"Art><Creativity" Exhibition Series in the Greater Bay Area：
The Concrete Jungle
Artist
Chan Kwan Lok, Alex King
Date
2023.09.26—11.12
（closed on Mondays）
Venue
Zhaoqing Museum
（Shizi Road No.5, Duanzhou, Zhaoqing, guangdong）
What qualities should the ideal city have in your mind? Should it be filled with modern skyscrapers or have an abundance of greenery? The exhibition titled “The Concrete Jungle” features Artist Chan Kwan Lok and Designer Alex King, who interpret the city's hidden scenery through their distinct artistic creations from different perspectives.
Artist Chan Kwan Lok loves nature. During his observations of the wilderness ecology, he sees the hidden side of the city in the suburbs, as well as a microcosm of himself and society. From this, he gained inspiration for his series of works, titled "Song of the Wanderers". He outlines the ever-changing forest with delicate brushwork, imagining the perspective of a spider floating on the wind, associates various aspects of society with the traces of years on the trees, and compares the changing weather and the dynamics of insects with the diversity of society, wishing he could traverse unknown landscapes like a flying spider.
Designer Alex King shifts his observation to the noisy parts of the city, gazing at ignored corners. Among the many discarded items that most people take for granted and accumulate on the side of the street, he discovered another way to interpret the city, creating "After Rain Comes the Rainbow" in a contemporary graffiti style, inspired by the ignored plastic bags. He transforms them into colourful balloons on overlooked street corners, presenting a rainbow scene after the rain, expressing his perception of life and expectations.
From the quiet of the forest to the bustle of the city, the audience can freely wander between the two, imagining the endless possibilities of life.
Chan Kwan Lok was born in Hong Kong. He graduated from the Department of Art at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2015. During his studies, he was active in various joint exhibitions and participated in the Affordable Art Fair in 2015, exhibiting his fine brushwork. In the same year, he received the professor Johnson Chow Su Sing Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Academic Achievement Award, the Grotto Fine Art Award, and the New Asia College Head’s List Merit of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He held solo exhibitions “Nirvana”, “Odysseys” and “Threading Oceans” in 2016, 2018 and 2021, respectively. Inspired from arbitrary associations with everyday objects, like swimmers and travelers, ocean waves and swimming fish, he is keen on exploring the feasibility of lines and particularly enjoys depicting the dynamics of crowds and natural landscapes. Good at using rhythmic lines to construct a rigorous yet subtle framework, he presents whimsical fantasies in his works, which are popular among private collectors.
Alex King is a product designer who has worked extensively in Hong Kong in product design. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy, an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Product Design from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has received numerous international design awards over the past decade, including a Silver Prize in the OPUS JAPAN Optical Design Competition in 2010, an award at New World Development’s New Business Ideas Incubation Circle Convention, Champion in the Mobile Collection Points Design Competition, organized by Environmental Protection Department of the HKSAR in 2017, the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Design Award, and the Hong Kong Awards for Industries: Consumer Product Design for his design ‘Journal de Chi’c from 2020 to 2021. He has substantial experience teaching in Hong Kong, teaching bachelor’s courses at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and at the Vocational Training Council, and serving as a judge for the Hong Kong Print Awards, and visual communication and art competitions. He is dedicated to contributing to the creative industry. He has served as chairman of the Award and Exhibition Council of the Hong Kong Designers Association, honorary secretary of the Graphic Arts Association of Hong Kong, and associate director of the Hong Kong Print Awards.
Presented by：
Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Support：
Zhaoqing Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau
Co-organiser：
Art Promotion Office
Hong Kong Designers Association
Project Partner：
Shenzhen Fringe Art Center
Venue Support：
Zhaoqing Museum
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