In the exhibition In-Between beings, Te-Mao Lee contemplates the question of existence through a series of video works that gaze toward a future two thousand years from now. Along Taiwan’s east coast, tectonic forces have gradually uplifted ancient coastal settlements to elevated sites—prehistoric traces now suspended above sea level—revealing that ancient peoples once lived by the sea. This vertical dimension of spacetime prompts a descent 20 meters below today’s sea level, where the artist explores a yet-to-arrive mode of being through the materiality of seabed sand.

By positioning AI as a viewer and a thinker, the work reveals its fluid cognition as it views and misreads underwater images, generating text that flows like a stream of consciousness. The works delineate a temporary and indeterminate “in-between state of being,” probing the shifting boundaries co-inhabited by humans, landscapes, and artificial intelligence.

This exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture (MOC) of Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO). Organized in partnership with International Arts and Artists.

Te-Mao Lee is an artist and curator from Taiwan. His works often embody a sensuous experience shaped by subtractive thinking and deep reflection. He explores essential questions and frequently weaves connections across diverse fields such as physics, philosophy, and art. His works—such as Gravitational Waves, which responds to general relativity; Waves, Small Stones, and Mr. Palomar, unfolding from a seaside desk; and Bursting, addressing the highly ordered social structures of the Netherlands—reflect his profound observation and critical thinking. As a curator, he has organized exhibitions such as Treasure Hill Light Festival 2018, Fault Line Art Festival, When You Read a Wave, and At This Moment. In 2019, he founded Ghihak Art Lab, grounded in the principle of “art first.”

I develop my work conceptually, without limitation to any specific medium. Since 2016, I have been creating with video and gradually expanded into installation, sound, performance, and curatorial practice. I value the creative experience in art: true creativity always opens up a space beyond existing knowledge, experience, and thought—this is my aim as an artist.

In this exhibition, In-Between beings, I draw from the prehistoric sites in the mountains of Hualien, Taiwan, where I live. These sites were originally coastal settlements, uplifted by tectonic forces over time. Seeking to explore a new kind of creativity, I learned to dive and descended 20 meters beneath the sea surface, attempting to connect the present with a future two thousand years ahead. I used seabed sand to create ecosystem jars and invited AI to watch the video, which then generated murmured, self-directed questions and responses—unfolding the potential of a digital thinker reaching toward the future.

Exhibition Opening and Reception

Friday, September 5, 2025
VIP and Member Reception, 5 to 6 pm (register)
Opening reception (general public) 6 to 8 p.m

In the exhibition In-Between beings, Te-Mao Lee contemplates the question of existence through a series of video works that gaze toward a future two thousand years from now. Along Taiwan’s east coast, tectonic forces have gradually uplifted ancient coastal settlements to elevated sites—prehistoric traces now suspended above sea level—revealing that ancient peoples once lived by the sea. This vertical dimension of spacetime prompts a descent 20 meters below today’s sea level, where the artist explores a yet-to-arrive mode of being through the materiality of seabed sand.

A Conversation with Te-Mao Lee and Mia Yinxing Liu

Saturday, September 6, 1 pm
Location: IA&A at Hillyer, 9 Hillyer Ct NW

Organized in conjunction with the exhibition titled In-Between beings, Te-Mao Lee will be joined by Mia Yinxing Liu to discuss the concepts, research, and working methods, including the integration of artificial intelligence that informs his work. Mia Yinxing Liu, is currently an Assistant Professor of the History of Art at John Hopkins University, and a scholar of modern and contemporary Chinese art and media culture. Her research focuses on how traditions are constructed, reconfigured, and reinvented in different social and political contexts and in diverse media in modern China. Select the link below to learn more.

Mia Yinxing Liu

In-Between Sounds

September 13, 7:15 to 9:15 pm

Join us for a special musical performance featuring Huai-En Tsai (trombone), Shu-Ting Yao (violin), and Wan-Chi Su (piano) who will perform music inspired by the exhibition by Te-Mao Lee titled In-Between beings. This program is organized in conjunction with Art All Night, a citywide arts event. Visit Art All Night to learn more.

Location: IA&A at Hillyer, 9 Hillyer Ct NW

Conversation with Te-Mao Lee and Hsien-Yu Cheng

Saturday, September 20, 1 pm
Online conversation

As part of the exhibition In-Between beings, featured artist Te-Mao Lee will be joined by Hsien-Yu Cheng to discuss some of the underlying concepts in the exhibition and how the work connects to the global discussion about “being” in the contemporary art world.

Join the Program

This exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture (MOC) of Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO). Organized in partnership with International Arts and Artists.