As one of Hong Kong’s most representative cartoonists, the popularity of Little Thunder is not limited to the local scene. Since 2001, she has been dedicated to comic creation and has been active in the fields of comics and illustration. She has published several publications worldwide, successfully promoting her unique artistic vocabulary internationally.
Her work is deeply influenced by manga aesthetics, so the world she creates is also filled with narrative and expressions of surrealism. In recent years, Xiao Lei has started uploading snippets of her daily artwork on online platforms. With her skilled brushwork, she depicts graceful and ethereal girl figures, attracting a storm-like growth in fans.
Recently, she collaborated with Over the Influence to hold a solo exhibition titled “退出‧現實 Reality Dropout”, bringing 12 surreal new works with a fresh creative medium, which has received enthusiastic responses! This exhibition is not only a rare collaboration between Xiao Lei and the contemporary art gallery, but also her first attempt to create a series of large-scale oil paintings on canvas. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, we invited the artist herself to share with us the concept and creative process of this exhibition.
In the post-pandemic era, everyone suddenly fell into a chaotic and disordered daily life. The so-called “reality” is actually filled with absurdity and fear. In our search for the truth, we may find that everything is beyond our understanding. For Xiao Lei, who has been creating at home, she hopes to create a realm where the imaginary and reality intersect through her brush, practicing “absurdity to the extreme” and allowing everyone to step out of reality and contemplate the meaning of “truth.”
ZTYLEZ: What kind of mindset did you have when starting this series, which brings out the opposition between “virtual and real” and “normal and absurd”?
Men Xiaolei: From a young age, we were taught to seek the truth, but we have increasingly realized that the truth is absurd. Falsehood can be more destructive than reality. Perhaps “truth and falsehood” and “normal and absurd” are not relative, but rather a blurry whole.
ZTYLEZ: Can you share the process of planning and creating these 12 large-scale oil paintings in such a short amount of time?
Men Xiaolei: I started working on the OTI project exhibition in May and June, thinking that I would have about half a year to create and could paint easily. However, after deducting time for conceptualization, rough drafts, framing, and other matters, I only had three months left to paint, and I had to complete one piece per week.
In July, due to other illustration work, I only managed to complete two pieces of “Reality Dropout” artwork. At that time, I couldn’t imagine how I would be able to finish on time, but I knew that I would definitely be able to complete it in the end. Finally, I successfully finished the twelfth piece on October 5th.
ZTYLEZ: Are these works all oil paintings on canvas, rather than your more commonly used medium like watercolor? Is this challenging for you? Are there significant differences in the effects of the two?
Men Xiaolei: There is not much difference in difficulty between different media. The more you use a tool, the more skilled you become. In recent years, I have mainly been painting with watercolors, so I can take the opportunity of “Reality Dropout” to practice painting on large canvases with other media. However, I haven’t found a studio yet, so I have to create in my room at home. Because the space is small, I can’t step back to inspect the overall painting while I’m painting, which poses a certain challenge. Additionally, the air conditioning in my room has been broken since August, which is quite troublesome.
ZTYLEZ: What was the idea behind referencing the principles of positive and negative film in one of the works, and what difficulties did you encounter in actual painting?
Men Xiaolei: The concept of this painting is “The truth is just the East we choose to believe in, and there is no right or wrong side.” I first painted the girl on the right in normal colors, took a photo, and then used Photoshop to invert it to black and white. I referenced the colors from the inverted image to complete the girl on the left.
Because it was the first time trying something like this, if it fails, I’ll have to think of another way. Fortunately, I was able to complete it within the deadline and achieve the desired effect. This is the final piece completed in “Reality Dropout”.
ZTYLEZ: What is the allure of female characters in your work that are both versatile and iconic?
Men Xiaolei: I just feel that women are very beautiful and I really want to paint them.
ZTYLEZ: What do you hope the audience will notice or think about when viewing these works, each of which is filled with metaphors of “reality and illusion”?
Men Xiaolei: Each painting has its own meaning in my mind, but I hope that the audience can feel each artwork on the spot. I believe that everyone’s feelings and inspirations will be different. What you feel is the truth you need.
ZTYLEZ: Is creation a way for you to escape reality?
Men Xiaolei: The situation is like the painting “The Quest” in an exhibition. Reality is a more complex and bizarre maze than we imagine. To escape, perhaps we need to delve deeper. Painting is my way of staying connected to reality, and in order to make my creations more convincing, I pay close attention to various details in reality.
ZTYLEZ: Does this exhibition hold any special significance for you, considering it has been exactly 10 years since your first solo exhibition “Confession” in Hong Kong in 2012?
Men Xiaolei: Every art exhibition is always special to me. I can recall what kind of person I was at that time based on the artworks displayed. In the past ten years, I have been constantly changing, but the only thing that hasn’t changed is my love for painting in both “Reality Dropout” and “Confession”.
ZTYLEZ: My experience collaborating with Over the Influence
Men Xiaolei: This is my first time holding an exhibition at a Contemporary art gallery. There are many new attempts, and I want to thank OTI and my longtime friend Katol for their help.
I really like the venue of Over the Influence because it has a corridor layout, allowing for a lot of space for contemplation between artworks. Walking around is like taking a journey through “Reality Dropout”. It’s great to be able to present it in this way, and I hope everyone can come and experience it firsthand!
“Reality Dropout” Exhibition
Date: From now until December 24, 2022 (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: Over the Influence, 159 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, Ground to 1st Floor
Image provided by Over the Influence and the artist
Learn more: Over the Influence
