Created By
Hong Wai
Ink and color on golden Xuan paper on wood
Curator
Artbridger Curator
HONG Wai's "Hong Kong Express 1997 Red II" masterfully blends Western fashion aesthetics with traditional Chinese painting techniques, offering a thought-provoking exploration of cultural hybridity and artistic innovation. The intricate lace-like texture of the high heel shoe, juxtaposed against the fluid ink drips, symbolizes a poignant interplay between solidity and fluidity, permanence and transience. By incorporating elements of calligraphy and tondo format, HONG creates a visually striking narrative that invites viewers to contemplate the nuanced intersections of memory, identity, and artistic legacy within the dynamic context of Hong Kong's cultural evolution.
This circular composition presents a single T-strap high heel shoe in deep burgundy tones against a warm golden background. The shoe, meticulously rendered with an intricate pattern of geometric shapes creating a lace-like texture, appears suspended in a moment of transformation. The work includes traditional Chinese calligraphic elements noting 1997 Red and the artist's seal on the left side. Most distinctively, the shoe dissolves into three vertical ink drips, creating a haunting metamorphosis from solid to liquid form. The piece is executed in the tondo format, echoing the traditional presentation of Chinese circular fan paintings. The artist's technical approach is particularly compelling. By rendering this Western fashion accessory through the lens of traditional Chinese painting techniques, HONG creates a cultural synthesis that mirrors Cheung's own artistic legacy. The melting effect, where the shoe appears to dissolve into ink drips, suggests both the persistence and the fragility of memory and cultural significance.
Created By
Hong Wai
33 x 33 cm | 13 x 13 in
50 x 50 cm
2025
