Movies, as one of the most important visual art forms today, construct worlds that allow us to understand stories from different time and space in a more vivid way. They include fantasy, historical events, and reflections of the real face of today’s society. However, regardless of the subject matter, each film also carries the creativity and imagination of modern people. When imagination inspires film creation, audiences actually gain unlimited creative inspiration from the work.
Karen Weber Gallery Following the themed exhibition “Now Showing” held in 2020, this year brings the sequel exhibition “Now Showing 2.0”. This time, it will focus on 3 local Hong Kong artists, namely Chow Chun Fai, Eunice Cheung, and Tang Kiyu, showcasing their responses to the theme of artistic inspiration triggered by films through different creative mediums.
Hong Kong’s renowned film director and producer Johnnie To has created nearly a hundred films to date, covering a wide range of genres and themes, from romance and comedy to crime. Hong Kong artist Chow Chun Fai has selected two of his films, “Election” (2005) and “Sparrow” (2008), to showcase Hong Kong’s societal attitude towards controversial issues.
“The Underworld” tells the story of two gang leaders who clash over control of the Hong Kong underworld. “Sparrow” tells the story of a group of pickpockets who encounter a mysterious woman, who actually has ulterior motives. This is the pinnacle of Johnnie To’s work, and also his first foray into film noir. This exhibition showcases the artist’s oil paintings, sketches, and works depicting film characters on porcelain plates.
Actor and producer Stephen Chow, who rose to fame in Hong Kong in the 80s and 90s, becoming one of the local idols of the film industry, his classic comedy film “Flirting Scholar” (1993) tells the story of Tang Yin (1470-1524), a Ming Dynasty Chinese painter, calligrapher, and poet. Artist Xu Peizhi has recreated Tang Yin’s works that appeared in the film for this exhibition, focusing on classic themes such as cranes, pomegranates, and cursive script, combining exquisite painting skills with humor and wordplay.
In addition to calligraphy and painting, one of Xu Peizhi’s key works is a handmade sparrow suit.
In contrast to the two artists above, in “Now Showing 2.0,” Tang Kai-yiu continues his consistent focus on the works of the Japanese animation production team Studio Ghibli, including “Castle in the Sky” (1986), “Porco Rosso” (1992), and “Princess Mononoke” (1997).
Deng Qiyao’s recent paintings are completed on silk with extremely exquisite skills. The artist does not reproduce movie scenes in his works, but captures the spirit and vitality of the film through his understanding of Chinese ink painting, conveying the unchanging message – always hope in the face of adversity.
Interested in how artists skillfully capture the ideas and plots in movies, and then reshape the meaning of films with different media? You might want to visit this unique exhibition!
“2.0 Now Showing”
Date: From now until March 3 (Sunday, Monday off)
Time: 11 am to 7 pm
Location: Karen Weber Gallery 20 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong
Learn more and image source: Karin Weber Gallery
