It’s safe to say that Hong Kong’s art scene is flourishing. This seems to have encouraged a slew of young artists to give in to their creative sides and try to grab a foothold in the competitive art scene. We have for you a list of five upcoming Hong Kong artists, who we think are here for the long run.
Chloe Ho
Ink artist Chloe Ho has already carved a name for herself in the international art scene with her East-meets-West creations. Feted in Hong Kong and overseas alike, Chloe is also fascinated by the strange marriage of art and technology and is currently experimenting with virtual reality art forms. Talking about what draws her to ink art, she says, “Ink is naked and unalterable. It’s a lot like life – you don’t get a do-over.” (Read full interview here)
Victo Ngai
The next artist on whom we can firmly place our bets is LA-based illustrator from Hong Kong, Victo Ngai. A Forbes Art & Style 30-under-30 honouree and a two-time gold medallist at New York Society of Illustrators, Victo’s list of achievements is already quite staggering. A regular illustrator for the New York Times and the New Yorker, her work has also been used by Hollywood powerhouses like DreamWorks. Her most recent tribute to Hong Kong was an illustration of a Cantonese opera performer that was featured on Johnnie Walker Blue Label limited-edition bottles.
Chris Huen
Chris Huen, another millennial on our list, draws inspiration from things around him. He deliberately avoids larger schemes in life, like religion, politics, etc. and instead chooses to focus on the beauty that lies hidden in our mundane humdrum ways of existence.
Huen’s art is inspired by en plein air (French for painting outdoors) which he applies to his paintings of indoor scenarios. His artworks try to capture the relationship between space and object.
Jaffa Lam
One of Hong Kong’s most renowned sculptors, Jaffa Lam has brought a new dimension to her artworks through her sustainable approach to art. Specialising is large-scale installations, Jaffa creates mixed-media sculptures using recycled materials like old furniture, crate wood, discarded fabrics, etc. One of her most notable work – that even made it to Sotheby’s Women in Art exhibition – is Starry Day, which was made using white umbrella scraps gathered during the iconic Umbrella Movement of 2014.
Jennifer Chow
Our final to-watch artist is Jennifer Chow, whose character Sad Cherry borrows from her own life experiences. Being born and raised in Hong Kong, her artwork is heavily steeped in the city’s visuals. According to Jennifer, her art is her process of self-discovery and it’s as much an inward journey as an outward journey for her.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photo credit: Victo Ngai, Sotheby’s, Chris Huen, Jennifer Chow Art Facebook page