Cary Kwok is a Hong Kong born, London based, exciting, up-and-coming, visual artist. He studied fashion in Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. He has exhibited his work internationally, in various solo and group shows, including the latest Frieze London. For more information, please visit Herald St Gallery {http://www.heraldst.com/artists/kwok/0612kwok/kwok.html} and Cary Kwok website {http://www.carykwok.com/home.html}
Besides your latest ‘Qipao’ solo exhibition (2012), there are often Asian themes in separate works, such as ‘Empress Wu’ (2006) and ‘Desire – Chinese’ (2009), as well as various ethnic and cultural connotations. How do you believe your Hong Kong origins shaped your artistic identity?
It certainly did shape my view on different cultures and people. It is very multicultural, not in a melting pot, New York City way, but enough to make me aware of differences between cultures and people. I’ve always been fascinated by similarities and differences between cultures and how people from different parts of the world interact and co-exist. But spending almost two decades of my adult life as a member of a minority in London helped me grow as a person and it helped heighten my awareness of multiculturalism and my own heritage even more. I want to express this through my work which often subtly alludes to issues of race, ethnicity, culture, gender and sexual equality.
Are there any specific Asian influences you would like to mention?
The majority of the population of Hong Kong originally came from different parts of Mainland China (Mainly Canton) and some came from other parts of the world. The South Asian communities are some of the larger communities; they have been in Hong Kong for generations and brought us the vibrancy and “Eastern mysteriousness” of their cultures. The colours of their saris made me picture wonderful images of princes and princesses in their jeweled palaces in Ancient India. And the British in Hong Kong in some way brought a certain old-school romance I think I had a lot to do with all the British period dramas I watched.
My own family came from Penglai in Shandong, famous for its legend of the eight immortals crossing the sea. I’ve always been fascinated by its fairy tales, passed down for generations.
Plus movies made by some of my favourite directors like Stanley Kwan, Ann Hui and Wong Kar Wai and my favourite costume designer William Chang captured the lost periods of Hong Kong I romanticized as a teenager. The Taiwanese director Ang Lee’s ‘Lust Caution’ really successfully captured old Hong Kong for me. The sound, lighting and sets are perfectly done. You can almost feel the humidity.
I have always been interested in ancient costumes. I spent many hours reading through a book on ancient Chinese costume in my school library.
Your distinctive style, using blue ballpoint pen, results in detailed compositions with an insouciant, vibrant flair. Is that particular technique something you relate personally to?
It’s just something I’ve been doing since I was a teenager at school. I felt grown up when I first started using it cos you can’t erase it. Ballpoint pen renders so intricately and accurately enough for all the detailed things I love to draw.
You have been professionally trained as a fashion designer and quote Tom of Finland as one of your major inspirations. To what extent do lifestyle and homoerotica affect your oeuvre and what other themes would you like to explore?
Maybe more specific sexual fantasies, weirder things I find interesting but Fashion, period costumes and homoerotica are always my favourite subjects. I don’t get bored with them!
Image Credits: Cary Kwok, Qipao 旗袍 – Shanghai 上海 (1930s), 2012, Ballpoint pen, acrylic, gold leaf, polyester glitter, PVA adhesive on paper, 42 x 29.7 cm, Courtesy- Herald St, London
By Marw Kouvatsou
