Guest Blog Post by Helena Chung: An Artist's Interview Portrait of an Artist in Art Next 2019: Alice Chan

april 09, 2020 • Art Exhibition • Art Next Expo 2019 • Artist Interview • Group Show • Guest Blog Post • Hong Kong

Guest Blog Post:

An Artist Interview by Helena Chung

Date: December 19, 2019

Portrait of an Artist in Art Next 2019: Alice Chan

"My aim is to introduce new perspectives to art through incorporating Chinese traditional techniques with Western sensitivity in my work. I believe that artists should strive to find inspirations and seek enlightenment in everyday life."

- Alice Chan

One may argue over the importance of art in Hong Kong, which has traditionally been regarded as a city dominated by finance. However, this city does indeed have an impressive number of art lovers, as many braved challenging circumstances to attend the 2019 edition of Art Next Expo in the first week of November, held in the renovated heritage building PMQ which is located in the heart of Central, near high end art galleries of the city. This beautiful site dedicated to art lovers in the city provides a surprising corner of peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan. Indeed, the power of art has never been more important in these times of difficulties, as we all seek for temporary comfort and escape from the chaos on the streets. Art Next offered a mixture of fresh faces and established names, with budding newcomers and award winning artists all returning to showcase their latest collection to the public.

Alice Chan, one of the fresh faces featured in Art Next Expo this year, delivered an impressive collection that showcased a variety of artistic styles and experiments across the East and West, combined with the creativity of a contemporary artist who aimed to reach and engage with her audience directly. Educated in Hong Kong and the US, Chan’s works had been showcased in both local and international exhibitions. With the impressive achievements of holding an exhibition in her alma mater St Paul’s Co-educational College under her belt, she was featured as one of the rising contemporary young artists on The Standard, a major English newspaper well established in Hong Kong. Chan’s artworks embodied the techniques of traditional Chinese ink art and Western paintings. The subjects of her artwork included floral patterns, natural scenery, still life and abstract ink wash paintings.

During the four-day exhibition in Art Next Expo 2019, one of the most eye-catching pieces on display was definitely Chan’s triptych The Orchestra of Life. The collection was selected to undergo a highly selective juried process by a panel of art experts and curators. The bold use of colors, and the unique combination of Chinese ink, acrylic paint and Japanese watercolors on rice paper, attracted the attention of both amateur art lovers and professional artists, who expressed their admiration and appreciation for Chan’s unusual artistic choices.

Aside from successfully selling two pieces of artworks during the exhibition, Chan’s aim is to boost popularity for her online store, which offers a variety of products with her signature print patterns tailor made according to customers’ requests. Popular products included cell phone cases, tote bags, handmade postcards and art prints, all in accessible art form within an affordable price range. Through the online shop, Chan aims to promote her art work to wider audience, proving that she does not belong to the artists who limit themselves to highbrow art, but rather strive to share her artistic vision across boundaries and reach out to varying types of target audience, incorporating art into daily life.

Aside from exhibition and merchandise, another area that Chan expanded in during the four-day exhibition included conducting a master art class, which consisted of a quick tutorial of orchid flora sketch at beginners’ level, in the manner of Youtube tutorials. Aware of the difficulties in encouraging beginners’ interest in art, Chan brought specific coloring designs with her, as well as offering free souvenirs of well-made sketchbooks featuring her signature floral patterns to participants. This move proved to a successful strategy, as the class was full and many students shared the experience on social media platform afterwards.

From Alice Chan’s multi-dimensional approach to selling art in Art Next, one could observe the importance of creative strategies in reaching out to audience in the age of internet and social media. Chan’s attempts to balance her artistic aspirations and commercial interests in Hong Kong suggest that while pursuing the path of an artist is never easy, the ones with true passion should not give up on it, for strait is the gate and narrow is the way.

About the Guest Blog Writer:

Helena Chung is a writer currently based in Hong Kong. She has written several interview profiles, film reviews and book fair articles published on online media. Helena is also working full time as a teacher specialized in IB English Literature.

(Chinese Translation)

enlightenment alice chan art expo 2019 theme art

新藝潮2019— Alice Chan：一個年輕畫家的畫像

「透過融合中國國畫的傳統技術和西方藝術的敏銳觸覺，我希望能藉此把一些新的概念和原素帶給我的觀眾。我相信追求藝術的本質就是源自日常生活的靈感和啟示。」

香港給人的印象就是一座被金融業所壟斷的大都市，因此藝術對這座城市的重要性一直被低估。然而，也有為數不少對喜愛藝術並對相關活動充滿熱情的愛好者隱藏在這個都市的不同角落裡。在2019年11月的第一個星期，這些支持者即使面對著這座城市頗為混亂困難的狀況，也堅持來到位於中環鄰近知名畫廊的元創坊參加2019年新藝潮博覽。元創坊在經過古蹟活化後化身成一個為香港文青帶來意外驚喜，在鬧市裡享受難得平靜安寧，別有一番滋味的新天地。置身在這個動盪的時代，藝術的力量讓我們得以逃離街上的喧鬧，提供了短暫的安慰。新藝潮既邀請到一眾知名的獲獎藝術家參展，同時亦致力為新人藝術家提供支援，共同促成這場由早已成名的大師和初出茅廬的新人聯手一同為大眾帶來他們最新作品的豐富展覽。

身為其中一位入選今年展覽的新人畫家，Alice Chan的參展作品展示了她融合中西文化的獨特風格，以充滿實驗性的技巧和富有現代色彩的創意，表達她以藝術作為媒介築起和觀眾之間的溝通和聯繫。Alice Chan分別在香港和美國兩地接受教育，作品曾於多個國際和本地展覽展出，更獲得母校聖保羅男女中學的邀請於2018年在校內舉行個人展覽。香港英文虎報亦曾刊登關於她的專訪，並形容她是本地年輕藝術家的明日之星。Alice Chan的作品特色在於揉合了中國傳統水墨畫和西方油畫的技巧，而她喜愛的題材包括鮮花圖案、自然風景、靜物和抽象風水墨畫。

新藝潮為期4日的展覽當中最惹人矚目的必定是Chan的三聯畫系列：生命的交響樂一、二、三。這個系列參與角遂新藝潮所設的最佳新人藝術家獎項，由一個包括業內知名專家及策展人組成的評審團決定最終結果。Chan的作品同時吸引了業餘藝術愛好者和專業畫家的關注及喜愛，她透過大膽的用色，以及混合不同素材包括中國墨水、塑膠彩和日本水彩、米紙畫來達到出人意表的效果，獲得觀眾一致的讚賞。

除了成功在展覽期間售出兩副畫作，Chan的目標更是希望能吸引更多人關注她在網上商店售賣的各種特色產品，這些印有她畫作中標誌性的鮮花圖案的產品都會根據顧客的需求度身訂造。最受歡迎的商品包括手提電話殼、側背包、手工明信片和拓印藝術品，產品的價格普遍走親民路線。透過網上商店，Chan希望能把自己的作品推廣給普羅大眾，從而證明藝術並非僅限於能承擔高昂價格的中產和知識份子，而是應該成為跨越階層的橋樑，讓她的藝術理想融入所有人的日常生活中。

除了展覽和推廣商品以外，Chan亦在展覽期間作出新嘗試，在大會的邀請下舉行了一場速成大師班，以仿效Youtube教學短片的形式教授學生如何以簡單的技巧完成蘭花的素描。Chan很明白對初學者來說，最重要在於如何迅速勾起他們的興趣，因此她特地準備了她作品裡標誌性的圖案，更加送贈免費的素描畫冊作為紀念品給參加者。這個策略非常成功，大師班不但全場滿座，很多學生更在活動結束後紛紛在社交網站上打卡宣傳。

從Alice Chan在是次新藝潮展覽裡所採取的不同營銷策略，可以觀察到富有創意性的概念及擅用社交網路的宣傳方法是接觸新生代受眾的重要一環。從Chan希望爭取保持藝術理念和收支平衡的努力，可見雖然在香港走上追求藝術的道路絕非易事，但擁有真正的熱情的創作者絕不會輕易放棄，就如聖經所說的：引到永生的那門是窄的，路是小的。通往永恆的道路是一條窄路。

Check out Alice's art testimonials and thank you so much for your continual support.

ART TESTIMONIALS:

「詠然早歲師承西洋藝術，究心於近代彩畫，留意於抽象畫派，及後受業於敝人，研習國畫山水。其所造固已出類拔萃，久為同門所推重。余任教其間，頗聞其緒論，以為如詠然者，真有志於糅合中西，以成一家之畫風。今來書謂是次畫展以「生命之光」為題材，有丹青兩幅，結合現代中國水墨與西洋塑膠彩畫，以強烈之光暗營造戲劇效果，表現時間流轉，百感交集，使人頓生憐取眼前，珍惜當下之意，足見其寓意實為樂觀積極，奮發向上之人生觀。余見其平生所學，自此可以行世，沾溉後人，為之大喜過望，不揣固陋，略序其耑，為陳「後生可畏」，此言非虛。乙亥秋鏵華於香港。"

"祝展出成功"」

(Translation: "Alice started to learn Western art since a child, Alice is mostly interested in modern abstract art. Later, Alice started to learn traditional Chinese ink art from me. Alice is exceptionally strong in her foundations and her art has also been admired by her peers in my class. Alice's work focuses on blending the Eastern and the Western traditions harmoniously to form a new style of art. Alice's upcoming art exhibition is about "Enlightenment" as a theme for her show. She cleverly mixes the techniques of Chinese Ink Art and Western Acrylics Art to create a dramatic stark contrast with light and dark. Alice's Chinese abstract ink art illustrates the fleeting nature of time and stresses the importance of cherishing time and embracing life. Art viewers should identify the light from the dark and to motivate viewers to focus on the good.

Wish you a successful art exhibition!")

— Mr. Ken Lee, Artist, From 鏤竹齋, The Sanctum of Bamboo Craving in Hong Kong

從Alice Chan在是次新藝潮展覽裡所採取的不同營銷策略，可以觀察到富有創意性的概念及擅用社交網路的宣傳方法是接觸新生代受眾的重要一環。從Chan希望爭取保持藝術理念和收支平衡的努力，可見雖然在香港走上追求藝術的道路絕非易事，但擁有真正的熱情的創作者絕不會輕易放棄，就如聖經所說的：引到永生的那門是窄的，路是小的。通往永恆的道路是一條窄路。 Check out Alice's art testimonials and thank you so muc

"Alice Chan is a delightful young woman with a great deal of talent. She showed her lovely work in Avenue West Gallery, in Spokane, WA, U.S.A, for several months and it was well received by our clients. She was a great pleasure to work with."

— Ms. Carol Schmauder, Publicist, Treasurer, Membership Chairperson, Artist From Avenue West Gallery in Spokane, WA

"Alice Chan is a very talented and unique artist. She is accomplished in many different styles and is constantly evolving."

— Ms. Judith Carlin, Artist, From New York City, NY, USA

"Alice’s works have local sensibility and international perspective."

— Cara Chen, Feature Writer at The Standard

「Alice的作品是一場色彩的盛宴。東西方的藝術元素在作品中得到完美的結合，渾然天成。」

(Translation: "Alice's art work is a colorful feast for the eyes. Her artwork perfectly captures both the artistic elements from the East and the West.")

— Mr. Aries Wu, Founder of Aries Art Studio in Hong Kong

Guest Blog Post by Helena Chung: An Artist's Interview Portrait of an Artist in Art Next 2019: Alice Chan

「Alice從小開始習畫，多年來在繪畫領域中累積所得的經驗，沒有讓她滿足於現狀，反而成為了她自我挑戰的原動力。愛以自然界景、物入畫的她，由寫實描繪到抽象表現，都駕馭有餘。一個由幾歲便開始創作的女孩，一直無間斷地在畫布上遊走成長，以堅毅、獨立的性格發展出她的個人繪畫風格！是次展覽以「生命之光」為題，作品中充滿動感活力的筆觸，明亮跳脫的色彩，組成一股正面積極的正能量，透過抽象畫面躍然紙上，充分表現了Alice 在藝術創作路上的人生體會，同時也是她對藝術創作信念的實踐！」

(Translation: "Alice started to paint as a child. With many years of experiences in her artistic journey, she is not easily complacent with the state of her paintings and she constantly challenges herself to further improve. Alice loves to incorporate natural landscapes and still life subjects in her paintings. Alice's artwork is carefully controlled from realism to abstract art. As a girl who started to paint starting from around age 1-2, Alice constantly plays, grows, and evolves with her art canvas. Alice develops her unique artistic style with her independent and persistent personality! This upcoming exhibition addresses the theme, "Enlightenment", you can sense her vibrant energies from her lively and dynamic brush strokes, as well as her bright and colorful color schemes in her art. You can experience the artist's optimism and strive for perfection from her passionate artistic creations.")

— Ms. Ivy Leung, Art Teacher at St. Paul's Co-educational College in Hong Kong

o started to paint starting from around age 1-2, Alice constantly plays, grows, and evolves with her art canvas. Alice develops her unique artistic style with her independent and persistent personality! This upcoming exhibition addresses the theme, "Enlightenment", you can sense her vibrant energies from her lively and dynamic brush strokes, as well as her bright and colorful color schemes in her art. You can experience the artist's optimism and strive for perfection from her passionate artistic creations.")

"Alice’s works show strong uniqueness of her binary background from architecture and art, which can be exemplified from her choice of light and colour in her works."

— Mr. Leo Chu, Architect in Hong Kong

"Alice's passion in art since childhood has blossomed into a creative career.

Her artworks are a colourful confluence of cultures from the East and the West.

Her representational and abstract art reveals a fruitful journey of experimentation in media and content."

— Ms. Angelina Lo-Chui, Founder & Director of CreativeKids in Hong Kong

“Alice’s works demonstrate an effortless assimilation of western and eastern aesthetics that reflects her diverse cultural backgrounds and global perspectives.”

— Ms. Judy Inn, Director of Art Next Expo in Hong Kong

「詠然這些年來藝術創作努力不懈，涉獵中西媒介，油畫作品具象抽象俱備，用色豐富大膽。中國水墨也有新的嘗試，從傳統框架跳脫突破，尋找新的面貌。她年輕勤奮，敢於嘗試，又努力創作，是畫壇有為的才俊。」

"Alice has made unremitting efforts in artistic creation over the years. She has been involved in Chinese and Western media, and her oil painting works are both figurative and abstract, with rich colors and boldness. Her Chinese ink painting has also made new attempts to break away from the traditional framework and look for a new look. She is young and hardworking, dares to try, and works hard. She is a talented person in the art world."

— Ms. Yin Fun Jor, Director of White Box Studio of Hong Kong

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