From the cute and creepy hyperrealistic sculptures created by Australia’s Patricia Piccinini to anonymous Hong Kong artists Lousy and Matsushimaon’s sexually charged works, we look back at some of the arts stories that struck a chord with Post readers in 2023.
1. Mocking the monogram
Artist, cheongsam designer and drag performer Scotty So’s mock photo series was inspired by people in Hong Kong wearing top-to-toe luxury monogram fashion.
He moved to the Australian city of Melbourne in 2018 to make art celebrating the historic Chinese fashion and music that he loves, but he now also explores other ideas.
2. ‘Gross’ exhibition shocks
In May, Australian artist Patricia Piccinini evoked disgust and intrigue in equal measure with her first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, which included grotesque but cute transgenic works designed to be at once repulsive and endearing.
3. Body of work
Anonymous Hong Kong artists Lousy and Matsushimaon challenge the city’s conservative attitudes towards sex by painting the bodies of young women with bold designs and Chinese characters, respectively, then photographing them in erotic poses.
4. Making a statement
The 80-year-old famed Singaporean artist Tang Da Wu kept it real with audiences at his solo exhibition in the city state. Since the 1970s, his performances and installations have addressed urgent social, environmental and nature issues.
5. Painting sale stirs the pot
In an exclusive story, Post arts editor Enid Tsui wrote about how a painting by Korean modern artist Park Seo-bo was apparently auctioned in Hong Kong for a knockdown price, drawing anger in the arts circle.
6. Auction sale in shock flop
In October, Tsui reported on how an attempt by high-profile Chinese billionaire couple Liu Yiqian and Wang Wei to trim an art collection turned into a surprise flop at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction when some pieces failed to sell.
7. Communication breakdown
Wang Hanzheng, the Chinese artist behind the controversial spraying of Chinese political slogans on London’s Brick Lane, talked to the Post about his work’s true meaning and his frustration over the backlash.
