emphasis on their gender identities. Montien was selected as Artist-in-Residence at Tom of Finland Foundation in 2022, and again in 2023.
JiaHao Peng is a visual artist born and raised in Wenling, China, and now working and living in Los Angeles. His works underscore all things tender, probing in daily life, oftentimes involving marginalized, horticultural, queer, and trifling subjects. Peng runs a creative studio Ten Ten Photosynthesis which offers photography, rare & exotic plants, flower arrangements, plant installations, interior plant design, workshops and lots more.
Sebastien Lee is a cellist based in the city of Long Beach working across the greater Southern California area. He is currently finishing his master’s degree in cello performance at Bob Cole studying under LA cellist Joon Sung Jun. Classically trained he has subbed as a sectional cellist for Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. His gig work includes studio recordings, pit playing for musical,opera and ballet. Outside of the classical repertoire Sebastian has amped his cello for the stage from rock to reggae.
