Vibrant and bold colors, paired with playful geometric patterns, this unique large-scale artwork has recently appeared in the platform space of Harbour City, as if Alice encountered the Rabbit Hole, stepping into her art world “Planet Walala” in an instant.
“Planet Walala” is a work by the famous French artist Camille Walala.
Specializing in creating with a Tribal-Pop style, her work is full of joy, playfulness, and vitality, captivating people’s visual senses and bringing life to public spaces. Her creative projects span from large-scale murals, immersive 3D installations, street art, interior and stage design around the world. From streets, buses, gas stations to apartments, hotels, factories… one of the most iconic works is undoubtedly the “Dream Come True Building” she created on the streets of Shoreditch in 2015.
Camille believes in the power of color and pattern to bring joy and positive energy to people, and she describes her work as “Playful”, “Joyful”, and “Beautiful”.
Happy
If we say that from the colors and creations of Camille’s works, it is not difficult to feel her optimism and positivity towards life, then on the day of the interview, she, dressed in green and blue with a wide-brimmed hat, gives people a feeling of “the work reflects the person”.
Under the bright sunshine, Camille stood in the colorful maze, with a slight breeze brushing her sleeves, and she enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere on her face. Camille shared that this was her fourth time in Hong Kong, and each visit brought her joy. This time, she also gained a lot of inspiration from this city for her creations.
Camille looked at the scenery of the sea and sky in the distance and said slowly.
In Camille’s tone, it is difficult to conceal her deep love. “Although I have been to Hong Kong several times, I still remember the first night I arrived, watching the taxi pass through one huge building after another, which made me feel very charming because I had never seen a unique landscape like Hong Kong’s, so I liked Hong Kong since the first time I came.” In the casual conversation, she also enthusiastically talked about what she had seen and heard in Hong Kong, saying she especially liked the food in cha chaan tengs.
And for this creation, Camille took inspiration from Hong Kong’s architectural style, incorporating geometric elements from the city into the three major art projects at “Planet Walala @ Harbour City,” creating a vibrant public art program – two outdoor art installations and her first solo art exhibition. Through various forms of interaction with the public, she also portrays her impression of Hong Kong within them.
Further Reading:
- 【Art March】Art Central 2024 Exhibition Guide!
- Feel the magic of Tadao Ando’s church architecture with the wind, light, and water!
- 【Chinese Artist Huo Gang Exclusive Interview】Encountering Geometric Abstract Art Again!
When appreciating this art project, you will be captivated as always by the vibrant three-dimensional geometric patterns, paired with sea blue as the main design tone, reminiscent of the shimmering waves of Victoria Harbour. Camille said this is one of her inspirations and also her favorite color.
Especially in the city landmark of Hong Kong, “Now You See It Now You Don’t“, many outlines belonging to Hong Kong can be seen: the sculpture letters that are high and low, overlapping, like the densely packed skyscrapers and skyline of Hong Kong; square patterns, just like the closely arranged walls of buildings; and wavy lines that echo the waves of Victoria Harbour; the design of bas-reliefs is inspired by the architectural features of commercial buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. If you look closely, you will also find that the texture details of the sculpture are inspired by the classic paper stone of Hong Kong; and she was inspired by George Rousse’s optical art works, so she also used the technique of squeezing and deforming (anamorphic) in the design: only by standing at a specific angle and distance can you see the word “HONG KONG”, and therefore it is named as such.
She believes in the power of colors and patterns to bring joy to people, just as she uses water, Hong Kong, and blue to piece together a vibrant and positive energy that belongs to Camille.
Juguetón
On the other side of the Ocean View Platform, Camille transforms the observation deck into an outdoor art maze called “A-MAZE,” filled with high-saturation colors that engulf the entire space, instantly breaking away from the city’s concrete jungle and creating a strong visual impact. This art piece is an extension of Camille’s “Walala X PLAY” art maze created in London, and it is also her first outdoor maze creation, making it a very memorable experience for her.
This is both an art installation and a vibrant recreational facility and public leisure space. People of all ages and genders can find their own little world here, whether they are playing in the maze, taking photos, or leisurely enjoying the view of Victoria Harbour. The walls at different heights have windows of various sizes, allowing people to peek and freely move around the maze, increasing interaction. For her, all of this comes from the idea of “fun.” “When we were young, we explored the world through colors and patterns, with a strong curiosity and excitement for everything. But as we grow older, we take things around us for granted and no longer get excited about the colorful and beautiful things. By entering A-MAZE, I hope everyone can awaken their inner child, let go of adult burdens, rediscover curiosity for new things, and explore the world with joy.” Want to experience the joy of childhood again and rediscover your inner child in a colorful geometric world? Camille invites you to bravely try, slowly find your way out, and enjoy the simple happiness of playing.
美丽
To completely relax in a carefree environment, of course, beautiful things are essential. Camille has always been famous for her large-scale public art, but in this art project, she boldly makes a new attempt – holding her first solo exhibition “Metropolis” at the Harbour City Art Museum.
Within the exhibition, her 12 new paintings are displayed, hand-painted in her signature Tribal-pop style with strong geometric elements. Drawing inspiration from buildings around the world, she blends textures and details with architectural shapes, like a melting pot, combining the architectural aesthetics of various cities.
She has narrowed down her creative space to fit within a piece of paper, which is not an easy task. But upon closer inspection, one will find that these paintings have more layers and higher density in composition compared to her previous works, echoing the high-density architecture of Hong Kong. She also uses more colors in her paintings, capturing the vibrant energy of Hong Kong. “My favorite piece is ‘Rush Hour’ because I tried to portray the vitality of Hong Kong and how people perceive this city. Just like there are many layers, and everything is very condensed, I wanted to show this characteristic in this painting.”
How to use this limited space, add different colors and graphics, bring joy to the audience, is a challenge, and also a work that embodies the original intention of creation. And her experience in it is also considerable, with new insights. Camille said,
