Artist Sonya Fu is back at Above Second gallery for her sophomore solo exhibition titled “Obfuscating Stupidity.” Opening on Friday, January 20th, the artist’s paintings have a soft, dream-like quality to them that’s rare for digital art.

Sonya Fu’s work has been showcased previously at Above Second in a solo show titled “Skin Deep”

In addition to participating in group shows, Sonya’s work was highlighted in last year’s creative conference, Semi Permanent.

Special note: why not make Friday a night in Sai Ying Pun by heading first to Sonya Fu’s opening, and then on to nearby XXX gallery to hear music producer TEEBS!

Sonya Fu – Obfuscating Stupidity
Opening, Friday, January 20th, from 6pm to 10pm
Above Second Gallery
31 Eastern Street
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Runs until February 25th

Local gallery Above Second has teamed up with international art website Arrested Motion, to bring Hong Kong a major new show of contemporary artists. The exhibition, titled East West Connect, includes a mixture of talents, ranging from the widely known (such as Shepard Fairey,) to the more obscure. A quick preview of the artwork reveals an exciting group, many of whom are exhibiting in Hong Kong for the first time.

All of the artists have ties to Asia, either from family roots or by subject matter. The show looks to appeal especially to fans of contemporary illustration and urban art.

A past work by artist Stella Im Hultberg, who will be participating in the show:

Recommended!

East West Connect (Above Second X Arrested Motion exhibition)
Opening, Friday, November 25th, 2011, from 6pm to 10pm
Above Second Gallery
31 Eastern Street (between 2nd and 3rd Street)
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Most well known for his comic-style paintings made from patterned dots*, artist Roy Lichtenstein also used his distinct techniques to create a series of work based on traditional Chinese landscapes.

Due to the strong optical effect of the dots, the art is much more powerful in person than can be captured in photos.

Lichtenstein’s re-imagining of Chinese landscapes via a series of patterns is fascinating, as are his sculptures that translate details from classic paintings into metal.

Hong Kong’s Gagosian Gallery unveiled Roy Lichtenstein’s “Landscapes in the Chinese Style” on Saturday, November 12th. The exhibition runs until December 22nd, 2011.

As Lichtenstein’s Chinese landscapes aren’t his most well known works, this a special opportunity to get up close and examine rare works from one of the kings of Pop Art.

Worth a visit!

Roy Lichtenstein – Landscapes in the Chinese Style
Gagosian Gallery
7/F, Pedder Building
12 Pedder Street
Central, Hong Kong

* People sometimes describe Lichtenstein’s signature painting style as originating from comic books, when actually it seems like it’s derived more from ‘the funnies’, or the comics section that used to appear as an insert in American Sunday newspapers. The patterned dots are similar to newspaper printing, and the vibrant colors were once a novelty in the black and white only newspapers of the time.

In less than one year, the Gagosian Gallery has hosted several of the biggest names in contemporary art including Damien Hirst and Richard Prince. Their latest exhibition however, featuring Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi, is their best show to date.

Perhaps due to the difficulty in assembling pieces from private collections, previous exhibits have contained filler work that rendered the shows somewhat inconsistent and less powerful. This is not the case with the new Zeng Fanzhi exhibition.

In part due to the number of seminal works provided from the artist’s personal collection, the show comes across as more focused and superior.

The exhibition establishes a winning rhythm by featuring a number of works of equal scale and quality. Though concentrating mostly on portraits, the exhibit spans different periods of the artist’s work, providing insight into Zeng Fanzhi’s career.

One fascinating background detail is that Zeng Fanzhi suffered an injury that forced him to learn to paint with his left hand, influencing his technique.

The artist’s recent portraits (several of which are exhibited here,) are particularly absorbing due to the subtle way he abstracts the subjects. To deflect any nostalgia he plays with proportion and adds faint blurs and color anomalies.

Using disproportionate forms, and adding slightly smudged fragments of color to the portrait, he keeps them unconventional, yet still captures the subject honestly. The result is a portrait that packs a punch, but never strays into the conventional, sentimental territory of realism.

Highly recommended!

Zeng Fanzhi
Gagosian Gallery
7/F, Pedder Building (above Shanghai Tang)
12 Pedder Street
Central, Hong Kong
Until November 5th, 2011

In town for just 36 hours, London-based artist INSA has succeeded in creating a new work in his ‘Girl On Bike’ series. The requirements of the series force him to locate a wall, paint it, find a bike, and discover a model, all within a brief duration of time. The resulting work gets turned into a limited edition print which will be on sale at the exhibition’s after party on Thursday night, August 18th, at FLY.

The Girl On Bike series has been staged in eleven other cities around the world. For more info on INSA’s artwork, read our previous post.

If you’re interested in attending the after party at FLY, please send an email to: rsvp.abovesecond@gmail.com

The exhibition opening is at Above Second gallery from 7 to 10pm on Thursday, August 18th.

Above Second
31 Eastern Street
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

INSA – GLOSS exhibition after party
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
FLY
24-30 Ice House Street
Central, Hong Kong

Breasts dripping with paint, semi-nudes dressed in stylish high-heels, whole rooms covered in geometric patterns, welcome to the world of British artist INSA! His solo show titled ‘GLOSS,’ opens on Thursday, August 18th, at the Above Second gallery in Sai Ying Pun.

INSA’s art, which is often reminiscent of the fashion photography of Guy Bourdin, has been winning admirers, especially among those conversant in the language of edgier advertising campaigns.

A combination of sex appeal, style, and street cred, make his work both scintillating and marketable to a wide audience.

Recommended

INSA ‘GLOSS’
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Opening from 7pm to 10pm, exhibition runs until September 16th
Above Second Gallery
31 Eastern Street
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

What do the bassist from LMF and a prominent street artist have in common? Both Start From Zero and Prodip have been influential figures in Hong Kong’s underground scene for over a decade, and both have art exhibits opening Friday, June 3rd!

As the number of cultural offerings continues to increase in Hong Kong, occasionally two events fall on the exact same night. Fortunately for us, the two art exhibits are located nearby!

Start From Zero

Start From Zero comes across more like a movement rather than an individual artist. Building a presence around town for years, by stenciling, wheat-pasting, and inserting street art into relevant events such as concerts, Start From Zero has helped build a street art community and expand the scene.

Dom, the man behind Start From Zero, is both a Hong Kong street art pioneer and evangelist. In addition to opening his own underground art space, the Rat’s Cave, Start From Zero has taken over the Above Second gallery and transformed the space for the Uprising show.

Expect an exciting, multi-textured installation.

Start From Zero – Uprising!
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Opening: 6pm – 10pm
Above Second gallery
31 Eastern Street
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Prodip – A Tribe of Many Colours

Known to most as the bassist from Hong Kong indie Rock-Rap band L.M.F., Prodip is also an accomplished graphic designer. Getting his start designing fliers for underground music events, he went on to create work for popular local and international streetwear brands.

On Friday, June 3rd, Prodip debuts his first exhibition of paintings to the public. The subject matter includes alien abductions, UFOs, and other extraterrestrial phenomenon. The venue is the same location as Simon Birch’s Laughing With A Mouth Full of Blood, and the exhibitions will run concurrently until June 19th.

Prodip – A Tribe Of Many Colours
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Opening: 7:30 to 10pm
Museum of Medical Sciences
2 Caine Lane
Sheung Wan / Mid Levels, Hong Kong

Just as we hypothesized, the Gagosian gallery is living up to its reputation, bringing interesting, relevant contemporary art to Hong Kong on a consistent basis. With ARTHK 11 taking place this week, there’s a flurry of openings around town. Of the many exhibitions to choose from, the Richard Prince show, titled Nurse’s Tricks, should be on your itinerary.

Those of you fortunate enough to have attended the Louis Vuitton art exhibition in 2009, were able to see a few pieces of Richard Prince’s work. Now he’s back with a full show at the Gagosian Gallery that includes a broader range of pieces.

Recommended!

Richard Prince – Nurse’s Tricks
open to the public from Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Gagosian Gallery
7/F, Pedder Building
12 Pedder Street
Central, Hong Kong

Hong Kong has few artists who can make a dent on the international art scene, and Simon Birch is one of them! With a busy 2010 that had him producing the ambitious Hope & Glory exhibition, followed by a group show in Japan, Simon’s back, opening a new exhibit on May 20th, titled “Laughing With A Mouth Full Of Blood.”

Simon has a strong knack for showmanship, and his exhibitions frequently include inventive surprises. From skateboard ramps and Siamese fighting fish, to live costumed monsters, there’s always something new at play.

The show is being held inside the (slightly creepy,) Museum of Medical Sciences, a rare old brick building tucked away in the Mid Levels / Sheung Wan area, just below the western end of Caine Road.

For a sneak preview of several works from the show, check out the Facebook gallery here.

Highly recommended!

Simon Birch – Laughing With A Mouth Full Of Blood
Opens May 20th, 2011
Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
2 Caine Lane
Mid Levels, Hong Kong

(Take a taxi to the western end of Caine Road, and walk down the staircase to the museum.)

Catch creative heavy-weights as the noted Semi-Permanent conference kicks off in Hong Kong for the first time on March 11th and 12th.

Big name designers Stefan Sagmeister and Danny Yount; photographer Kayt Jones, director Nabil Elderkin, as well as agencies Troika, Industrial Light & Magic, 180, Dainippon Type Organization, and Anomaly, will be giving talks and exhibiting work. Local favorite Simon Birch will also be involved.

There are a host of additional activities including a film screening and a few gatherings to coincide with the two-day conference that takes place on Friday and Saturday.

The event, (which will be held in the Convention Centre,) is not free, but there are several ticketing plans, including discounts for students.

For more detailed information, please go to the Semi-Permanent website.

Semi-Permanent conference Hong Kong
March 11th and 12th, 2011
Hong Kong Convention Centre
Wanchai, Hong Kong