When you hear “a sea of people,” what do you think of?
British artist Gary Card is quite fond of the Cantonese-style English term “PEOPLE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE SEA.” Although this is his first major exhibition in Hong Kong, he mentioned that each of his three visits to the city has shown him a different charm of Hong Kong.
The exhibition space showcases Gary Card’s diverse style, exploring broader themes such as the contrast between the sacred and the mundane, cartoonish and realistic elements. Through the layering of images and the construction of a visual world, his ideas and observations are brought to life. The exhibition is set up both indoors and outdoors, with large sculptures, paintings, and video works capturing the dynamism and vitality of Hong Kong. Gary Card aims to fully unleash his expressive techniques and spatial perception as a renowned set designer, along with the aesthetics he has developed over the years.
Gary Card’s previous works mostly showcase objects surrounding the subject, but in this exhibition “People Mountain People Sea” in Hong Kong, apart from exploring Gary Card’s colorful and playful visual language through the reconstruction and fusion of Eastern and Western cultural images, his works have undergone a noticeable evolution – in this new series, he further extends the concept and raises the question: what kind of appearance would these subjects present if they were composed of various items or replaced by various objects?
The exhibition name also uses popular Chinese-English idioms, applying different elements such as duality and reinterpreting meanings, unlocking the potential for new inspiration from one culture to another, allowing the audience to explore familiar things from a fresh perspective. People can embark on a journey across time and space here, appreciating a series of sculptures and paintings that include elements from both ancient and modern, as well as Eastern and Western cultures.
He layers familiar and abstract objects on the surface of sculptures and paintings with a concept he named “Time Vinegar Pot.” So, he incorporates everything he sees and hears into his work, including common elements seen during Chinese New Year such as children’s dolls, mahjong tiles, street market price tags, cassette tapes, fruit baskets, and many other interesting visual fragments. Inspired by the plastic-wrapped pomelo gift packs decorated with red ribbons and lucky stickers commonly seen during the Lunar New Year, “Unknown Journey” and “Laughing at the Clouds” turn these familiar yet everyday objects into unfamiliar proportions. They are a pair of humorous installation works that not only reconstruct the colors of Hong Kong’s items but also blend Western and Eastern / old and new influences.
Further Reading:
- Hong Kong Printmaking Studio to Celebrate 25 Years with “HKOP Contemporary Printmaking” Fundraising Exhibition
- Retrospect on the creative career of the legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama (とりやまあきら / Toriyama Akira)
- Hong Kong illustrator Pen So uses a pen to transform the power of music into captivating visuals
He further divides his works into three areas: “Rainbow,” “Red,” and “Jade.” In the “Red” space, it is his research database, gathering his past works and models of various inspirations for the “People Mountain People Sea” exhibition, such as the “Hormunculus” series (2020) he created during the UK epidemic isolation period, as well as the sculpture prototype in this exhibition – the 3D printed original, allowing people to glimpse into his creative process from conception to realization.
In his creations, in addition to several large sculptures and playful paintings, he ingeniously uses different animations and sound effects to transform into an immersive experience – “Crowded”. This digital image installation experience space is transformed from the exhibition hall of a second-level historical building. Through these dynamic images, the meaning of the works is reinterpreted, opening up an exploration of the artistic creation process, and searching for endless possibilities in the universe of imagination, allowing everyone to step deep into his creative world!
In his models and paintings, how many familiar things did you see again?
Welcome to join us and look back on Gary Card’s creative journey together!
“Yau Ma Tei Spotlight – The People and Scenery of Gary Card”
Date: March 20 to July 28
Location: Yau Ma Tei Real Art Space (Warehouse and Lawn)
