Celebrity Life

Kate Bryan's new book Bright Stars: Great Artists Who Died Too Young exhumes some of the world’s great artists who shone briefly and faded just as fast. We delve into a fascinating tome, full of constant revelations.

Do talent and tragedy go hand in hand? As some of the world’s greatest and most-loved artists died painfully young, their narratives cut short by fate and circumstances, it certainly seems that way. Her second book on art and artists, the eloquent TV presenter Kate Bryan, often seen on Sky Arts’ hit shows Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year, has a new book, Bright Stars: Great Artists Who Died Too Young, which examines that very subject.

“The compulsion to write came because I was fascinated to learn why so many of my favourite artists died young and that they had such a short time to create what they did,” Bryan tells me on the phone from London. “I work in the contemporary world, I work with artists all the time and I know how hard it is for them to receive the attention they deserve to win over the collectors and museums to understand them. To build any kind of career takes decades and decades and decades."

"And I was so amazed these artists were able to create a space for themselves in art history, even though they only worked for 10 years or less. How on Earth do we know who they are? Trying to find that answer, I realised there were so many artists that get completely left out of art history. That’s bad if you die young, especially for artists who are women or people of colour. Writing this book started out as a personal intrigue and then it became a real mission to try and help bring these artists back to the attention they deserve.”

Vincent van Gogh and Jean-Michel Basquiat have been mythologised by their early deaths, a key element in their posthumous fame. But what about Pauline Boty? Charlotte Salomon? Noah Davis? Who? Well, exactly. Names wiped clean on the palimpsest by shocking events and tragedy.

“There are artists such as Charlotte Salomon whom I’d like the world to know more about,” says Bryan. “She was murdered by the Nazis when she was in her early twenties – she was five months pregnant. Her work is so powerful – hundreds of watercolours, with text with music instructions – what you should listen to when you look at it. It’s part theatre, part comic book. It’s dazzling, dazzling work and she made it in order to save her life."

“As a German-Jewish artist born in Berlin, it was never hidden. Although she was murdered, how she managed to get this work to safety before she died is incredible. She got it to her father, her father showed it to Otto Frank [the father of diarist Anne Frank] and it’s always been on permanent display since the Second World War – and yet no one knows who this woman is. It’s as if she’s been written out of history books, but the work never went away.”

In many ways Bryan is ensuring a legacy to those denied one: how do you secure a legacy for a woman who gives the world such a singularly important perspective in the 20th century about history, society, politics and art? “She suffered the cruellest of fates, and now [there’s] a double murder, as she’s been left out of our history.”

Picking up that same brush, Maria Balshaw, director of the Tate museums and galleries, says, “Bright Stars is a compelling reflection on the concept of legacy. Bryan’s wide-ranging assessment of artists we lost too soon proves that longevity in art is rewarded to the stars that burn the brightest, however fleeting their lives and careers.”

The chances of artists being famous seems so unlikely. Van Gogh was an artist for just 10 years and sold only a single work in his lifetime. His sister-in-law was his torchbearer, single-handedly saving all the work that now makes him among the most famous artists in the world.

“When you look at the work of Van Gogh,” says Bryan, “nearly all the work could have been destroyed, as the family had no money or space to keep them. Similarly, I look at the history of Gerda Taro, an amazing photojournalist working in the Spanish Civil War, who had an extraordinary insight into the conflict from a woman’s perspective. She photographed women and children during the war – all of those images, tens and thousands of film negatives were bundled away in a suitcase, given to the Mexican ambassador who smuggled them out of France during the war and took them to Mexico – but he dies without publishing them. Decades later, in 2009, his son finds them. These incredible, searing images. We nearly lost all of that – it’s just so easy for this stuff to slip through our fingers.”

Many in Hong Kong’s art circles are familiar with Bryan. Not only was she a curator at a local gallery for years, but she’s been popping in and out of the city as Soho House’s head of collections since 2016. Before that, she earned an MPhil at the University of Hong Kong, deep-diving into art history, a skillset she brought to her extensive research for the book. There’s an urgency and exquisite clarity in Bryan’s voice – for her, Bright Stars was a 'passion project'.

“I started doing the research while I was in the hospital waiting for my daughter to be born,” she says. “Because I was stuck, I needed something to keep me sane and focus on research. It’s like a marathon runner, going from one thing to the next as I was working on shows for Sky Arts. I wrote most of it while I was on maternity leave. I started writing one day a week and it was just a lovely thing to have my baby girl Juno sitting on my lap while I wrote loads of the book. Two years later, here we are.”

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Here are the latest shows, immersive experiences, and must-see art exhibitions for this November 2021.

M+ Museum

Not a "show" per se, but we can't round up everything art in the city without shouting out the brand new M+ museum. The highly-anticipated cultural hub opened last week and houses 33 galleries, three cinemas, museum shops and much more – you can find out everything you need to know by reading our guide here. Entry will be free for all visitors for a year, with an exception for entry to special exhibitions and events.

M+ Museum, 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District

Axel Vervoordt Gallery: Shen Chen

Axel Vervoordt Gallery is presenting a solo exhibition by Shanghai-born, New York-based artist Shen Chen, comprising 12 paintings created between 2009 and 2021. Although Shen’s works bear stylistic influences of paintings from the "color field" movement of 1940s and ‘50s New York, his practice is rooted in a philosophical mode of thought deriving from his training in traditional Chinese ink painting. If you don’t catch the show in Hong Kong now, you’ll have to visit Kanaal in Antwerp in the spring, the exhibition’s next stop.

Until December 25. Axel Vervoordt Gallery, 21/F, Coda Designer Building, 62 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang

Ora-Ora, Tai Kwun: Living with Botero by Fernando Botero

Living with Botero is an exhibition of work at Ora-Ora's new gallery in Tai Kwun by Colombian-born figurative artist Fernando Botero, in a faithful recreation of his New York apartment. An open invitation to step into the artist's working environment, the show comprises paintings and drawings never seen before in Hong Kong, many of which Botero lived with and considered his personal favourites.

Until November 27. Ora-Ora, 105-107, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central

Woaw Gallery: TEKNOLUST: OBJECTOPHILIC FUTURES

Curated by Ben Lee Ritchie Handler and Melanie Ouyang Lum, Woaw Gallery’s latest exhibition, TEKNOLUST: OBJECTOPHILIC FUTURES opens with Stephen Neidich’s The so-called blush response (2021); a set of kinetic curtains that animate at will, obscuring then revealing then obscuring once more what lays beyond. From female human-android sculptures emerging from the gallery floor to EPOCH’s REPLICANTS, a full-scale, digital replication of Queen’s Road Central, prophesying the future of the neighbourhood as one devoid of humanity, the multi-artist showcase examines many, many “What If?” theses.

Until November 24. Woaw Gallery, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Central

Carnaby Fair x The Stallery: SUB9TURE

The Stallery plays host to Hong Kong’s first ‘CAP-ART’ exhibition in collaboration with Carnaby Fair, showcasing seven local Hong Kong artists’ capsule collections including those of The Stallery’s own Ernest Chang, Plumber King and DaddyBoy®️. Works showcased will include digital installations, large-scale displays, and interactive experiences, with all artists involved collaborating with Carnaby Fair to imprint their pieces onto caps, t-shirts and NFTs. All proceeds from the exhibition donated to V Cycle, a Hong Kong social enterprise that supports poverty alleviation and COVID-19 stress relief. Beyond the gallery exhibition, the façade of The Stallery will also become canvas to a large-scale, cross-generational collaborative graffiti-jamming project for Mr. Yim (The Plumber King) and BOMS.

Until February 13. The Stallery, G/F, 82A Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai

10 Chancery Lane Gallery: Love in the Dream

A celebration of 10 Chancery Lane Gallery’s 20^th anniversary, Love in the Dream is a sweeping 44-artist showcase, with the exhibition itself segmented into groupings of artwork thematically, salon-style. Sections include works built from resin, a dedication to Southeast Asian artists, photography and a solo partition for Hong Kong’s iconic Frog King Kwok — also featured in the toilet. 

Until January 22. 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, G/F, 10 Chancery Lane, Soho, Central

THE SHOPHOUSE x MINE PROJECT: perspective parallel by Yang Bodu and Zhao Zhao

A collaborative exhibition between THE SHOPHOUSE, MINE PROJECT and Qiong Jiu Tang, perspective parallel is a collective exhibition between Yang Bodu and Zhao Zhao, the couple’s first-ever joint feature. The title of the exhibition nods at the couple’s daily routine; a communal experience of shared time, shared space and shared professions as artists. Bodu’s paintings are connected by similar points of obscurity, from one jet-black stripe to another jet-black column in a separate painting; a theme that acts as portals throughout the artist’s oeuvre. Zhao’s paintings, on the other hand, posits questions asked since time immemorial: What is “THE WORLD”? Zhao’s answer: A fully abstract series that neither answers nor posit; instead, leaves the viewer wondering if the point of reference is microbial cells, floating grains of sand or the entire galaxy from the point of view of an omniscient narrator. 

Until 21 November. THE SHOPHOUSE, 4 Second Lane, Tai Hang

Gallery HZ x Arta: skin in the game

From mixed-media paintings by Ewa Budka, Javier Martin and Ewelina Skowrońska to photography by Chong-Il Woo, Gallery HZ and Arta’s group exhibition skin in the game brings together pieces that thematically represent the complexities of womanhood in today’s increasingly ambiguous world, especially with regard to gender, gender expression and gendered expectations.

Until December 16. Gallery HZ, 222 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan

Karin Weber Gallery: Wish You Well by Sharon Lee, Wai Kit Lam and Linda Norris

Karin Weber Gallery’s Wish You Well exhibition is a celebration of neither painting nor installation, instead, focuses attention on an "often underestimated" medium: that of the A6 square-footage of a postcard. Sharon Lee’s body of work, for which this exhibition is named after, is inspired by postcards of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Garden, while Wai Kit Lam and Linda Norris present their submissions from the “Root & Branch” project, where postcard-sized collages and paintings thematically linked through inclusions of wood and trees delve into notions of identity and heritage.

Until December 18. Karin Weber Gallery, 20 Aberdeen Street, Central 

Gagosian: Jonas Wood

Jonas Wood’s plant-focused oeuvre makes its way to Hong Kong for the very first time with this solo exhibition at the Gagosian gallery, featuring ten new paintings of flowers, fruits and houseplants rendered on black backgrounds alongside two series of related drawings including Yellow Flower with Lines 2 (2021). Originally from the East Coast, Wood’s interest in flora manifested upon his move to Los Angeles in 2003, where lush, verdant growth reflect the artist’s immediate environment at home as well as his then-new chosen home’s cultural identity. 

Until January 15. Gagosian, 7/F Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central 

Simon Lee Gallery: Georg Karl Pfahler

Designated as Georg Karl Pfahler’s first solo exhibition in Asia, this showcase predates the exhibition’s later, more comprehensive showing in Spring 2022 in the gallery’s London chapter. Here, Pfahler’s work from 1965 to 1975 is exhibited, beginning first with the artist’s Tex and Metro series in the early ‘60s to his later Ost-West Transit and Espan series that defined his work through the ‘70s. Known as one of the first “hard-edged painters”, Pfahler’s signature traces through abstract geometric shapes and crisp colour-blocking; an exploration of colour, shape and space that defined the artist’s entire life’s work. 

Until January 8. Simon Lee Gallery Hong Kong, 304, The Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central

White Cube: His Own Worst Enemy by Damien Hirst

His Own Worst Enemy features sculptures from Damien Hirst’s Venice installation Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable (2017) — as well as a series of new paintings entitled The Revelations. Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable (2017), in development for over a decade, weaves a tale of an incredible archaeological excavation from an ancient shipwreck, with found treasures verging on whimsy and the fantastical, including a black-bronze sculpture of The Severed Head of Medusa (2008). 

Until January 8. White Cube Hong Kong, 50 Connaught Road Central, Central

David Zwirner: Isa Genzken

If you’ve found yourself in the vicinity of Victoria Dockside and K11 MUSEA in recent months, you’d undoubtedly have walked past one of Isa Genzkhen's most recognisable works: Rose II, standing ever blooming, ever larger than life. Coinciding with the 8.5-metre-tall sculpture’s tenure in Hong Kong, Isa Genzken's key works from the past decade — including the “tower” and “column” sculptures and the Schauspieler (Actors) series — will be on display for the artist’s first solo presentation in greater China. 

Until December 18. David Zwirner, 5-6/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central

PERROTIN: Behind My Back, in Front of My Eyes by Gregor Hildebrandt

Gregor Hildebrandt’s preferred medium of choice is a technique named “Sound Paper,” or “Tönendes Papier,” as it was first coined by inventor Fritz Pfleumer in 1928 in reference to magnetic tape used to tape audio; then, the kinds of paper coiled in cassette tapes several decades later. Hildebrandt, however, uses the medium to produce silence. Capturing a recorded melody on empty tapes, Hildebrandt then uses the treated audio cassette tape as “paint”; thus, "sticking" music to canvas in what he calls “rip-off paintings.” From the graphic motifs of White flower pointing up (Alphaville) to the multi-coloured Sur le comédien, Hildebrant manufactures a silent soundscape rife with memories, yet amputated from its latent musicality. 

Until November 20. Perrotin Hong Kong, 807, K11 ATELIER, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Tai Kwun: Poetic Heritage

Questions of heritage, generally, most likely, come with implications of tradition; of heirlooms. Of things and lore and customs someone from generations past thought was worth keeping. Poetic Heritage — a joint exhibition borne out of Tai Kwun Contemporary’s open call for curatorial proposals — ruminates on precisely this; on the how, the why and, then, the why not. Six chosen artists and artist groups intentionally chose debris and objects — think reclaimed granite, wood pallets and cardboard boxes — otherwise unsavoury and headed for the landfill as materials that hold evidence of the past. As evidence of stories untold and forgotten.

Until November 21. Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

The post The Must-See Art Exhibitions for November 2021 in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Construction of the long-awaited contemporary and cultural museum began in 2014. Starting 12 November, M+ museum will finally be open to the public. Here's our insider guide for what you need to know before visiting.

M+ is touted as Asia's first global museum of contemporary visual culture and one of the largest modern and contemporary museums in the world. The museum is located within the West Kowloon Cultural District of the Kowloon Peninsula, featuring 65,000 square metres of exploration, and housing 33 galleries, three cinemas, a Mediatheque, a Learning Hub, a Research Centre, museum shops and more.

Ticketing and admission

For the first year of opening, all visitors can enjoy free admission to M+ exhibitions.

However, in anticipation of large crowds, online reservations for admissions are highly recommended. You can do so here for your preferred time slot. Walk-ins are subject to availability.

Becoming an M+ Member

If you're an art lover at heart, or simply enjoy exclusive experiences, members-only exhibitions, priority lanes, priority bookings and more, consider the M+ Membership. Annual membership fees start at HK$300 for full-time students, HK$600 for adult membership or HK$1,200 for a family package (two adults and one child).

Opening hours

M+ museum is closed on Mondays, and on certain public holidays.

On Tuesdays to Thursdays and weekends, opening hours are from 10am to 6pm.

On Fridays, opening hours are from 10am to 10pm.

How to get there

MTR — It's a 5 minute walk from Kowloon Station Exit E4 or E5.

Bus — There are many options available if you choose to take the bus. View the full list here.

Water Taxi — Yes, water taxis! Two special departures to West Kowloon will be arranged on Sundays and public holidays, starting from Central Ferry Pier 9. Please view their website for further information.

Car — Parking is available at Zone F Car Park, accessible from the driveway to the museum's pick-up and drop-off area on 38 Museum Drive.

Things to note

• Avoid bringing bulky suitcases or backpacks as the staff may require you to store them in the cloakroom or lockers.
• Photography is welcomed in most sections, but avoid using flash photography.
• There are no water stations available, so definitely bring your own water as there's a lot of walking involved. Note: You are not allowed to eat or drink in the exhibition halls.
• As far as we saw, there were no vegetarian food options in the café, so if you do have a limited dietary requirement, pack your own lunch.

The galleries

There are thousands of works on display, representing 777 makers and artists from over 35 countries. Locally, there are 136 Hong Kong artists featured in the opening.

With such an immense offering, Chief Curator Doryun Chong recommends that we make multiple visits to consume the sections in "bite-sized pieces". That logic is true: After almost an hour of wandering, we'd barely scraped the surface of what was on offer.

M+ houses four permanent collections that are rooted in Asia, forming the backbone of the M+ collective. Major sections include:

• Hong Kong: Here and Beyond — a visual journey of our city from 1960s to the present day, exploring Hong Kong's architecture, design and cinema.
• M+ Sigg Collection: From Revolution to Globalisation — dedicated to four significant decades of contemporary Chinese art from 1970 to 2012.
• Things, Spaces, Interactions — with a core focus on design and architecture from Asia and beyond, this area showcases over 500 objects that have built societies and shaped identities.
• Individuals, Networks, Expressions — an expansive artistic story from 1950s to the present day, documenting the vision and rise of contemporary Asia on the world stage.
• Antony Gormley: Asian Field — what will arguably be the most Instagram-heavy room; be prepared to meet a sea of clay figurines made by the residents of Xiangshan village in Guangdong.

M+ Museum officially opens on Friday, 12 November. Register for tickets and learn more here.

West Kowloon Cultural District, 38 Museum Drive, Kowloon, +852 2200 0217.

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TED, a nonprofit that engages in sharing ideas for a “deeper understanding of the world”, has been devoted to holding powerful conversations since 1984. What began as a “conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages.”

According to the organisation’s official website, TED.com is a “clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world's most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.”

Among its many programmes and initiatives, TED Talks is dedicated to sharing knowledge through short talks and presentations. These are filmed at flagship TED conferences, independent TEDx events, partner events and salons held in the NYC World Theater, US.

Over the many years, learned personalities from various disciplines and cultures have taken the TED stage to impart knowledge that matters, leaving viewers enlightened by the end of their lectures.

Presenting their thoughts in unique ways, some use humour while others use facts to substantiate their findings. These talks not only give something to think about to the viewers but also motivate them to live better lives. Each session of TED Talks is usually less than 18 minutes and can be streamed online.

With its wide-ranging subjects, the platform has something for everyone. Whether it is about interpersonal relationships, psychology, or readying the world for the next outbreak, you will find something that will grab your attention and keep you glued to the screen.

Since they are made in short form, TED Talks can be watched when taking a break during weekdays or binge-watched over a weekend.

So, here are 10 most popular TED Talks of all time that will give you a different perspective and ideas on various topics and inspire you to become better and excel in life.

(Main and Featured image: TED/YouTube)

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Hong Kong-based Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, which specialises in modern art, recently inaugurated The Trio, an exhibition of three prominent lyrical abstractionist masters: Gerard Schneider, Georges Mathieu and Pierre Soulages.

As history constantly reminds us, crises birth creativity, and the influence wars have on the arts cannot be overlooked. The Great War brought the genius of Otto Dix to the international cultural arena. Years later, the disruption of World War II inspired generations of artists, including the masters of lyrical abstraction that forever redefined the notions of high-brow art.

The Trio, curated by Catherine Kwai, the founder and Managing Director of Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, gathers the landmark works of the three masters under one roof in the gallery’s flagship location at Tai Kwun. Earlier this year, Kwai also collaborated with K11 Art Foundation to curate a retrospective exhibition of Mathieu at K11 Musea. This time, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery is showing two of his celebrated paintings: Concerted Punishment (1990) and Grande Seve Feus Follets (1986), both created decades after the painter published his manifesto, which effectively defined lyrical abstraction.

Three of Swiss painter Gérard Schneider's works are also featured in the exhibition, namely Untitled (1968), Opus 95 I (1970) and Opus 15 K (1972). Compared to Matthieu’s chaotic strokes, Schneider’s style reads romantic, pierced with richness, modernism, and lyricism. The paintings were born during Schneider’s “Years of Enlightenment”, when the artist decided to embrace colour and his painting style started to develop a calligraphic dimension.

Completing the trio is Aveyron-native Pierre Soulages, whose Peinture (1949) is a stark manifestation of his signature macabre style. Dubbed "the world’s greatest living artist" by former French president François Hollande, Soulages uses black colour to bring light to his works using the reflectivity property of paint. He once said, “My instrument is not black but the light reflected from the black”.

The Trio is open to the public until December 23.

Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Headquarters Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central; +852 2580 0058

(Hero image: Gérard Schneider, Opus 15 K, Acrylic on canvas, 1972)

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Vax gets the title of the Word of the Year 2021 by Oxford Languages, the world-famous language database that produces the Oxford English Dictionary.

Having caused quite a stir, quite literally, the post-pandemic world seems to have used the word vax 72 times more frequently in September 2021 than the previous year, according to Oxford Languages. 

Vax - Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year

According to Oxford’s data analysis, ‘vax’ was most commonly and frequently used in Australia, North America and South-East Asia, but it also observed that Britain and other English speaking nations were also picking up the word.

“When reviewing the language evidence, vax stood out as an obvious choice. The word’s dramatic spike in usage caught our attention first. Then we ran the analysis and a story started to emerge, revealing how vax sat at the centre of our preoccupations this year”, Casper Grathwohl, the President of Oxford Languages was quoted as saying. 

Vax is derived from the word ‘vaccine’, having been used for the first time in the 1980s. It has seen a steep surge in usage this year, now that the entire world is on a vaccination drive. What’s interesting is that the word vax also came up several times for those against vaccination, commonly known as anti-vaxxers. 

In 2020, for the first time ever, Oxford Languages did not announce a Word of the Year. It declared that 2020 could not be put in one word, given the chaos that the world was reeling with. 2020 had several contenders, from “coronavirus” to “lockdown”, among others. But Oxford declared that it was impossible to choose one since there were too many words that could sum up the year. 

All images: Courtesy Shutterstock

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Model and artist Afa Lee is equally at home in front of a canvas or a camera. We meet her on set and at a gallery cafe, where we talk at length about solitude, Yayoi Kusama and Hieronymus Bosch 

Afa Lee talks with equal ease about Rembrandt and Dali as she does about Vuitton and Dior, just as she can expound at length about the odd parallels between Japanese Ukiyo-e art and that of the Baroque period, both of which began around the same time – in the late 17th century. We, for our part, offer polite nods that feign comprehension. Let’s start at the beginning.

Afa Lee, Model and Artist

Where did you study art? 

I didn’t study fine art but design. I have my BA Honours in Visual Communication from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. I was an art director in an advertising agency for a few years after graduation, then I quit and became a full-time illustrator, then more recently a visual artist. 

Describe your art. 

When I try to explain my style of work to others, I say it’s kind of disturbing but with a candy coating. But when people describe my work, they see it as sweet, creepy and scary at the same time. Actually, there was a period when my work was much more explicit and unsettling. Like many artists, I’d gone through different stages and styles - but the themes I circumnavigated ended up being more or less the same: always about solitude, distance among people, our longing for connecting with each other, fear and all desires. I paint about feminism, too. I like to stare at all the undercurrents behind the veil.

Who are your favourite artists? 

I like Salvador Dalí, Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama and Ukiyo-e art. They all inspire my work. I like art that expresses consciousness and the deep fear of humanity by way of distorted human forms. 

If you could go to any gallery anywhere, where would we find you? 

My favourite galleries are the Uffizi in Florence, the Saatchi Gallery and Tate Modern in London, and The Power Station of Art in Shanghai. And it’s always been on my bucket list to visit the Salvador Dalí Museum in Barcelona.

What challenges do you face as an artist in a commercial city like Hong Kong? 

It’s said that Hong Kong is a place for trading in art but not art itself. I’d have agreed with that in the past, but no longer. Commercial, short-sighted, money-minded, lack of cultural vibes are easy and lazy expressions carried over from the past, but they don’t reflect contemporary Hong Kong – the vibe in recent years has changed completely. People here have started to realise the importance of humanity in a city, and are thus starting to appreciate art and culture as a means of recording and healing. All the shocks or difficult times that we’ve experienced have nurtured and provided content for our creations.

Art units, collectors and even auction houses have started looking out for Hong Kong talent, which is a huge encouragement to local artists. I’m happy that I’ve been an in-house artist with JPS Gallery since last year. It’s a new space, but they’re energetic and aggressive and, most importantly, they have the vision to promote and support Hong Kong artists, which I appreciate a lot. The best way to support artists in Hong Kong is to help us make a living, so we can continue to create. I know I’m lucky, I can live on my art and keep doing what I want to do.

What’s been the oddest request you’ve had to paint? 

Someone I hated very much once asked me to draw him in the form of Yokai Monsters [a late-’60s trilogy of Japanese horror and fantasy films written by Tetsuro Yoshida]. Back in those days, I kept drawing my friends in the form of monsters, based on their personalities and characteristics. And I showed that work in an exhibition. For some reason, I couldn’t refuse his request but it was really hard for me to draw someone I had no feelings at all for – it was like lying to myself. I felt that work was so insincere, so fake. I hated it. It was terrible, full of hesitation and guilt. Eventually, I found some excuse and didn’t show it in my exhibition.

Who’s your ideal buyer? 

Tony Leung [bursts out laughing], because he visited our booth at Art Central in May earlier this year, but he left five minutes before I arrived, so I missed him. I hope one day he can collect one of my pieces because he’s been my idol for so many years.

What are you working on, and what’s coming up next for you? 

I’ve been quite busy this year. Soon after my solo exhibition in December last year, I joined two group shows at Belowground, Landmark – co-presented by Belowground and JPS Gallery – and also Art Central in May. I’m currently preparing for my solo show, which will take place in Tokyo at the end of the year.  

Where can we see or buy your work?  

To see my work, you can simply search my Instagram account (@afa_annfa) or my website. People who want to buy my art can contact JPS Gallery. And if we can all travel again soon, my first solo exhibition in Japan is in the works. Here’s hoping for a better 2022.

The post Body of Work: Model and Artist Afa Lee “Afa Annfa” on Her Art, Solitude and Yayoi Kusama appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

One can recognise the artwork and signature style of Catherine Grossrieder from a mile away. It’s sensual, it's funny, it’s animated, it's contemporary, it's alive, it's cheeky.

And good gravy, it's fun. We had to know more about the young resident artist who is as much a livewire as her work is.

Tell us where you studied art?

I did a foundation year course in design at UNSW, Sydney, followed by a bachelor in visual communications at the University of Newcastle, Australia, then I took a Master’s of Design at UTS, Sydney. I am an artist with a background in graphic design and graffiti.

How do you describe your artwork?

Truthful, colourful, provocative and hoping to inspire.

Who are your favourite artists, especially those who inspire you?

Todd James, Jenny Holzer, Ana Bagayan, Niki de Saint Phalle to name a few. However, I’ve always been inspired by both fine artists as well as European and American graffiti artists like Lady Pink, Dondi, Mode 2 and Miss Van.

There's such humour and in its own way body positivity in your main character - was this the intention or it just came out that way?

Yes, especially for my trademark character, Jeliboo. I always enjoyed drawing curvy women, so once upon a time during a lab experimentation mixing cute and bootylicious together, Jeliboo was born in 2014! I equate curvaceousness to happiness and adventure, as a result, she reflects these aspects quite well. She also has a bunny doll sidekick called Fluffy B.

In a social media world where everyone is an armchair critic, has there been uncalled-for critique of your work?

There has been, but quite minor. Some confuse Jeliboo and my lady characters as “selling” themselves, showcasing their assets to get ahead. Let’s get one thing straight: there is nothing wrong with that notion either. Jeliboo is about being yourself and doing what you feel comfortable and happy with. Hence, I took reaction in stride.

Where are your favourite galleries in the world – imagine a time when it's safe and easy to travel, where are you heading?

I always enjoy going to Perrotin, hands down. Also really like Aishonanzuka, they have a good selection of young Eastern and Western artists to pay attention to. Where I’d really like to go though, once we can travel, is the Sennelier art shop in Paris and the Sistine Chapel. One day…

What are the challenges you face as an artist in a commercial city like Hong Kong?

Cost of living and doing something you love. It’s all I can say, but that’s a big city reality!

How supportive is the artistic community when it comes to your work?

The young artist's community is quite supportive of many and engaged with what’s going on. At the end of the day, an artist must create the art that speaks for them, instead of what is “appealing”. This is easier said than done - I am absolutely aware of that. As for galleries, the ones I have worked with enjoyed carrying my work and being inquisitive about it, which meant so much.

What's been a funny and/or strange request you've had?

My threshold for funny and strange is quite high! I’ve probably painted them already!

Where can readers see your work/buy your work or commission your work?

They can view my artworks and Jeliboo art on Instagram at @cathloverosatwo. If they wish to buy my creations, they are more than welcome to visit my art studio, Club Third in Sheung Wan (@clubthird). Just kindly make an appointment with me!

Who is your ideal buyer?

Someone who’s had an instant heart to heart with my piece is my ideal buyer.

What's an artist's dream - where would you like to showcase your work?

Ooh great question, but I don’t want to jinx it, haha! How about this, I’ll name locations: Paris, New York and Tokyo. That would be the dream!

What are you working on this year - and what's coming up next for you?

Right now, I’m working on a collection that is inspired by my frustrations with the pandemic, not seeing family and feeling somewhat trapped. In the long run, I can process it, but these emotions can be too real to suppress, hence applying them to canvas raw is very cathartic. The direction also explores curious and peculiar notions concerning womanhood and struggle. I call it my pandemic graffiti expressionist pieces. An undercurrent of graffiti influence, a tsunami of pent up pandemic emotions resulting in vivid colour choices and rip currents of stylistic executions.

The post The Bawdy Beautiful: Catherine Grossrieder aka Cath Love, Hong Kong’s Favourite Graffiti Artist appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

The post Banksy’s self-destructing artwork Love is in the Bin sells for record US$25 million appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

The post October 2021’s Full Moon in Aries Will Bring the Passion and Power Struggles appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

The post 6 Celebrity Documentaries To Watch Right Now appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

The post This Season’s Most Anticipated Food Books Have a Sense of History appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.