Vibrant and bold colors, combined with playful geometric patterns, this unique large-scale artwork has recently appeared in the platform space of Harbour City. It’s as if Alice has encountered a Rabbit Hole, stepping into it plunges her into the art world of “Planet Walala”.
“Planet Walala” is a work by the famous French artist Camille Walala.
She excels in creating with a Tribal-Pop style, her works are full of joy, playfulness, vibrancy, and vitality, not only shaking people’s visual senses but also adding a lot of color to public spaces. Her creative range includes large murals, immersive 3D installations, street art, interior and stage designs, and various creative projects worldwide. From streets, buses, gas stations to apartments, hotels, factories… one of the most iconic works among them must be the “Dream Come True Building” she created on the streets of Shoreditch in 2015.
Camille believes in the power of colors and patterns to bring joy and positive energy to people, and she describes her work as “Playful”, “Joyful”, and “Beautiful”.
Happy
If we were to say, it is not difficult to feel Camille’s optimism and positivity towards life from the colors and creations of her works. On the day of the interview, her choice of dressing in green and blue, paired with a wide-brimmed hat, gave off a feeling of “art mirroring the artist”.
Under the bright sunshine, Camille stood in the colorful maze, feeling the gentle breeze brushing against her sleeves. She was enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. Camille shared that this was her fourth visit to Hong Kong, each journey bringing her joy. This time, she drew much inspiration for her creations from this city.
Camille looked at the picturesque scenery of the sea and sky from a distance.
In Camille’s tone, her deep affection couldn’t be hidden. “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 fascinated me because I had never seen a unique landscape like Hong Kong’s before, so I have liked Hong Kong since the first time I came.” In casual conversation, she enthusiastically talked about her experiences in Hong Kong, mentioning that she particularly enjoys the food at local tea restaurants.
And in this creation, Camille took inspiration from Hong Kong architecture, incorporating geometric elements from the city into the three major art projects of “Planet Walala @ Harbour City.” She created a vibrant public art initiative – featuring two outdoor art installations and her first solo art exhibition – not only engaging with the public in various forms but also depicting her impression of Hong Kong in the process.
Further Reading:
- 【Art March】Art Central 2024 Exhibition Guide!
- Experience the magic of Tadao Ando’s church architecture with wind, light, and water!
- 【Interview with Chinese Artist Huo Gang】Encountering Geometric Abstract Art Again!
When appreciating this art project, one is always captivated by the vibrant three-dimensional geometric patterns, coupled with a sea blue color as the main design theme, reminiscent of the shimmering waves of Victoria Harbour. Camille said this is one of her inspirations and also her favorite color.
Especially in Hong Kong’s city landmark “Now You See It Now You Don’t,” you can see many outlines that belong to Hong Kong: the sculpture letters are high and low, overlapped, resembling the dense high-rise buildings and skyline of Hong Kong; square patterns, closely arranged like the exterior walls of buildings; wavy lines echoing the waves of Victoria Harbour; relief design inspired by the architectural features of commercial buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. If you look closely, you will also discover that the texture details of the sculpture are inspired by Hong Kong’s classic paper stone; inspired by George Rousse’s optical art, it uses the technique of anamorphosis: only when viewed from a specific angle and distance can you see the word “HONG KONG,” hence the name.
She believes in the power of color and patterns to bring joy to people, just as she combines water, Hong Kong, and blue to create a Camille’s vitality and positivity.
Juguetón
On the other corner of the maritime observation platform, Camille transformed the viewing platform into an outdoor art maze called “A-MAZE,” filled with highly saturated colors that engulf the entire space, instantly breaking away from the city’s concrete jungle and delivering a strong visual impact. This art piece is an extension of Camille’s “Walala X PLAY” art maze created in London, her first outdoor maze creation, making it a truly unforgettable experience for her.
This is both an art installation and a vibrant recreational facility and public resting space. Regardless of age or gender, everyone can find their own little corner here. You can roam and play in the maze, snap photos for social media, leisurely admire the Victoria Harbour view. With different sized windows on walls at various heights, people can peek through and move freely in the multi-layered maze, enhancing interactivity.
For her, it’s all about “fun”. “As children, we explored the world through colors and patterns, filled with strong curiosity and excitement for everything. But as we grow older, we start taking things for granted and no longer get excited about the colorful beauty around us. Stepping into A-MAZE, I hope to awaken everyone’s inner child, shed the burdens of adulthood, rediscover curiosity for new things, and explore the world with joy.” Want to rediscover the joy of childhood, reignite your inner child in a colorful geometric world? Camille invites you to boldly try, find your way out step by step, and fully enjoy the simple pleasure of play.
Beautiful
To fully relax in a carefree environment, of course, the assistance of beautiful things is indispensable. 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 art exhibition “Metropolis” at the Harbor City Art Museum.
Within the exhibition are her 12 latest pieces of artwork, hand-drawn in her signature Tribal-pop style with strong geometric elements. Drawing inspiration from buildings worldwide, she incorporates textures and details into architectural forms, blending them like a crucible to meld the architectural aesthetics of various cities.
She has narrowed down her creative space and confined it within a piece of paper, which is not an easy feat. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that these artworks have more layers and higher density in composition compared to her previous works, much like echoing Hong Kong’s high-density architecture. She also used a wider range of colors in her paintings, closely reflecting the vibrant energy of Hong Kong. “My favorite piece is ‘Rush Hour’ because I tried to portray the dynamism that is unique to Hong Kong and how people perceive this city. Just like there are many layers, and everything is very condensed, I wanted to capture this characteristic in this painting.”
How to utilize this limited space, incorporating different colors and graphics to bring joy to the audience, is a challenge as well as a reflection of the original creative intent. Her experience in it is abundant and offers new perspectives. Camille said,
