Wing began his career in graphic design, working for multiple well-known design firms in the US before establishing his own in 1996. His expertise won him the opportunities to brand both fashion and financial giants, from Giorgio Armani to American Express Private Banking. In 2011, Wing moved back to Hong Kong and pursued photomontage, combining symbolic images to portray the everyday life of metropolitans.
Recently, he debuted the Mask series, depicting the impact of the pandemic on our lives. The series incorporates street snaps of Hong Kong which atop photographs of blue surgical masks. These striking images not only convey the locals’ fear of mask shortages, but also spotlight acts of kindness seen on the streets throughout this time.
What inspired you to produce the Mask series? And what is the message behind it?
“The Mask series is inspired by paintings from Picasso’s Blue Period. From around 1901 to 1904, the Spanish maestro made numerous melancholic illustrations of insignificance, predominantly with various shades of blue. However, I would like to show my respect and support to these unsung heroes who work incessantly to facilitate our lives despite the widespread of the virus in public areas. For instance, I layered a photo of a cleaner on top of the surgical mask, prompting viewers to imagine how unpleasant it is for them to work under the scorching sun with a mask on. I think that we rarely notice the effort these people are putting in each day and that they are risking their lives to make Hong Kong a better place. Moreover, a friend once said to me, “No matter how disastrous the current situation is, it will end eventually.” Other than documenting the changes taking place in this city, I am hoping that my work reminds viewers that we are all in this together and will instil hope, encouraging them to stay strong.”
How does the pandemic affect your work as well as the creative process?
“The situation started to worsen towards the end of Chinese New Year when the “second wave” hit Hong Kong. Honestly, I was not mentally prepared for it and as an artist, I believe that I tend to be more sensitive, resulting in a larger impact on my emotions. Instead of being eaten up by fear and misery, I pushed myself to produce more photomontages, using this creative process as a therapy to calm myself down. The pandemic has drastically changed the world and our lifestyle. The only way for us to go through this difficult period is to learn how to adapt to changes while maintaining good physical as well as mental health.”
Are you planning to print your work on functional masks?
“I know that a lot of fashion brands and local designers are releasing functional masks in all shapes and prints, but I am not planning to do so as it seems to me that the supply of masks in Hong Kong has already met our demands. In addition, given the fact that we are throwing away millions of them each day, I prefer creating digital artwork in order to avoid further aggravating the existing waste issues.”
What are you working on at the moment?
“There is no doubt that the pandemic is emotionally as well as financially affecting all of us, making it harder than ever for us to execute our career plans. As a part of the art community, I am contributing by giving a hand to young emerging artists who have just started their careers, sharing my experiences with them and encouraging them to stay positive even though we are still uncertain about the future. I have also been working on an On Kawara-inspired series since the beginning of the “third wave.” As a nod to the Japanese conceptual artist, I adorned the photos of Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Habour with the date and number of new Covid-19 cases recorded on the day the photo was taken. Apart from documenting the beauty of my hometown, I am hoping that the number will drop to zero one day.”
Editor
Marco LeeCredit
Photo Courtesy of Wing Chan
