Artist Hung Fai masterfully blends elements of control and chaos in his latest exhibition in Hong Kong, showcasing a dynamic interplay between tradition and contemporary expression.
Hung Fai has carved out a unique position among the post-1980s artists from Hong Kong, emerging as a thoughtful yet rebellious figure. He approaches his Chinese artistic heritage with a dissecting precision reminiscent of a skilled surgeon, always exploring the depths of his lineage.
For over ten years, he has been deeply engaged in examining the significance of his artistic ancestry, particularly the influence of his father, the esteemed ink master Hung Hoi. Rather than adhering to the conventional practices of tracing and replicating that are common in Chinese art, Hung Fai chooses to involve his father in a collaborative process. He appears to honor his father's legacy by allowing him to make the initial marks—using cinnabar, a pigment that Hung Fai associates with authority and tradition. Subsequently, he deconstructs these traditional representations of shanshui, which translates to "mountains and water," by incorporating folding techniques and geometric lines inspired by the modern and analytical style of renowned Chinese ink painter Wucius Wong.
The essence of Hung Fai’s artistic practice lies in a meticulously calibrated conceptual approach. He employs soaked layers of xuan paper (made from rice) along with rulers and ink pens to craft pieces that explore both the generational gap and the connections between them.
However, in his most recent solo exhibition titled "A Veiled Revelation" at Grotto Fine Art on Hong Kong Island, there’s an intriguing sense of this finely tuned control beginning to unravel. This shift is most powerfully experienced in his piece Yearning (2025). In this work, Hung Fai takes the bold step of using the cinnabar himself. Moving away from his typical tools like brushes and pens, he opts for cotton buds to apply the pigment, resulting in a vibrant, mottled composition that evokes a vertical landscape filled with trees and rocks. Yet, upon closer examination, this landscape transforms into something more visceral—resembling bloody scratch marks.
Hung Fai explains that this artwork reflects a personal experience; it mirrors his struggle with eczema, a skin condition he had never faced before. The application of the pigment mimics the dabbing motion he used when applying lotion for temporary relief from the discomfort. This piece, like many of his works, invites viewers to ponder the intersection of personal history, artistic lineage, and the ways in which physical experiences can bleed into creative expression.
