Back in the 1970s, the oil painting that catered for the western tourists were filled with images of rickshaws, “Stone Clad Street”, trams, Victoria Harbor night scene, fishermen… These are commonly known as “trade paintings”. The variety of themes gradually diminished, leaving only, in the early ‘90s, the harbor night scene, and high-rise commercial buildings with junk in the foreground.

In 21 st Century, I tried to reinterpret trade paintings based on the impression and consumption of Mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong. The “managed by Hong Kong, research and processed in Shenzhen” system became my platform. I advanced my learning in Shenzhen, produced Hong Kong-themed paintings. I painted Disneyland Mickey Mouse, Bruce Lee’s film still , electronic product shop, Victoria Harbor cyber night scene, Golden Bauhinia Plaza, young gang fill’s still, luxury brand shop, drugstores, border crossing kids, jewellery store…etc. The more important is rather the invisible cultural context of post 97 after 17 years than the painting images itself.

Made in Shenzhen looks at “souvenir painting” as a vehicle for understanding the nuances of Hong Kong sensibility. Often sold by street vendors and in tourist market throughout Hong Kong, souvenir painting has developed a distinctive style typically derived from artists learning the formulaic skills of souvenir painting from a revered Chinese trade painter over the course of a number of years. This form of painting has recorded and examined the manner in which Hong Kong has been depicted for the influx of trading routes and tourism over the course of four decades.

I also deal with the relationship to the production of these objects of craftsmanship and uniqueness by sourcing skills in Shenzhen, Mainland China, as the rest of the world does the same in other industries. By doing so, I uncover that the story of these “products” produced in China, share more with the development of mass manufacturing bases, and the demands of exported trade to Europe and the U.S.A.

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Museu de Arts de Macau, Macau Collection 2012

Inwards Gazes—Documentaries of Chinese Performance Art

Pierre Huber Collection (126 painting installation), Swiss 2008

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This work had been exhibited at Manchester Urbis Center, England 2007 / Shanghai MOCA, Shanghai 2007 /

Shanghai Gallery of Art Three on the Bund, Shanghai 2008 / Hexianging Art Museum, Shenzhen 2008/ Dafen Museum of Art, Shenzhen, China 2010 / Pemalamo Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan 2011/ Museu de Arts de Macau, 2012 /  Osage Gallery, Hong Kong  2014 / experimental project Street-Booth space Yau Ma Tei , Hong Kong 2015 / Hong Kong and Luohu Art Museum 2018 /