蕾絲書法 – Hong Kong Express 系列– Why Why Tell Me Why

Curator

Luke Chapman

HONG Wai's "Why Why Tell Me Why" represents a sophisticated convergence of textual art, material exploration, and musical reference. By taking the title lyrics from Anita Mui's iconic song "Bad Girl" and rendering them in lace, HONG creates a visual echo of the song's emotional resonance while pushing the boundaries of calligraphic expression. The repetition of "WHY" across four distinct rows creates a visual rhythm that mirrors the song's plaintive questioning. Each row presents a slightly different handling of the lace material, suggesting variations in emotional intensity – much like the varying vocal inflections in Mui's performance. The transparency of the lace creates layers of meaning through shadow play, while its traditional associations with femininity add depth to the piece's connection to one of Hong Kong's most celebrated female artists. What's particularly compelling is how HONG transforms a simple question into a material meditation on cultural identity. The use of English text rendered through a traditionally European material (lace) to reference a Cantopop classic creates a complex dialogue about cultural hybridity in Hong Kong's artistic expression. The work manages to be both a tribute to Mui's legacy and a contemporary statement about the intersection of language, material, and memory in Hong Kong's cultural landscape. Through this piece, HONG demonstrates her exceptional ability to weave together multiple narratives – musical, material, and cultural – into a cohesive artistic statement that resonates with both personal and collective memory.