On the facade of the Melly art center (formerly Witte de With), the smiling face of Melly Shum is a familiar part of the streetscape. Since 1990, Ken Lum's billboard has hung on the side wall. It is an unprecedentedly long exposure for an advertising board. The combination of language and image plays a major role in much of Ken Lum's work. In the mid-80s, Lum became known for work in which he combined portraits with abstract logos and text. Placed side by side, the fake logos had a distinctive effect on the portrait photos. The people in the photos were no longer individuals but representatives of a brand. The work raises questions about identity. To what extent do brands determine the identity of modern man? Ken Lum does not create an advertisement, but his billboard certainly contains a 'message'. He makes the codes of advertising visible. By employing the stereotypical design of advertising, he shows how ingrained our viewing habits are. We automatically make a connection between the text 'Melly Shum hates her job' and the image, through which we feel addressed by the direct language. But is this lady really Melly Shum? Is Melly Shum a real person? Because no phone number, website, price, or product is listed on the board, only the contradiction between image and text remains. Unlike advertising, this artwork provides no answers, but merely raises questions. In 1990, Ken Lum had a major solo exhibition at the Witte de With art center. Since then, the billboard has hung on the side facade of the building. Over the years, it has been replaced several times by a new copy. At the end of 2007, in consultation with Witte de With, it was decided to include the work in the collection of Sculpture International Rotterdam. The work remains the property of the artist and has been donated to Melly on loan. For more information: Sculpture International Rotterdam.
