Hong Kong Students Prize 2024

This artwork is inspired by the worrying trend of overconsumption in our society. Many consumers use consumption as a means to satisfy their desire for material goods, without regard for the consequences, which leads to the dire consequence of overconsumption. I wish to use this piece to raise awareness about overconsumption, so that people may reflect on their consumption habits and make a change for the better. 

In May 1993, a disturbing event unfolded in Germany when university students, heavily influenced by Nazi ideology and propaganda, resorted to burning books written by influential authors, including Helen Keller. This act of censorship was a clear manifestation of the oppressive climate prevalent at the time.  

Through this piece, I aim to unravel the far-reaching consequences of censorship. By burning books, they not only eliminate impactful ideas but also impose constraints on humanity, stripping away our capacity to perceive and listen. 

This is a segment from the tree walls on Hong Kong Island. It might seem they always stay silent, standing still. However, throughout time, I can see they are thriving; there are movements upon the branches, as if they are like brothers holding hands. Every single branch has its own story, becoming the clothes of this lifeless wall, and the garments of the city. 

Constrained Vision is a painting that delves deep into the oppressive nature of urban professional life, depicted through the metaphor of office workers with traffic cones for heads. This surreal representation underscores the dehumanising pressure and loss of individuality faced by many in the corporate world. The cones symbolise both the silencing of personal expression and the directional control exerted by societal norms and corporate mandates. This suggests that these workers are merely cogs in a machine, guided by external commands without a sense of personal direction or autonomy.   

The looming background amplifies this sense of oppression, representing the powers of corporate entities overshadowing the individuals. This painting acts as a powerful critique of the modern work environment, challenging people to reflect on the human cost of living in such a productive-driven society. 

In this artwork, I used a bit of perspective to depict urban expansion. The blank central cross area represents the bustling streets of the city, where neon signs interspersed among the buildings emit vibrant colors. The high saturation of colors throughout the piece expresses that light pollution is ubiquitous in the city. 

Within the fabric of Hong Kong’s work culture lies an environment of intense competition. This relentless toil weaves itself into a perpetual cycle, where the pursuit of success and the pressures of work intertwine. Thus, this raises the question: Am I destined to forever yearn for liberation from this unending struggle? 

This is my own self–portrait, manipulated to actualise my interpretation of the tree of knowledge cast within the Garden of Eden. In my inversion of the famous biblical story of Original Sin, the outrageous display of folding flesh and pockets of cascading bulge adorning the tree emphasises the innate ‘humanness’ of gluttony within the tree of knowledge. This is a manifestation of an individual’s own inner desire, which is neither good nor evil, but simply human. 

Dreams are something perfectly normal for us, but have I ever thought about why we dream? Where do dreams come from? What might I see through dreams? Are dreams real or fake? Besides science, can there be other interpretations of dreams? Why must I only believe in science?  

At the end of dreams, where the boundaries between two worlds are shattered, lies the entrance to the dream world. “In a dream, I saw a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”” (Genesis 28:12). The dream maker—God and His messengers descend from heaven. Each angel has a name: prophecy, revelation, calamity, and memory, conveying various dreams to us, who are lost in sleep, through the shattered places.

In the Vase features a vase with  four female figures who were wronged, with violets representing grievances, to show and highlight the injustices women have faced since ancient times. Sarah Goode (top left), Yang Guifei (top left), Anne Boleyn (bottom left) and Medusa (bottom right) are depicted. The lines of the vase serve as a metaphor for the lines of the female body, while, also representing how women are seen as ornaments. 

I was mesmerised by the beauty of this classic blue floral-patterned vase adorned with birds and vines, sitting in the corner of my living room. I imagined the birds’ fiery escape, breaking free from their position on the vase. It reflects to me how people break free from difficult and confined situations and striving for safety, hope and freedom. In my painting, crafted with oil on canvas, I depict the birds coming to life and breaking free from the vase, soaring into the smoky orange sky. This evokes a sense of chaos and emphasising the tension between confinement and liberation, as the birds embody the essence of freedom. 

In my artwork titled Living Space created in 2022 depicts my room, a place where I find comfort in its very form. 

I created this painting in an attempt to visually depict the intricate, ongoing relationship between time and craftsmanship. I aimed to capture the gritty, rusty elements of this lock to encourage the viewer to find interest in the things that are generally deemed and overlooked. By using the lens of decay, I sought to convey that beauty does not diminish with time; rather it transforms. The rust that coats the surface of the once-pristine and freshly painted lock serves as a testament to the passing of the years, each layer of peeled paint telling a different chapter of an everlasting story. In this way, my painting celebrates the beauty and intrigue found in imperfections and evidence of aging. Through this work, I hope to express that true meaning does not lie in perfection, but in character and perpetual evolution. 

In my exploration of the cyclical abuse of women, I depict a   young girl who sees a discarded woman, perceiving it as an omen of her future. In the artwork, the woman’s flesh is replaced with red velvet cake, symbolising how women are consumed. 

What attracts you to this painting when you first look at the work? It is the Neon coloured background or the girl looking serious, as she ties her hair?  

Titled Reflection, the artwork serves as both a reflection of a mirror and a reflection of my life. Sometimes, our lives are so busy that we tend to neglect the good things, such as our interests or family, and end up living a hectic yet monotonous life. The Neon coloured background contrasts with the dull tones of the girl, aiming to evoke a sarcastic tone and prompting the audience to reflect upon their own lives and notice the beauty that surrounds them. 

In this painting, I aimed to capture the significance of empowerment through artistic expression. This acrylic painting illustrates a scene where my hand is painting my face within a mirror using vibrant paint. This embodies boundless transformation potential through the strokes of creativity. Infusing colours onto a part of the face  symbolises the limitless possibilities of artistry, empowering individuals to metamorphose into any desired form. The strategic placement of the easel, decorated with paint and tissue, blurs the line between reality and artistry, creating an enchanting illusion. 

Have you ever wondered what unfolds in Sai Kung? The bustling sounds of the lively fish market, the clatter of plates in restaurants – yet amidst the chaos, it provides peace in our life, wrapping us in the ocean of comfort, enjoying the local cuisines while the city continues to thrive. 

This work explores the magnitude of life, likening it to water – a form and symbol of life in its own right. In this case, the flow of water and its cyclical nature portray the constant current of people who pass through and intertwine with one another. Coupled with snippets of people from my street photography, the concept of ‘sonder’ is also conveyed. This piece aims to instil wonder regarding the richness of life around us that we often overlook, hoping to evoke appreciation amongst the viewers.

This artwork is inspired by a dream where I drift beyond the familiar confines of a library into a realm of limitless possibilities. Surrounded by school textbooks I’ve read cover to cover, I glance upward and see shelves filled with books I’ve never encountered – each one holding knowledge beyond the classroom. Most captivating is a large opening at the top, a portal to an unknown world. Windows float in the air, hinting at escape, but they’re blocked by the same old textbooks I’ve exhausted. 

Suddenly, under the night sky, a woman appears – Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She lifts me, guiding me through the tantalizing aperture into a strange new realm I have never dared to explore. My heart swells with wonder and longing for the unfamiliar.

The future of the city is difficult to contemplate, yet people are always “full of hope” about what lies ahead. I can still imagine what will be here more than ten years from now. With the collision of technology and resources, the ultimate order and convenience in the city may no longer require us to perform our responsibilities deliberately. The so-called chaos hides in the corners that are hard to touch.   

In this dazzling future, I find myself conflicted; it seems we are no longer needed to maintain order in this city. When the city is out of control, we can no longer see its full picture. In this steel jungle, we are no longer birds, more like maggots in the cave, poorly painted a “worm’s eye view.” It is hard to imagine that perhaps thousands of years later, we will be replaced by what we have created. The city in the picture is running prosperously, but the man walking is no longer human. 

青山松竹繞孤村 feature Ink and paint on paper, showcasing lush bamboo and pine, surrounded by green mountains. The scattered settlements inthe forest embody a pervasive natural poetry. This drawing presents a unique tranquillity and serenity.