The Young Reporter Vol.55 Issue2 - Art in Hong Kong

THE YOUNG REPORTER

Volume 55 Issue 02

December 2022

ART IN HONG KONG

EDITOR'S LETTER

After covering COVID-related stories for nearly three years, it is time to look forward and report on something different

Art is a delightful topic It can provide us with a sense of beauty, consolation, and different ways of expression

Hong Kong, as a place where “east meets west”, has influence around Asia and the world on an artistic level through our Canton pop, flower board crafting technique, special neon signs, local comics and a prosperous film industry These artistic elements, combined with traditional Chinese culture and western influence, have formed a unique cultural identity for the city

But with restrictions and censorship, Hong Kong is facing a brain drain of artists Will this affect the flourishing of art in the city?

The development of technology poses challenges to some traditional art but has also led to new artistic development Non Fungible Tokens, for example, have added to the art scene in the digital era

In issue 2, our reporters and editors address the different art forms mentioned above, and we discuss the influence of censorship

As the new year arrives, the current editors will finish their jobs on TYR Their efforts during the past year and a half are sincerely appreciated

A new editorial board will be formed with new inspiring visions We believe that they can carry on the excellence of TYR and bring fresh energy to the oldest student-run news platform in Hong Kong

Thank you for being so supportive in the past year We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it

Yours sincerely

Editor-in-chief

Nick Yang

Advisers:

Robin Ewing

Jenny Lam

Editor-in-Chief:

Nick Yang

Deputy Editors:

Ayra Wang

Kate Zhang

Kiki Lo

Tracy Leung

Art Designer:

David Ren

Publisher:

Steve Guo

Printer:

Win Fung Production Limited

Address of the printer:

Flat G, 13/F, Block 3, Golden Dragon Ind. Centre,172-180 Tai Lin Pai Road, Kwai Chung, N.T., H.K.

Editors:

Bruce Zhao

Clarice Wu

David Ren

Gigi Chong

Hamish Chan

Jayde Cheung

Karmen Li

Kelly Pang

Kylie Wong

Leona Liu

Lokman Yuen

Malick Gai

Nancy Yang

Nicholas Shu

Phoebe Law

Serena Kong

Summer Li

Tiffany Ma

tyrmagazine@gmailcom

Reporters: Adelyn Lau

AL-ZAIDI Dhuha Basheer Kasid

Amber Li

Angela Huang

Annie Cheung

Anthony Ho

Aruzhan ZEINULLA

AW YONG Ming Min

Beata Mo

Bella Ding

Charlotte Lam

Chloe Cheung

Chloe Wong

Christine Jo

Daniel Wang

Jacky Poon

Jason Li

Joana Nguyen

Joy Gao

Joyce Chu

Jude Tse

Julia Zhong

Noah Tsang

Nola Yip

PANDEY Rajnandini

Rex Cheuk

Timothy Fung

Toby Ng

Warren Leung

Wisha Limbu

Yongyi Cao

Yoyo Lee

CONTENT

THE TRADITION OF HONG KONG FLOWER BOARD CRAFT

Reviving Hong Kong’s flower plaques tradition

INDIE BANDS

Indie music gets the thumbs up in Hong Kong

HK COMICS

Hong Kong cartoonists keep calm and carry on drawing

NFT ART

NFT art blossoms in Hong Kong

ICONIC NEON SIGNS

Hong Kong's Neon in New Art Form

SATIRICAL ART

Creativity inside the red lines: Hong Kong artists adapt to National Security Law

P11

REVIVING HONG KONG’S FLOWER PLAQUES TRADITION

REPORTED BY BEATA MO CHARLOTTE LAM EDITED BY CLARICE WU

In a narrow and cluttered shop, Lee ChuiLan, 68, leans over a table piled with materials and brushes, stapling sheets of shiny metallic paper together to make flowers. Surrounded by yellowed photos on the peeled wall, she works in a cramped storefront where vivid handmade peacocks hang from the ceiling. The inconspicuous flower plaque shop is called Lee Yim Kee, located in Shap Pat Heung, Yuen Long District.

Lee, the owner of Lee Yim Kee, inherited the store and the craft from her father Lee Gam-Yim, who set up the shop the year his daughter was born. She started helping out in the shop in her early teens and experienced the most prosperous years of the flower plaque-making business.

In the 1970s, giant flower plagues on display around Hong Kong were common. Nowadays, they can only be found in the New Territories and walled villages. Hong Kong has 480 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items, and traditional flower plaques craft is one of them. With limited government support, the craftsmen struggle to survive in a rapidly changing society.

Flower plaques are huge colourful displays, mainly made of bamboo, fabric and paper. Most are meant for celebrations or announcements of festive events such as the opening of new stores, weddings and birthdays. Back in the days when there was no internet to disseminate information,

flower plaques were useful in spreading messages.

“When a family or company held an event, people passing by would know about it quickly by looking at the flower plaques,” said Lee.

The process of making flower plaques involves writing messages, making paper flowers, crafting the structure and assembling the different parts. Over time, various crafting techniques developed. For instance, messages that used to be assembled with cotton eventually changed to paint.

“Sometimes, we will use the computer to print messages. It's much easier,” Lee said. “However, the colours of printed characters are not as vivid as the handwritten ones, so some customers may be dissatisfied.”

Years of heavy work have caused Lee pain in her hands, shoulders and neck. She could no longer make flower plaques. In 2013, she found two young people who were interested in this industry to pass on this traditional craft. Nowadays, Lee takes a back seat. As the third-generation successor of Lee Yim Kee, Andy Lai and James Lee have taken on the main job of making flower plaques.

“Most young people do not like labourintensive work like ours,” said Lee. “They are concerned with the salary and comfort of the jobs. That’s different from our generation.”

Tang Ka-Jau, the Director of the Society of Hong Kong History, stressed that the economic value of cultural heritage is the key to its viability and scope for development.

An exquisite peacock's tail crafted by Lee Gam-Yim, Lee Chui-Lan’s father.

“We never worry about intangible cultural heritages like milk tea and herbal tea disappearing because they are integrated into younger people’s daily lives. Their market value is proven to be sustainable,” Tang said.

Limited space is another challenge to this industry. Making and storing flower plaques takes up a lot of space and the government also has its restrictions.

“The population in Hong Kong is growing rapidly nowadays, so it becomes more dangerous to display flower plaques in urban areas,” Lee said. “We need to go through a complicated application process to erect scaffolding outside buildings, but usually the owners don’t allow it.”

COVID-19 has brought about the most difficult situation for Lee Yim Kee since its opening 68 years ago. Social distancing rules meant many festivals and weddings could not go ahead, and subsequently there was a sharp fall in flower plaques orders.

“It was hard to earn money during the pandemic,” Lee said with a sigh.

There are currently only seven major flower plaque companies left in Hong Kong, and more than half are under threat of closure. To continue the legacy of flower plaque making, some craftsmen have started to add new elements to traditional flower plaques to draw public attention.

IChan Sing, a Hongkonger who is concerned about the preservation of flower plaques, created the innovative concept of “mini flower plaques”. Unlike traditional flower plaques which are often only exhibited for a short time due to space constraints, mini flower plaques can be kept for several years, functioning as small decorations at homes.

Chan combines different elements in his flower plaques to create a cross-cultural look. He created a mini flower plaque series featuring Sanrio characters and tried adding embroidery into his designs.

“I think our business of mini flower plaques customisations is quite successful. Our customers include French football star Zidane, country leaders, and multinational companies,” Chan said.

Chan wishes that more Hongkongers can learn about the cultural and historical background of flower plaques. He plans to cooperate with large-scale flower plaques companies and continue to modernise the craft.

“We can develop mini flower plaques into different products, incorporating them into our daily lives. We will retain the essence of Hong Kong flower plaques while doing so,” said Chan, showing a keychain with a flower plaque design.

Chan also holds workshops, offering handson flower plaque-making opportunities using a simplified material package.

“Local techniques, culture and history are the essences of Hong Kong-style flower plaques. Hongkongers from different backgrounds can learn more about this unique local heritage when they join our workshops and introduce it to their families and friends,” Chan said.

Andy Lai, the third-generation successor of Lee Yim Kee, is making a flower plaque.

“We need to go through a complicated application process to erect scaffolding outside buildings, but usually the owners don’t allow it.”

Lee Yim Kee

Chan Sing and his mini flower plaques at his studio.

The character “gang” is made of cotton (top left). The character “shen” is written in paint (top right). Characters can also be printed by computer (bottom).

Although Chan sees mini flower plaques as a way of promoting the intangible cultural heritage, Lee questions if they are distorting the traditional meaning of flower plaques.

“To me, those are not traditions. They are not skills and techniques handed down from the old days,” Lee said.

Lee finds it hard to recognise them as flower plaques. She would rather call them billboards. However, Chan thinks the word “traditional” should not be overly emphasised.

“There is no time limit for the creation of traditions. I am creating traditions now. Traditions are innovation and creativity after being baptised over time,” Chan said.

Tang, the Director of the Society of Hong Kong History, agrees that mini flower plaques are a new path for the flower plaque business as they offer an opportunity to transform the craftsmanship.

“The cultural significance and the unique workmanship used in its creation have not changed despite the passage of time. This is what inheritance is. Although the practice has changed, it still has the same meaning,” said Tang.

“Besides Chan, there are also local organisations that are passionate about cultural preservation. Eldage, a social enterprise focusing on the communication between the traditional and digital generations, has been helping traditional crafts and masters to promote via social media and digital promotion.

“Many traditional craftsmen do not know how to make use of social media platforms to market and advertise, so we help to promote their stories and products online,” said Fong Cheuk-jiu, the manager of Eldage.

Eldage repackages the traditional craft and has already sold a variety of products using digital marketing strategies.Many young people have joined the workshops organised by masters of different crafts after learning more about their stories and products on Eldage’s website.

“Most of the flower plaques orders come from schools and NGOs. Some of them will even invite flower plaque masters to hold workshops,” Fong said.

Fong pointed out that the education sector and the government both play important roles when it comes to preserving traditional craftsmanship. Students can become the new blood of traditional workmanship if they are introduced to the skills through courses and workshops.

“The government has the most resources. A little push from them is way more efficient than ten or even a hundred NGOs working together to promote traditional craftsmanship,” Fong said.

In late 2018, the HKSAR Government approved funding of HK$300 million for launching the ICH Funding Scheme. The government provided financial support to experts, communities and organisations who make detailed plans to promote ICH.

Monetary support from the government helps organisations like Eldage to provide business opportunities for traditional craftsmanship, such as flower plaques making. Eldage promotes the commercialisation of the technique systematically to avoid it being lost over time.

However, Tang said that Hong Kong has developed and changed rapidly into a financially oriented society. The disappearance of traditional cultures seems inevitable with the regeneration of the city.

He also suggested that the Hong Kong government should provide more venues and exhibition opportunities for different successors and organisations to promote intangible cultural heritage.

“We called the ICH list Death Note,” said Tang. “In fact, once a traditional craft has been added to the ICH list, it is only a matter of time before it disappears if its economic value cannot be sustained.”

Chan Sing

“There is no time limit for the creation of traditions. I am creating traditions now. Traditions are innovation and creativity after being baptised over time.”

A keychain with flower plaque design

INDIE MUSIC GETS THE THUMBS UP IN HONG KONG

REPORTED BY REX CHEUK YOYO LEE EDITED BY KELLY PANG

But more local indie groups that are not attached to any commercial record labels are showing up in festivals and award presentations. Among them, per se which has won several local awards.

“Our production focuses on the difficulties people might face in life, including challenges, separation, and the end of life,” said Ip.

The group has gained popularity over the past few years. Last year their song, Candy Crushed was one of the top 10 songs in the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation , a major Canto Pop award presentation in Hong Kong. Their latest album includes five songs on the theme of the apocalypse in which they invite fans to imagine how they would react to the end of the world. The fourth song, The Forgiven, is about how to let go of past regrets. “The message is to stay positive when dealing with bad happenings like an apocalypse,” said Mok.

Mok and Ip are the composers, and their songs are in Cantonese and English with themes such as society, family and personal growth.

Local "poetic pop" duo, per se, will mark their tenth anniversary next month with a concert at Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre. Stephen Mok and Sandy Ip founded per se because they wanted to explore a new music style beyond the rock band they were playing in.

Ip and Mok categorise their songs as “poetic pop” because they want their audience the reflect and feel after listening to their songs, “just like reading poetry.”.

Over the past decade, the music industry in Hong Kong has been dominated by major production companies such as Warner Music and Universal Music. Dear Jane, of Warner Music has had nine songs with over 10 million views in the past decade .

“We get out inspiration from daily activities such as hiking and ordinary conversations,” said Mok. “Small things can give us ideas for our music,” said Ip.

Medius Chung Tsz-tung, an independent music lover and one of the founders of music-sharing social media page Zenegeist, said independent music is the way musicians express themselves through composing, recording, and publishing their work.

Chung added that independent music includes a variety of genres, including but not limited to pop, rock, and metal.

“It refers to the original work of a musician,” said Chung.

Indie band, Ning Fa Yuet, at a live show at their studio in San Po Kong

He thinks independent music has a different form of “beauty” compared to homogenous mainstream music.

Chung started paying attention to local independent music after he stumbled on an English independent rock band Oasis. Chung then realised there are more music styles beyond the mainstream music industry.

The musicians, Chung believes, can thoroughly convey their message through their songs. “Singers who cover the music by other people are only interpreting a song as it is the work of a separate composer and lyricist,” said Chung.

Apart from sharing the music he likes, Chung is also a part-time producer of live concerts for both local and overseas bands, providing a platform to connect independent music lovers.

“In a live performance, the audience can enjoy themselves by cheering the performers. I find that, relaxing, and you definitely cannot do that in your daily life,” said Tsang Fai, a year-3 student from Hong Kong Baptist University and an independent music lover.

Tsang admires indie bands for their ability to capture the specifics of everyday life in their music, and the interaction with singers and other people in the audience during live performances.

“Independent bands can portray daily life with plain lyrics, without fancy phrases, and it just touches my heart,” Tsang said.

Tsang thinks Hongkongers have been paying more attention to local music in recent years because of the pandemic. “Maybe because people cannot go to another country for concerts, so they have more time to focus on the local music industry,” Tsang said.

Medius Chung agrees. “People have become more open-minded because of the pandemic,” he said. “More people are willing to accept the diversity in the types of music, even trying to produce their own songs.”

As for the future of the Hong Kong indie scene, Chung is optimistic that local bands can thrive even though they are just a beginners.

“In this technologically advanced society, there is even bedroom pop, meaning that individuals organize their music creation at home instead of in a studio,” Chung said.

“With the development of streaming platforms, the environment has become easier to promote music,” he added.

“The audience can access independent music easily nowadays, thanks to the internet,” said Icy Lau from Ning Fa Yuet, a local independent band.

“The development of technology has done a favour for the independent music culture,” she said.

“Algorithms and cookies can suggest contents according to listeners’interest, and the audience can discover songs from independent music producers,” Lau said.

Gary Lee, another member from Ning

Yuet is hopeful for the future.

“I think new independent music producers nowadays might be doing better than the old generation,” Lee said.

“Most young producers are familiar with social media, including the editing, musicvideo producing, and advertising, which can amplify independent music development,” he added.

But live performances are essential for the development of indie bands, and years of Covid restrictions have made that difficult.

“Sadly, many shows were cancelled due to the pandemic,” said Lau. “The atmosphere of live shows is breathtaking, and you cannot feel that in recordings.”

“After all, in the live shows, the ability of a band to engage the audience while performing is crucial,” Lee said.

In the meantime, Ip from per se thinks there can be more occasions for bands to perform in public.

“Some of the independent bands are very talented. If they get more chances, they can promote their music outside Hong Kong,” Ip said.

Stephen Mok and Sandy Ip from independent group, per se, write songs to bond with local audience

Fa

“Some of the independent bands are very talented. If they get more chances, they can promote their music outside Hong Kong.”

Sandy Ip

HONG KONG CARTOONISTS KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON DRAWING

REPORTED BY ANNIE CHEUNG CHLOE WONG EDITED BY PHOEBE LAW

For the last 13 years, Kylie Hung Ka-yi, a 30-something local cartoonist known as Lobintan, has been drawing about her life as a wife, mom and cat owner. She has published 20 comic books, and though she doesn’t specialise in political cartoons, her content sometimes involves social topics, such as the Olympic Games and 1989 Tiananmen Square protest

Hung said she worries about her career as press freedom in Hong Kong diminishes.

“In the past, I never have felt the future would be inky, but now I feel it is unlighted, sometimes I have fears,” said Hung. “I have no idea when I will cross the line. I have to be as careful as possible.”

Hung is one of a handful of cartoonists in the city who worry about the political red line especially when two political cartoonists received police complaints for their artworks, a blow to an industry already struggling with declining sales.

Justin Wong Chiu-tat, an editorial cartoonist and a former assistant professor of visual arts at Hong Kong Baptist University, who previously drew a daily political comic strip column named “Gei Gei Gaak Gaak”, which means chicken chirping sounds in Chinese, for 14 years in Ming Pao.

Wong first time ever received a letter from Hong Kong Police expressing “strong dissatisfaction” and “concerns over unreasonable allegations” in one of Wong’s comics satirising youth police group Junior Police Call in September 2021.

Wong later apologised for being unfair and admitted its inappropriateness, saying he respected the contributions made by the Junior Police Call, according to RTHK.

In late October, veteran political cartoonist Zunzi received police complaints saying his Ming Pao cartoon on the government's recruiting talents policy was “misleading”.

“I don’t think there are many political cartoonists left in Hong Kong after the introduction of the National Security Law, except like Zunzi,” said Wong.

“Because we would employ various techniques in political cartoons, such as metaphor and ridicule, it is a unique art form to guide you to reflect,” he added.

Wong discontinued his 14-year-long Ming Pao political comic strip and rebranded it into “therapeutic” content called “Little Pink Man”, which he said he hopes will heal Hongkongers’ hearts after the political unrest, according to his Instagram post.

“Red lines already existed long before, some themes would be handled vigilantly. However, now you have no idea where the red line is with the National Security Law,” he said.

Despite all the hurdles, Hung and Wong said they remain fond of Hong Kong.

“Most people I know who left Hong Kong have a sense of responsibility to the city. Especially when technology allows me to produce remotely, I have no reason to stop,” Wong said.

Hung said she would keep drawing everyday if possible since she “truly loves Hong Kong”.

Lobintan has been publishing her daily-life content comics since 2009 “Abandoned cat on the side of the road” is her favourite publication.

While some local cartoonists like Hung are worried about the city’s diminishing press freedom, the comics industry is also facing another major challenge - the sharp drop in sales.

Many local cartoonists take the annual book fair as an opportunity to publish new books, but the number of visitors dropped by 13.3% in 2022 compared to 2019, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

“Hong Kong people are not willing to pay for arts, including comics. Everyone likes reading it for free,” said Hung.

Fan Wing-chung, 49, a history lecturer at HKBU and an avid Hong Kong comics fan since a young age, said, the situation for traditional Hong Kong comics is grave as they heavily rely on traditional media and physical locations, such as newspaper stands and convenience stores.

Hong Kong’s newspaper stalls vanished from its highest of more than 2,500 stands in the 90s to only 356 stores left in 2020, according to the Chinese University of Hong Kong research.

“The disappearance of newspaper stands is a fatal blow. You cannot find comics in a bookstore,” he said. “Inconvenience and online pirated copy also led to the dropping sales of traditional comic magazines.”

Hong Kong comics have been inscribing local culture and mirroring social changes for more than 50 years, from the underground heroic content in the 1970s, such as Chinese Hero and Dragon Tiger Gate, to the political cartoons of the recent pro-democracy protests.

But Fan said the younger generation has more options for entertainment nowadays. Local comics are no longer their only choice, leading to a decline.

“Although it’s a bit cliché, the worst of the times is also often the best of the times,” he said.

Industrial transformation in the comic industry is inevitable, and local comics have to evolve based on the current social environment, Fan said.

“When it comes to whether the rise of social media will stifle the market or lessen the opportunity, I think social media is a two-way sword,” Fan said.

He believes traditional martial arts comics may not survive under social media influences unless they digitise their content and less rely on physical media format.

Yet, social media provides an alternative publishing platform for cartoonists, which keeps the industry alive and moving forward.

“Cartoonists can gain die-hard readers through releasing comics on social media; after reaching a certain amount of followers and popularity, they can publish a book,” said Fan.

Hong Kong Comics Support Program, a collaboration between the government and Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation in 2021, supports local comics talents. The majority of selected cartoonists are avant-garde and independent in the first term program, such as Mimi Sezto, Man Tsang and Pen So.

“If you encounter artists who are still hugely passionate about Hong Kong cartoons and are holding up to drawing, especially those who used Cantonese for the dialogues, you should show them lots of support,” said Fan.

“One of the artists’ responsibilities is to record what is happening in our times. Yet, we could no longer do it.”

Kylie Hung Ka-yi

NFT ART BLOSSOMS IN HONG KONG

REPORTED BY BELLA DING AW

NANCY YANG

In the work of Hong Kong NFT artist David Leung, a cooked hairy crab on the dining table could turn into a bee-like creature, with its fangs bared at the audience.

"Sometimes I look at food, they look back at me,” said Leung. He got inspiration from the food he works with every day and started to make photograph collections of food, manipulating them into perfect symmetry monsters.

Leung entered the NFT industry earlier this year. As a part of his NFT photograph collection entitled Hairy Halloween, the hairy crab images already gained 0.3 ETH, a kind of cryptocurrency used by digital marketplace Opensea, or HK$ 2860.3 for him. Just like Leung, a number of artists or art creators in Hong Kong have attempted to explore the use of NFT, either for art creation or trading, although the market is yet wellestablished.

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens are blockchain-based digital assets, such as digital art or music, or tokenized physical assets, such as homes, automobiles, or papers. And every NFT has its own identification code and metadata to distinguish them from one another.

The government set aside HK$100 million to push the city on the road of “art tech” after former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the plan in her last policy address in November 2020. And many organisations, for example, the auction house Digital Art Fair, embraced the idea of digital art assets, especially NFTs.

YONG MING MIN EDITED BY

This hairy crab NFT is the third and final piece of Leung’s Halloween-themed set of NFTs

The NFT artwork by Henry Chu is a combination of a video one and a physical sculpture.

The NFT “Kaofu are You” is part of Leung’s Beasts and Feasts Collection.

"NFT art has recently been fairly popular with many generous investors in Hong Kong," said Heiman Ng, the Head of Business Development for the Digital Art Fair. "This year, we auctioned 21 pieces of art in partnership with Sotheby's. A single piece by Jacky Tsai, our digital artist of the year, is worth between HK$3 and HK$5 million."

About 10.7% of adults in Hong Kong currently own NFTs, and 10.4% have plans to acquire NFTs. Most of those owning NFTs in Hong Kong range from 35 to 54 years old. Currently, the Sandbox NFT, a virtual gaming NFT, is most favoured by those in Hong Kong, with 98.7 searches conducted per 100,000 people per month, according to Finder.

Globally, NFT art has bloomed since its start in 2014, especially during the pandemic. The third quarter of 2021 witnessed the trading volume of NFTs increase by more than 700% compared to the second quarter worldwide.

In the art world, NFTs provide concrete ownership and allow for the buying and selling of art.

The immutable ethereal blockchain generates a unique serial number for each piece of art that uses NFT encryption, which is the process of verifying the artist's signature, via which the artist transfers the copyright to the digital artwork, according to Leung.

"Despite the possibility of limitless replication, the authenticity and exclusivity of the tokens employed in blockchain encryption ensure that digital artwork remains the property of its owner," he added.

"Ng also said that the blockchain-based copyright, though owned by an individual, could reach a wider audience, providing public aesthetic opportunities.

"If an NFT art piece is sold, it may still be displayed on the internet," Ng said, "Normally, when an artwork in the traditional art format, like a painting, is bought, it can only be hung on the wall at the owner's home. More opportunities for the general population to enjoy art may result from it.

However, Hong Kong people still remain cautious about this new form of art.

"People can be conservative about this art format at this early time," said Leung, explaining that he would also give physical forms of his work to clients.

The safety of NFT trading has been questioned due to many NFT scams, like the phishing scam in OpenSea that stole 1.7 million (HK$13 million) in February 2022. OpenSea also reported in January that over 80% of their items were plagiarised works, fake collections and spam. And there has been an increase of 42% in phishing in the third quarter of 2022 compared to last year, according to the HKCERT, the city’s cyber watchdog.

The Digital Art Fair October 20 to November 6 at Asia Standard Tower this year.

The cryptocurrency used for NFT trading may also add risks.

Unlike traditional banking, which is fully regulated by the government, several digital currencies available for trading in the market are not governed by any single entity, making it sometimes tricky to track digital currency transactions. This also leaves the transactions without any specific requirements for security audits, which makes them vulnerable to new types of cyber attacks.

Currently, the Security and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority do not have any set regulations for trading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, as they are “virtual commodities”. However, the SFC warned and reminded the industry that NFTs may be subject to regulation if crossing the boundary between a collectable and a financial asset. These include cryptocurrencies having rights similar to those provided by shares, such as a right to a portion of the issuing company’s profits, or having rights similar to debentures.

Julia Leung, deputy CEO and executive director at SFC said that SFC will hold NFT platforms to similar standards that apply to stock exchanges and broker-dealers.

However, Anthony Lau Siu-King, 51, an NFT photographer based in Hong Kong, worried more about the change of mindset of artists, as he admitted that NFT brought more benefits to art creators, financially.

"Artists' creative ideas may progressively change as they become more concerned about the returns of their works," said Lau, "they should always adhere to their own artistic views and stances, rather than being readily swayed by market interests, since it could result in a loss of distinctiveness and originality (in their works)."

The SAR Government released the Policy Statement on the Development of Virtual Assets last month, announcing that it would speed up efforts to establish a licensing system for providers of virtual asset services. This means that Hong Kong will formally recognize and fully regulate virtual asset services like NFTs.

“NFT art is the enrichment and expansion of the current art forms,” said Ng, “The preference of the young generation for this new art, shown as the stream of them at the fair, could gradually make it a hit in Hong Kong, breaking the conservative attitudes of the general public.”

CREATIVITY INSIDE THE RED LINES: HONG KONG ARTISTS ADAPT TO NATIONAL SECURITY LAW

REPORTED BY ANTHONY HO JOANA NGUYEN EDITED BY

MALICK GAI

A photoshopped artwork by Tommy Fung describes the increasing fares of Hong Kong’s taxis. Photo: Tommy Fung

Tommy Fung’s surreal artwork photoshops the Kai Tak Covid-19 isolation facility into a giant Rapid Antigen Test.

Photo: Tommy Fung

Ng Kap-chuen, a cartoonist who goes by his artist name Ah To, left his native Hong Kong for the United Kingdom in April this year for fear of being jailed for his art.

Ng, 39, is known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government. He has produced a number of artworks since 2014 expressing discontent over controversial issues, such as the National Security Law, social unrest, and COVID19 measures.

Some artists, including illustrators and cartoonists such as Ng, whose works tend to challenge and criticise the government in a satirical and controversial manner said they fear being accused of violating the NSL, implemented in 2020 after antigovernment protests broke out across the city in 2019.

The NSL aims to prevent, stop and punish subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, with critics warning it could silence dissent and erode freedom in the city.

“The immense pressure, terror, and uncertainty of not knowing when I would be arrested really tortured me mentally and made it hard for me to be in a good mood for creation,” said Ng, a prodemocracy artist who still draws cartoons about Hong Kong’s social issues and politics from the UK.

“I don’t feel comfortable if I can only make artwork that doesn’t express all my feelings. Self-censorship is not my way,” said Ng. “I am working on some sensitive topics that other artists in Hong Kong avoid talking about. They draw about local policies while I focus on sensitive political issues.”

While no artists in Hong Kong have been arrested under the NSL, in September, five speech therapists were sentenced to 19 months in prison for conspiring to write and distribute books with seditious intent. The case involves a series of illustrated cartoon books about wolves and sheep, symbolising Chinese authority and Hong Kong citizens, to explain the 2019 prodemocracy protests.

The books “beautify illegal behaviour,” Hong Kong’s national security police said in a press conference.

Some political cartoonists who choose to remain in the city said they have adopted a more subtle approach in their commentary without crossing the “red lines” of the NSL.

“Anything about national security is tricky. You have to be more subtle. Don't go head on, go sideways,” said illustrator Harry Harrison, 60, who has been drawing daily political cartoons for the South China Morning Post for over 20 years.

“If I do my job properly, I can get a comment in the newspaper about those subjects. But if I'm too direct, it won't go in the paper. I don't self censor, but I have an idea of what's going to get printed and what isn't,” said Harrison.

“None of us know where these red lines are. The idea is to do your job and not get put in prison. ‘If you don’t like it, leave.’ People say that a lot here,” said Harrison.

Ah Keung, who requested to be identified only by her artist's name, is a local independent illustrator who started publishing drawings to express her opinions on the social unrest in late 2019. Her drawings touch upon many major events including the 2019 siege of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’ and the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

An artwork by Ng Kap-chuen criticises Hong Kong’s strict COVID-19 measures compared to other countries. Photo: Ng Kap-chuen

“My artwork is meant to be recording the goods and bads of Hong Kong. If I would like to make my audience love Hong Kong or have a sense of belonging, I shouldn’t keep only mentioning politics as it just makes people exhausted,” Keung said.

Keung said the focus of her creation has moved in a less political direction, such as the social and cultural aspects of the city. She is cautious when drawing topics related to the government now.

“Artwork itself doesn’t indicate whether the creator has violated the National Security Law even if it affects the viewers’ opinion and emotions towards the government. It depends more on whether the creator’s behaviour shows the intention of secession of the country,” said Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a senior counsel, in an interview with Citizen News in March 2021.

“Elaine Ng, an assistant professor of contemporary art at Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Visual Arts, said, “That these kinds of rules are in place requires artists to work around them.”

“If you want to be active, you'll find ways to be active, and if you're creative, you'll find ways in which you can express what you want to express, but not in blatantly explicit terms,” Ng said.

Tommy Fung, 43, is a photographer and digital creator who produces heavily photoshopped images to tell stories about Hong Kong’s daily social issues in a humorous and surrealist way, ranging from increasing taxi fares and MTR train doors falling off to the Jumbo Floating restaurant sinking in the South China Sea.

“My artworks cover everything, but I just stay away from some sensitive issues. It is ok to do art about issues that you commonly see on television,” said Fung.

Fung said the NSL does not affect his artistic creativity.

“Don’t think that politics will take away all your creativity. We can still use alternative ways to represent what we want to say,” Fung said.

An artwork by Harry Harrison for the South China Morning Post satirises Hong Kong’s new talent attraction measures announced in the Policy Address 2022 Photo: South China Morning Post

“Artwork itself doesn’t indicate whether the creator has violated the National Security Law even if it affects the viewers’ opinion and emotions towards the government. It depends more on whether the creator’s behaviour shows the intention of secession of the country.”

Ronny Tong Ka-wah

HONG KONG'S NEON IN NEW ART FORM

REPORTED BY JULIA ZHONG

CHRISTINE JO

EDITED BY

In a dark room, a woman lit a cigarette and opened a refrigerator. The door was wide open, a pure blue neon glow enveloping her.

This is a classic scene from the 1988 movie As Tears Go By directed by iconic Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, who excelled in using the neon lights in Hong Kong films.

Neon lights have long been a special feature of Hong Kong’s nightscape. Tourist Oh Ae-ran, a Korean housewife, said one of the unforgettable sights of her Hong Kong trip was the numerous neon lights on Hong Kong's streets.

“I was mesmerised by the neon colours that I had never seen in Korea,” Oh said.

Another Korean traveller Kwack ho-wook said the neon lights in streets are an exclusive culture to Hong Kong.

“I took many pictures of neon lights at Tsim Sha Tsui. In my view, neon light makes Hong Kong’s night streets more active,” Kwack said.

But over the last decade, the city’s iconic neon signs has been decreasing. Fewer and fewer companies are making them due to the emergence of LED lights, which are cheaper to run and come in more colours."

Thousands of neon signs that had been standing for decades were turned into illegal structures overnight in 2010 after the Building Department issued a Minor Works Control System, which requires sign boards not protrude more than 4.2 metres and be at least 3.5 metres above the ground.

KATE ZHANG

ZHAO ZIYU BRUCE

Neon lights on Hong Kong’s streets are being replaced by LED lights.

Media have reported that 90% of the city’s major neon signs have disappeared in the past 20 years. The government Buildings Department has removed close to 7,000 “dangerous advertising signs,” many of them neon, since 2014.

But as the number of signs decline for store fronts, Hong Kong's neon culture is shifting to art.

Wu Chi-kai, 55, is one of the last neon sign makers in the city who started making signs in the 1970s. His work includes the sky sphere that illuminates the roof of Langham Place and the triangular neon tubes on the walls of the Bank of China building on Hong Kong Island.

Wu said in the past, most of the orders were for store signs but now he has been working with more exhibitors, artists and designers over the past decade.

“It is much harder to make neon lights than before because many of them are indoor decorations, placed closer to people, and some of them can even be touched by hand,” said Wu.

Wu also holds neon light making workshops for tourists and locals.

“Compared to the past, neon lights now need to be made more delicate and avoid as many flaws and defects as possible,” he said.

When it comes to the future of neon lights, Wu isn’t worried.

“It is up to people whether they like neon lights or not. The only thing I can do is to make it as good as possible, make it beautiful, so that the people who own it can keep and appreciate it as an artwork,” he said.

Hong Kong neon sign artist Karen Chan founded a local art design studio to nurture local crafts and artists in Hong Kong. The city lacks an organisation to support young neon artists, who could strengthen the city's neon culture, she said.

“It is not easy to do neon because it's very expensive,” she said.“I wanted to show the audience here the different potentials and possibilities,” Chan said. I do think what makes Hong Kong unique is our street culture.”

Since 2013, the M+ museum has been collecting neon signs from Hong Kong to preserve this disappearing Hong Kong icon, including Sammy’s Kitchen’s neon cow made in 1978 and a sign from Kai Kee Mahjong parlour from 1976.

“It is not easy to do neon because it's very expensive. I wanted to show the audience here the different potentials and possibilities.”

“Neon is like a woman's lipstick. You put it on at night, you go out in a certain expanse, a certain space, a certain ambience, you glow,” Christopher Doyle, a cinematographer best known for his work with Wong Kar-Wai on movies such as Chungking Express, said in an video documentary on neon lights produced by M+.

Karen Chan

Pictures and objects need to be presented in a 1:1 ratio, said commercial neon signmaker Wu Chi-kai

Karen Chan examines one of her neon artworks in her studio