Dec 24, 2014. Oil on canvas. 30 x 40″

This is Hong Kong. Also called the desert of culture. Also named shopping paradise or good food paradise.  It probably tells the world that we are the most materialistic city. This land can hardly cultivate art and literature, because if you engage in art, theatre, dancing, design, writing, you can’t earn a living, you can’t earn respect, no matter how good you are doing.

I started landscape painting 2 years ago and thought the best way to learn was to paint outdoor. In Hong Kong, it is weird that an artist painting on public pavements will be expelled, or discouraged by neighbourhood in many different forms for most of the time. We are classified as illegal hawkers or lower social class. Yes. Artists can never be rich or signicant. That is why we are not being respected. It is so pathetic.

This painting was done in 4 hours at Causeway Bay near MTR exit. I worked in nearby office, and sometimes I sacrificed my lunch hour to do some practises. This painting was done in 4 hours but in 3 separate days. Day 1 I stopped because of the disturbance from the shopping mall security and Day 2 I could not carry on because I needed to go back to work. It was finally completed on the Christmas Eve when we were off earlier than usual and gave me an extra half day holiday.

Painting on the spot is hectic. Painting in the middle of the city is killing. Curious people, including our lovely citizen and tourists, will surround you with physically contact, closely, intimately, against your wish, making you unable to work.

Others took photos for you. Of course without asking. (Common sense for Chinese!!! Because you are standing in a public area, there is no need to seek any permission to shot you.) More people were taking selfire with you as their background. ( No no. What, what? I should be the centre point not the background!!!)

Some traffic dropped by to say some nice words to you, and some criticised your work fiercely. Many kind-heartedly people helped to point out how much small details you had missed or misplaced. (Oh no, I intended to do it that way.)

The most challenging group were the one who asked questions. Questions after questions they didn’t feel that they were interrupting me. (Sign.) An obvious question is how much it costed to buy this work? “Do you want to buy?” “No. Just curious. So how much? Like $100”

We have 8 million population and the highest density in the world. Shopping districts such as Causeway Bay are overwhelmed with China mainlanders tourists during the daytime. Plus local traffic, you can imagine how busy this area is. I am glad I was part of sightseeing spot for a while.

Working in city, specially downtown is very challenging. But the rare chance for success is the reason why it is so rewarding to me.