Aseptic Field
Lean Lui is a Chinese fine art and fashion photographer with a Master’s degree in Contemporary Photography from Central Saint Martins, University of Arts in London. Lean is a guest lecturer in HKU Space on topics that deal with contemporary photography. Her second book, Aseptic Field, published by Setanta Books, explores the tension between personal space and the outer world. The contrast between the purity and innocence of the inner circle is in constant juxtaposition and, in a way, the 'danger' of being contaminated by the surrounding space that can be perceived as 'contagious' to the personal experience. The influence that occurs is so powerful that it can change the entire entity with its shape and color.
In this interview, we speak with Lean Lui about her recent book, Aseptic Field, and the way in which the images are connected to the sanctuary space the photographer willingly shares. While Lean allows the viewer to get inside this protected, metaphorical space, it is critical to acknowledge the fluidity between the inside and the outside of the Aseptic Field, which is rich in emotional layers. This is an encounter, on a deep, personal level, with the conscious and subconscious, between reality and a possible dream. As Lean explains, “Aseptic Field is like an Eve who knows of forbidden fruits, has smelled their scent, and even touched them but ultimately refrains from consuming them.”
Some works from Aseptic Field are currently exhibited at Boogie Woogie Photography in Hong Kong and are available until the 16th of December, 2023.
Photography by Lean Lui
Published by Setanta Books
Get your copy here
Exhibiting in Boogie Woogie Photography
Special Thank to Sofia Krysiak
Publication Details
Handmade softcover
Pink wraparound cover with a pink silk ribbon
Limited edition of 250 signed and numbered copies
Japanese binding, hand sewn
24 x 19 cm
I use images to explore the boundary between innocence, pure and erotic, and seduction, like a virgin who is extremely sexually attractive and can be seen from a distance but not played with.
Aseptic Field
Hi WÜL! Nice to meet you, too. Thank you, I’m also very happy to have my second book with Setanta Books.
I wanted to present a sealed space, a very moist, high-pressure, and lubricating space. I often feel isolated from the outside world. This book is like my sterile room, a sanctuary for my mind and body. I have serious mental cleanliness. I grew up in an environment of pure love and education. Whether it's pure love idol dramas unique to Asia or my family that married their first love, it makes my emotions incompatible with the modern world and lives very well. I'm 25 years old and haven't been in a relationship. I don't have any religious beliefs, so I never do it for any God. I do it for myself. I have a lot of similar 'stubbornness' and cleanliness.
The images in this book contain many metaphors and symbols. I use images to explore the boundary between innocence, pure and erotic, and seduction, like a virgin who is extremely sexually attractive and can be seen from a distance but not played with.
The Concept
The idea of the form, colors, and textures to be able to change entering an aseptic field is fascinating. The conversation can be about the physical entity undergoing this change, almost forced upon it, as well as the psychological layer of personality melding into something new in the encounter with the outside world. And then, we have an additional angle of the photographer determining the form and presentation of the world through their eyes and mechanisms of interpretation. In what way did you decide to work with the aseptic field as a concept? What was important for you to preserve while working on this series?
Aseptic Field sounds very biological and rational, but the emotions inside are tumultuous and surging. I appreciate the restrained yet contradictory desires, even with a hint of a restrained sensation.
What needs to be preserved is honesty and desire because the aseptic field is not a world of binary opposition. I had to fully maintain ambiguity and fluidity within it.
‘Perhaps due to living in an era of well-developed networks, I never felt a significant difference regardless of where I lived, or maybe it's because I tend to be closed off.’
The Roots
You were raised in Hong Kong and gained your MA in Contemporary Photography from Central Saint Martins – University of the Arts in London. In what way has the encounter and deep involvement in two very different cultures affected your project, Aseptic Field, you’ve been working on for over five years?
I was born in China, grew up in Hong Kong, and pursued my Master's degree in London. My family background is rooted in Chinese Philosophy, resulting in a childhood that seamlessly blended Eastern and Western influences. Perhaps due to living in an era of well-developed networks, I never felt a significant difference regardless of where I lived, or maybe it's because I tend to be closed off. My experience studying in London was shaped less by the place itself and more by the events that happened during that time. I spent most of my first year in lockdown while creating an almost sterile environment for myself — like my own isolation chamber. It was secluded, and coupled with the recent move from Hong Kong and unresolved issues, being alone in the cold and gloomy atmosphere of London felt somewhat emotional.
‘Aseptic Field is like an Eve who knows of forbidden fruits, has smelled their scent, and even touched them but ultimately refrains from consuming them.’
The Print
Aseptic Field is your second book, coming after “19. 29”. I love the feeling of purity put into contrast with a darker perception of a different world as if coming from the dreams and the tension created between them. In what way was working on the printed edition different this time, and what did you discover for yourself from the process of creating this limited edition?
Interviews about Aseptic Field are challenging for me. I’m quite introverted and struggle to completely lay bare my story. That's why I need my artwork to serve as a vessel for my emotions. “19.29” can be openly discussed, touching on topics like the native family, school bullying, and teenage fantasies — nothing unspeakable or emotionally intricate. If the core of “19.29” is sensitivity, then Aseptic Field embodies themes of loneliness, trauma, obsession, (being) desired, and more. “19.29” is entirely pure, something to be observed from a distance but not tampered with. Aseptic Field is slightly tainted but still pure, giving off the feeling of being on the verge of getting dirty. In this sense, “19.29” is like an innocent child unaware of forbidden fruits, simply sharing its world with the outside. Aseptic Field is like an Eve who knows of forbidden fruits, has smelled their scent, and even touched them but ultimately refrains from consuming them.
The process of creating the new book was very refreshing for me. It was my first collaboration with a publisher, Setanta Books, and I feel honored to have encountered such a fantastic publishing team. I have great trust in their professionalism, so our collaboration was thorough in every aspect. After I had an initial idea and draft, we worked together on image selection, layout, binding, cover design, decoration, and more. This time, the design is more intimate and unique, resembling a precious gift from a girl.
