In the monotonous daily life of urban dwellers, who doesn’t want to immerse themselves in a beautiful kingdom and add a touch of brilliance to their dull days? Local illustrator Zoie Lam, who has been working in the fashion design industry for over ten years, admits that at a certain point, she felt “burnt out” and realized that her previous design work didn’t truly satisfy her preferences and style. Following her own beliefs, she boldly established her own fashion brand and embarked on the international fashion show stage. At the same time, she also rediscovered her love for painting and decided to create her own formula for happiness, drawing out the whimsical planet that has always been hidden in her heart – Zlism.
With a neat golden short hair and stylish tattoos on her hands, Zoie exudes a fashionable and trendy atmosphere from head to toe. However, the images she paints are filled with a whimsical and dreamy world of childhood. In the utopian backdrop of nature, each character, with their adorable and charming qualities, embarks on a journey of exploration, leading people into a colorful kingdom.
Later, Zoie extended this colorful world from the canvas to the streets and buildings, and even stepped into different exhibition spaces, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and even went international, holding joint exhibitions around the world. In addition to immersing herself in her studio for work, she also occasionally enters the community to teach disadvantaged communities how to paint, sharing love and happiness through her creations.
In this episode of “Art City Travelogue,” we enter Zoie’s studio located in Tsuen Wan, where she leads us into her joyful sanctuary that extends from the canvas!
“Zlism is filled with things I love.”
Upon entering Zoie’s studio, we were truly amazed. The exquisite and compact space is filled with lush potted plants, shelves adorned with figurines and models, and of course, a cabinet full of paints, as well as some of Zoie’s own works. After Zoie’s round of decoration, the walls have become much more vibrant, adding color to the overall studio. What surprises people the most is the high counter and partition wall that Zoie personally built with wooden boards, behind which is her small space for making ceramics. Every corner of this place is filled with the artist’s ingenuity, and this lively little world is somewhat reminiscent of the colorful Zlism planet in the artist’s works.
From Zoie Lam, the artist extracted the “Z” and “L” and added “ISM”, carrying the creative concept of “Zlism” and painting a delightful fantasy world. In reality, what kind of existence is “Zlism” and what kind of personal creative philosophy does it present?
Zoie said, “I would define ‘Zlism’ as a planet, a world full of things I love, such as painting nature and strange dolls. Therefore, I will constantly create new characters. It is an unreal space, but I can create things I love anytime, anywhere.” It is precisely because it is not limited by reality that the surreal images in the heart can be realized one by one through the brush, allowing the canvas to carry all kinds of whimsical ideas in the heart.
In fact, all dreamlike fantasies are the artist’s imagination of happiness. Zoie openly admits that she greatly enjoys the creative process and the sense of freedom it gives her. She hopes that the images she creates can emit an atmosphere of happiness. She picks up a small oil painting from the table, depicting one of the adorable characters, “Tiao Tiao,” who is the “elder” in the Zlism planet.
Zoie looked at the painting and smiled, saying, “I feel like he (Tiao Tiao) is somewhat like me. I used to have a crew cut. In each of my works, he is the only one, as if he is traveling the world. I believe that everyone has their own inner world, with names different from mine, or perhaps yet to be discovered. Every time I create, share, or hold a workshop, I hope that everyone can find their own inner planet. What everyone creates will definitely be different from me. Each person is unique.” Beyond its cute and charming appearance, the character “Tiao Tiao” is actually a reflection of the artist’s inner world, leading everyone to explore themselves without any concerns.
“If my work can bring healing or benefit to others, that is already enough.”
If you have seen Zoie’s work, besides various interesting characters, you will definitely be attracted by the colorful tones in her work. Zoie expresses her preference for vibrant and colorful colors, and she is more willing to create her own color palette rather than following seasonal trends. She believes that colors have a unique magic that can influence the audience’s mood at first glance. Therefore, no matter what medium she uses to create, she will add brilliant colors to her work. Besides making herself happy, she also hopes that her work can heal others.
Zoie has always been involved in mural creation and has also painted “new clothes” for entire buildings. Although the creative process is relatively laborious, she enjoys it. She said, “I like painting large-scale works because they attract people to stop and admire, and they also beautify the environment. Even if everyone is busy going to and from work every day, when you see these works, you will always feel happy for a moment.” Zoie feels that the pace of life in Hong Kong is too fast, and when everyone is rushing through life day after day, their mood easily becomes tense. Therefore, she hopes that her works can convey a sense of joy, even if it’s just a fleeting glance from passersby, just to bring a moment of relaxation to everyone.
In addition to mural and oil painting, Zoie also constantly experiments with new media. In her studio, she has added an electric kiln and a pottery wheel, allowing her to create pottery by hand. As a fashion designer, sewing and other related work come naturally to her. So she occasionally sews some uniquely shaped dolls herself, bringing the strange creatures in her paintings to life. The difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional creations is significant, and Zoie says she enjoys this unpredictable change. She shares with us, “The satisfaction comes from trying new things and creating something new by combining different media. When painting on a large canvas, the focus is on conveying a message. If others can see themselves or find healing in my artwork, I am already happy.”
“I realized that my art and activism can be shared with the community and even help people.”
Spending just an afternoon with Zoie, you will feel a warm and powerful energy from her words, actions, and works. Her creations not only spread love and mindfulness, but also show her care for life and the community. Reflecting on a past exhibition experience, the organizers asked her if she was interested in donating a portion of the proceeds from her artwork to the Hong Kong Cancer Fund. This proposal inspired Zoie greatly, and she said, “My artwork may not have a lot of money to donate, but I realized that my art and actions can be shared with the community. I can actually do this. After that, I started to engage more with the community, teaching painting to ethnic minorities and patients. Although I may not have much to offer them in terms of material support, I am happy that I can help them through my actions.”
Zoie talked about a time when she collaborated with students to paint a mural at the Christian Youth Association. In the last class, a student quietly handed her a memo paper, on which was written a heartfelt thank you to Zoie for teaching him how to express himself through painting. This small gesture, now remembered, brought tears of gratitude to her eyes. The words may be light, but the underlying sentiment is heavy with meaning and appreciation.
She said, “When you invest time in them, you will get some feedback. It turns out that I can really help them. I feel that this kind of communication has benefited me in the process, it’s not just about giving something to others, but a kind of interaction.” And these interactions with others have also nourished her own creativity. Zoie jokingly said that her friends call her “Miss Lin” because she is good at encouraging others, and she has also transformed the confusion she has experienced in her creative and professional journey into a driving force to continue moving forward for herself and others.
“This exhibition actually echoes the time when I resumed my personal creation, how to start from Hong Kong and then extend to other places.”
In April, coincidentally, we encountered the multimedia exhibition “Guiding Stars, Imagining Journeys” by Zoie and agnès b. This exhibition presents nearly 20 works by the artist, including paintings, wooden art installations, ceramic works, and wall stickers. Among them, six paintings are brand new creations. Zoie shared, “The theme of the exhibition tells the story of how I explore different places starting from a point, echoing my personal creative journey, starting from Hong Kong and extending to other places.” We followed the footsteps of “Tiao Tiao” as if we were embarking on an adventurous journey, witnessing Zoie’s transformation and growth along the way.
In addition to bringing together artworks from different mediums by artists, this exhibition also sells limited edition products designed by Zoie for charity. The proceeds will be donated to a local volunteer organization called “志永儍瓜儍狗特工隊基地” that helps stray dogs. Zoie herself has two furry companions and has always supported the work of this organization. Inspired by the selfless efforts of the volunteers in rescuing stray animals, she hopes to contribute to society as well.
Zoie is already busy with her dual roles as a fashion designer and artist, but she also actively participates in volunteer work such as teaching, organizing community workshops, and supporting volunteer organizations. In addition to impressing us with her courage, she also makes us feel her empathy and the power that art extends. Art not only provides us with visual enjoyment, but it also brings us much more than we can imagine.
“I think illustration is developing positively in the Hong Kong art market.”
In addition to this exhibition, Zoie was also invited by the Hong Kong Museum of Art half a year ago to create illustrations for the educational booklet of the “Everyday Poetry of Miró” exhibition, as well as to create extended exhibition elements with augmented reality effects. Miró loved to paint the sun, moon, and stars, creating famous surreal images, and Zoie also has a passion for nature. Being able to echo the master’s masterpiece from half a century ago in this way is a rare experience for her. Thus, “Tiao Tiao” stepped into the art museum from her personalized fantasy world and had an interesting interaction with the legendary master’s works.
In comparison to traditional oil paintings, illustrations feel more relaxed and carefree, but the attention they receive often only extends to entertainment appreciation. Nowadays, being able to introduce one’s own work through collaborations like this, Zoie is even more grateful that illustrations can enter the realm of Hong Kong’s traditional art. She says, “I really hope that in the future, my work can go to places like art museums.”
And Zoie also feels that the Hong Kong Museum of Art, or the level of acceptance of local creations by Hong Kong audiences, has improved significantly. The various types of exhibition venues not only showcase the works of foreign artists, but also provide opportunities to engage with more talented local creators. As a part of this, she holds an optimistic attitude towards her own artistic development.
When discussing the importance of illustrations to a city, Zoie responded, “In addition to words, communication between people also involves sound and visuals, including multimedia images and illustrations. I feel that these images are a release of our inner selves. Some people, when they carefully view an exhibition, may find messages within it or feel healed. In such a fast-paced city, if your work can provide something for viewers to take away, I already feel that it is enough.”
The first half of the year brought heavy workloads, and Zoie was both busy and satisfied. The volunteer teaching activities that were previously suspended due to the pandemic are also about to resume. She excitedly said, “I used to do volunteer teaching at a moderately intellectually disabled community in Kuangzhi Association. They recently told me that I can go back to teach again. After the pandemic, many things can start anew.” Listening to this hopeful tone, I suddenly realized that happiness may not be as difficult as imagined. With enthusiasm in her heart, creating something gentle for herself and others, in an instant, it has become a happy planet.
agnès b. “Starry Path, Imaginative Journey: Zoie Lam Multimedia Art Exhibition”
Date: From now until May 1st
Time: 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM
Location: agnès b. RUE DE MARSEILLE Lifestyle Flagship Store (Shop G26, G28 & 119, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui)
Executive Producer: Angus Mok
Producer: Mimi Kong
Interview & text: Ruby Yiu
Video Editor: Fai Wong
Videographer: Kason Tam, Fai Wong, Alvin Kong
Photographer: Kit Chu
Designer: Michael Choi
Special Thanks: Zoie Lam、agnès b.
