Paper Quilling Art Exhibition

Paper Quilling Art Exhibition

Art works of this exhibition are made by Yulia Brodskaya, who is a graphic designer. Her innovative paper illustration has earned an international reputation. I love her works so much. With colorful combination of paper, this absolutely delights appreciators. I really enjoy her work and want to have further understanding about her. I never think that there would be such amazing exhibition in a shopping mall. I appreciate combining art with our normal lives. 

Untitled - Micheal Lin

Untitled - Micheal Lin 

This three-dimensional installation with wallpaper was held in the Eslite Bookstore. It is the art work by Micheal Lin, who is a Taiwanese artist. I truly appreciate having installation in bookstore. I like this work. It is colorful and delightful. By using those eye-catching colors, appreciators are then attracted to explore this work. They become part of the art work and then able to experience the world of flower. 

osage GALLERY

A Visit to osage GALLERY  - 6th February, 2013

There were 3 exhibitions in osage GALLERY, Meta Landscape by Ng Sai Kit, A Flight of Fancy by Magdalen Wong and Hello It's Me, Goodbye: Andy Warhol's Cinema.

For Meta Landscape, it is about the investigation of the nature of "photography" and "seeing". No character is inside the landscapes. By using large-format camera to manipulate the depth of field it captures or positions  the objects to be photographed in unlikely locations, this demonstrates and reassembles the screen of content as depicted in photographic space. That is definitely an unique way for audience to doubt their perception.

For A Flight of Fancy, there were different art works. The source is from the packaging of everyday objects and advertising. Magdalen tries to discover the romantic and beautiful things in places we normally overlook. I think this is very interesting. For example, she isolates the commercial by just showing the sound instead of displaying visual part. This leads me to think in an unexpected direction.

For Hello It's Me, Goodbye: Andy Warhol's Cinema, it was absolutely an excellent exhibition. Andy Warhol was one of the most influential artists of the late 20th century. This exhibition focused on the seminal motion and moving pictures. Among the art works, I am interested in the installation Silver Clouds. Audience has a chance to interact with the art work instead of appreciating. I enjoy playing that clouds. 

Interview with Eastman

Interview Questions: Eastman

• About Eastman

Elise: Why do you become an artist? 

Eastman: Actually I have no interest to number and business. I studied art in secondary school and found that I like this field. I did not concern about career path when I select Fine Art in the university. I thought I can still be a teacher of Art after graduation if I would not be an artist.

Elise: Among various forms of art, why do you choose sculpture as main art form (especially soft sculpture instead of hard)? 

Eastman: After graduation, I worked as a designer in the company which is a clock manufacturer. I needed to prepare 3D design chart for clock production. I think it is interesting. It is totally different from my previous drawing which is just 2D only. There are certain angles in the chart. Then, I started to think of making art works in term of sculpture.

Elise: Your first soft sculpture is the series of Rubberman in 2004. Why do you select rubber to start your field in soft sculpture?

Eastman: Because of the flexible work mode in my design job, I had free time to do other things. Being a clock designer just allowed me to get in touch with plastic. Rubber is the thing that can be easily found in the office. It can be handled without specialized technique. It is affordable for me to buy rubber for creative work. With the impact of gachapon, I then made use of rubber and produced the series of “Rubberman”.

Elise: You mainly use wood and fabric to make art work now. Why do you select these two mediums from other materials? How the combination of these materials help you to express your idea?

Eastman: I used rubber in my early art works. Then I started thinking of trying other medium. For fabric, it is viewed as soft and powerless. My mother worked in the factory when I was young. She showed me how to make clothes. That’s why I have interest on fabric.

For wood, I love furniture. I think the form of it is very attractive. Furniture is mainly made by wood. And wood is hard and powerful. They are completely opposite. The combination of these materials would be very unique and come up with lots of products.

Elise: Your art works are tiny. Is it related to limited space in Hong Kong? Are you interested in making large art works?

Eastman: Well I really want to make large sculpture. I have already thrown away some of my art works because of less space in my new studio. Because of limited space and budget, tiny art works are more affordable and realistic. If support is given, I am pleased to make large sculpture.

Elise: Your art works are refined as real product. Are they practical or just used for appreciation? 

Eastman: Actually my works are just for appreciation. They do not have actual usage.

Elise: Do you face any difficulty in your career? What pursue you to persist your path in art?

Eastman: I was not a full time artist before I graduated from master of fine arts. I had support from my design job. Making art works was just for fun. There were many job opportunities through the network of school.

After graduation, I became a full time artist. Although the number of job opportunities decreased, I had more time to finish the works which could fully reflect my idea. I was in a hurry when I gained job before graduation as I also needed to deal with my design job.

I truly love art. I enjoy the procedure in making arts. So, I never regret to be an artist.

Elise: Among your art works, which one is the most critical in your art path? Why?

Eastman: I think the most critical one is the installation of “Swimming Pool”. I made tiny and flat art works before this installation. That was the first installation with 3D and large sculpture. I felt contented about that installation.

Elise: Most of your finished art works look like real furniture. Why do you have such intention to make the finished art works as "furniture"?

Eastman: As mentioned above, I love the form and shape of furniture. When I trace activity into real object, I would like to look like furniture.

About the series of "Desire"

Elise: What do you want to express from your art work? Is there any political, social message inside?

Eastman: Not really. All my works is from my personal life experience. I have no intention to involve any other message inside. They are made to amuse myself.

Elise: How can you come up with the idea of "Desire"? What is the source of inspiration? 

Eastman: Personal experience. I love to notice things surrounded. I think people have many desires. And that’s why I select few kinds of desire into my series.

Elise: Your art works are colorful and adorable. Are you affected by some social and cultural background? 

Eastman: I love eye catching colors. I think this would make me happy. And I believe it is useful to transmit positive idea.

Elise: Your art works are detailed and sophisticated. How can you develop good craftsmanship?

Eastman: My mother is an expert in manufacturing. I learn a lot from her. I keep pursuing advanced craftsmanship when I engage in art for a longer time. Practice is a good way for improvement.

Fotanian Open Studios 2013

A Visit to Fotanian Open Studios 2013 - 19th January, 2013

This was my first time to go to art exhibition. I never thought that there are lots of art studios and artists in industrial buildings. Fotan has over a hundred studios with three hundred artists now. Fotanian usually launches Open Day every January. This is a great chance for citizen to visit diversified studios which are usually closed for working.

Among different industrial buildings in Fotan, most studios are located in Wah Luen Industrial Centre. Guided by the helper of Open Day, we visited 4 studios. The first one is Lee's Workshop. Danny Lee is one of the famous sculptors in Hong Kong. He would like to insert his thought toward the nature into art works. He just wants to bring the nature into city.

I think Lee's art works are incredible. By using different medium like steel, that truly makes the works shinny. The most important point is the deep meaning behind the work which is the pollution. I am imspired by that. People are busy in the city. They usually ignore the importance of protecting the environment and nature. So, Lee would like to arouse attention towards nature by his works.

The second studio is 1611 We Sculptors. It is operated by students of Danny Lee. They join together and launch this studio. There are different sculptures. Among these art works, the most inspiring one is Pause, which is made by Jimmy Lau. The installation is composed of film cartridges and wood. I think Pause refers to the moment captured by film cartridges. The combination is very interesting. It is not easy to collect those film cartridges. 

The third studio is -ing art space. There are 4 artists. I am attracted by "circle" which is the art work of Yan Fung. She thinks that people are busy for work and study every day and hopes they can stop to appreciate bored things around. Line inside the work represents the beauty and fun of surrounded things. I like this work as it is very detailed and sophisticated. 

The last studio is Qiang. There are 4 artists. All of them are graduates of Chinese University of Hong Kong. They have joined together for launching studio for a long time. This topic of their works is the perfect circle. I am impressed by Ama's work. She finds that those little "things" like light switches and sockets are ordinary things at home. But they are all significant in our lives. Ama rekindles what she has forgotten in this past by appreciating things around. I agree with her idea because we usually ignore tiny but essential things in our lives.

Interview Questions

Interview Questions

• About Eastman

1. Why do you become an artist? 

2. Among various forms of art, why do you choose sculpture as main art form (especially soft sculpture instead of hard)? 

3. Your first soft sculpture is the series of Rubberman in 2004. Why do you select rubber to start your field in soft sculpture?

4. You mainly use wood and fabric to make art work now. Why do you select these two mediums from other materials? How the combination of these materials help you to express your idea?

5. Your art works are tiny. Is it related to limited space in Hong Kong? Are you interested in making large art works?

6. Your art works are refined as real product. Are they practical or just used for appreciation? 

7. Do you face any difficulty in your career? What pursue you to persist your path in art?

8. Among your art works, which one is the most critical in your art path? Why?

9. Most of your finished art works look like real furniture. Why do you have such intention to make the finished art works as "furniture"?

• About the series of "Desire"

1. What do you want to express from your art work? Is there any political, social message inside?

2. How can you come up with the idea of "Desire"? What is the source of inspiration? 

3. Your art works are colorful and adorable. Are you affected by some social and cultural background? 

4. Your art works are detailed and sophisticated. How can you develop good craftsmanship?

Research Finding about Eastman

                                       

Research Finding about EASTMAN

   

• Theme of the artwork:  

-Express personal experience

-Put landscape into artwork

-Materialize and formalize the desire of humanity into world of immortality

-Extend personal interpretation of desire through sculptural figures of saints from both East and West 

• Form of the art work: 

-Soft Sculpture & Installation

• Medium of the artwork: 

-Wood & Fabric

• Background of the artist: 

-Operate studio in Fotanian
-Graduate from Master of Fine Arts in the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2009

-Participate in Breathe Residency in Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester in 2010

-Believe "Objects" are traces of human activity

-Recreate objects through observing objects around

• Cultural background of the art work

No information

• Social background of the art work

No information 

• Any reference to the art history:

No information

• My Interpretation to Eastman's artwork:

I think Eastman's art work is very unique. It is hard to find another artist in Hong Kong who does similar work. Her work is full of landscape. It is interesting to recreate objects under personal feeling. She just insert her own experience into every art work.

Beside, Eastman's art work is decent. Most of her work are furniture. Although it does not have practical usage, her work just likes the actual one but more refined. Furniture is related to our normal living closely. This feels like art work is something essential and fundamental within our living.

Another point is positive message. Through Eastman's art work, diverse colors can be found. Colorful art work truly delights people. I feel relaxed and delighted when I enjoy her work. I think that Eastman wants to deliver joy through art work.

Her work includes meaningful connection. After installation, you can then understand the whole idea. Just like her solo exhibition "Swimming Pool, 2009", from playing inside the pool to enjoying the whole landscape in pool by mirror. These processes tell a story.

• Do I like Eastman's art work? Why?

I do like her art work. Originally, what I think art work is something about drawing or hard sculpture. I never thought that art work can be made by wood, rubber and fabric. Another stereotyped idea is art work must be large and abstract. However, this totally breaks my concept after I start exploring Eastman's art work. Her work is tiny, defined, colorful and friendly. Undeniably, it truly looks like real product.

What's more, I appreciate her concept to include landscape into object. Eastman expresses her feeling from personal experience to her art work. She loves watching landscape and focusing on things around. But I always neglect surroundings. She reminds me to notice nearby objects.