Injet on paper
7 Edition
100 x 100cm
2014

Inkjet print on aluminium panel

69cm x 181 cm

2015

For the audience’s best view: Official Rental United Facebook internal message group “RU9UP” screencap till 12 June 2014, Uncut 1:1 scale Edition.

(In-situ view at Hong Kong ArtWalk 2014, Hong Kong)
Performance and installation
dimensions variable
2014

Several reflexology professionals were hired to give free foot massage services to visitors during ArtWalk. This was an experience-orientated piece, as the collective tried to disconnect the senses of seeing, hearing and touching by simultaneously distorting the audience’s minds. The foot massage business is known for its ‘seediness’ in some places in Asia, and the artists emphasised such a notion as a social symbol to create a paradoxical tension (participants heard ‘heavy breathing’) while reminding participants of the purpose behind the event (reflexologists providing a simple foot massage).

As You Like It
Wedding Service Photography
2013

(Live views in Fotanian Open Studio 2013)
Dimension Variable, Wedding Service Photography and Installation
2013

The collective purchased a commercial budget wedding photo service from Shenzhen. Without any artistic involvement in the process, they followed all the instructions that were given. During a standard pre-wedding photo shoot, the artists attempted to act their way as a loving marrying couple (trio). The presentation was a juxtaposition of all artists’ belonging and a series of well-presented pre-wedding photos, questioning the principle of art presentations and the role of artists.

Performance, business suits, inflatable pool
2012

June's Pool was a performance piece which was part of a group show, "'Traits ", curated by John Batten and exhibited in Ox Ware House, Macau, in 2012

In this presentation, RU members wore the business suits, each carrying an inflatable pool. The three artists started to inflate their respective pools by mouth. Artists then filled the pool with water after finishing inflating the pool. The artists then immersed themselves in the pools. While soaked, the artists deflated the pools by impaling them with needles hidden inside their suit pockets. The impaling actions were repeated until the pools toppled and all the water leaked. Afterwards, the artists left their pools and undressed, then folded the suits carefully, dragged the deflated pools into the art space, hung the suits, and placed them in the prearranged place by the show's curator.

The piece, named "June's Pool ", is rather a pseudo-title of leaving the piece under the name "untitled". The performance merely happened in the month of June and nothing more. On the contrary, it can be seen as the self-portrait of the group.

Performance and digital prints
2012

Hong Kong Art Walk is Hong Kong’s annual charity art event in which galleries around Hong Kong Island open their doors in the evening so that audiences can visit the galleries and enjoy complimentary food and drinks after their ticket purchases.
Invited by the organizer to participate in Hong Kong Art Walk 2012 as artists, RU brought “Performance C” outdoors. Without prior notification to participating galleries, RU dressed in suits, appeared in galleries across Central, Soho and Sheung Wan areas and “cleaned” the galleries’ front windows. After the cleaning, a service payment invoice would be stuck on the front window to inform the gallery of the “cleaning service”.
While one could describe the 1st Performance C as a passive act - with RU waiting for the audience to arrive at the scene - the Art Walk version was aggressive, as they would risk the chance of confrontation or refusal by the participating galleries. They were dressed resplendently, just like every ticket holder who donated to participate in Art Walk. Still, they were neither audience nor among participating artists that were “well behaved” or staged. Instead, they joined the event as “well-dressed janitors” to be paid.

(Live views in Fotanian Open Studios 2012)
Dimension Variable, Performance
2012

Performance C was a live performance by Rental United in Fotanian Open Studios 2012. It is an “Artists as janitor” performance, in which artists dressed up in suits to perform “cleaning acts” during the event. In this piece, artists’ presence is the hub between the venues, organizers and audiences.

Rental United again renovated its studio space into a white cube space. They dressed in suits and presented as “janitors”, with a guest musician transforming their studio into a stage. The guest musician would play random sounds, and RU members cleaned the space simultaneously.

While a constant flux of audience kept stepping into the studio space, they also brought in all the dirt and dust from outside, combined with RU member’s cleaning acts (with water and mops) would make the entire process an endless loop as dirt was being removed by the artists, new joining audiences would bring in new dirt. Making this “cleaning” action from a goal-oriented task into an open-ended frustration.

In this piece, Rental United attempted to force the audience to participate in their work. Audiences were left without much choice as once they stepped into the studio space, they immediately became part of the piece.

Performance and happening
2011

In Fotanian Open Studios 2011, Rental United transformed their studio into a white-cubed space, displaying themselves as motionless body sculptures and their paintings. They also dressed up formally to act as sculptures for appreciation to give the audience a ‘closer look’ at the artists, the artists' works and the artists’ studio.

The entrance of the transformed studio was covered by posters, which were given away to audiences for free. Artisignpeared in the poster as if they were pop culture celebrities.

In Hong Kong, art events are quickly turned into festive activities due to the overwhelming curiosity of the audiences. People in Htrinketsve solid novelties for artists’ lives, and the concept of being an artist is somewhat beyond their imaginations. Therefore, they come to Fo Tan to visit the artist's studio with a solid will to learn what it is like to be an artist.

Strategically, RU members placed themselves on stage to” fulfil” such curiosities. Standing still on the pedestals as sculptures for the entire opening days, they ignored all the questions from the audience, avoiding neither eye contact nor any form of interaction but standing still.

”Taking part in the Fotan Artists Open Studios 2011, Rental United presented their first “group show”- “EXHIBITION”, a white cube resembling the structure of a gallery space, artworks carefully displayed in the homogenous room, and artists as motionless “body sculpture” for everyone’s appreciation. The artists stood still on the stance for the entire opening studio period, generating a parody of the physical presence of the artists, studio as well as artwork but lacking communication, which the collective question the purposes of open studio and the tension between different types of the characters within the art environment.
The overwhelming number of visitors has clearly created the media buzz, but whether it has contributed to the development of the art is something Rental United is curious about.”
Project Reviewed by Lai Tsz Yuen

A2 size posters (edition of 200)
2011

In Fotanian Open Studios 2011, Rental United transformed their studio into a white-cubed space and displayed themselves as motionless body sculpture along with their paintings. They also dressed up formally to act as sculptures for appreciation to give the audience a ‘closer look’ at the artists.

Happening, surveillance cameras and live video installation
2010

"Rental United "was a happening and live video installation by Rental United during Fotanian Open Studios 2010. It was also the 1st showcase by the three artists under "Rental United". The installation consisted of a few surveillance cameras in Rental United's studio. The TV installation outside the studio shows the artists' activities inside. The audience could therefore see the artists and their belongings and the studio simultaneously "without" visiting the site.

The installation blocked the audience from entering the site and was not allowed to enter the studio space. Still, they could only "visit" the entrance area by looking at the TV installation showing the activities inside the studio.

RU's refusal to turn their studio space into a visitor-friendly zone may suggest a sense of discomfort between artists and audiences where the artist does not necessarily need to play any role in the public sphere in an art event setting. Instead, this is an act of statement where in this context, artists had become part of the presentation along with their studio, encouraging the audience to view this presentation as a body of work.

"Inside museums and formal exhibition spaces, we see artists' creations in their final state. The works are displayed as complete entities. The artists do not have to be there in person in these spaces since the pieces can speak for their creators. In contrast, what was shown in artists' studios is not so much about completeness but the flux of creating and the process of making. This is the stage before the artwork is placed in the exhibition space. Inside the studio, artists cannot detach themselves from their practice. Instead, the two are combined and become one. The "works" are slowly given nutrients in a continuous process that does not have a clear starting or ending point.
Studio opening is like using ultrasound to feel the growing process of a baby inside the mother's body. The work is not yet born, but it already exists. This 'opening' is to show the public the real-time activities of the artists inside the studio. Through the use of CCTV, the process of art making is exhibited."