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Intimate Portrait
Intimate PortraitJC Jessie
J: What prompted you to study art and research Cantonese opera costumes?
Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Costume Pattern Designer
C: My grandfather used to work at Bing Kee Embroidery where Cantonese opera costumes were produced, so naturally these beautiful objects formed part of my childhood memory. I chose to study art after discovering some talent for it when growing up. While studying abroad, although I also took an interest in art history, make-up and styling, I ended up focusing on painting as it was my real passion.
There are only a few veteran Cantonese opera costume makers left in Hong Kong, and they are all of advanced age. For fear of it soon becoming a lost art, I began my research with a sense of mission to fill the historical gaps, record the stories and document the artisanship.
Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Costume Pattern Designer
J: Can you share some research insight?
C: It was no easy task due to a lack of proper records on this subject in Hong Kong. I was fortunate to have the right connections to help me trace its history. Through my research, I got to meet master Kwan Ngai-hong, one of the very few costume designers in Hong Kong. I am immensely grateful for his support and trust. He was willing to impart to me relevant knowledge – including pattern design and drawing techniques – and even gave some of his sketches, which provided a solid foundation for launching my research.
There are actually a number of people overseas interested in Cantonese opera, for example Dr. April Liu, a researcher in Canada. We have collaborations, including my work A Journey of Searching featured in her book Divine Threads – The Visual and Material Culture of Cantonese Opera, which led to a series of talks on the subject in Canada.
J: What is the philosophy behind your artworks?
C: My work is kind of an extension of my research. I would extract, magnify and elevate interesting details from Cantonese opera costumes to become the theme or an artistic element in my work.
We are surrounded by a wealth of intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong. I wish to shine a spotlight on them through modern and innovative art, to prevent them from being buried in obscurity and forgotten.
Art installation – Mixed media | 2017
Art installation – Mixed media | 2017
Art installation – Mixed media | 2021
Art installation – Mixed media | 2021
J: How do you adopt the “old into new” approach in your works?
C: I believe that the popularity and wide application of digital arts could create new possibilities for exploring and promoting traditional culture. A Journey of Searching is my first attempt in digital arts: through 3D imaging and slow motion, the audience can appreciate the dynamics and aesthetics of water sleeves – an iconic component in Cantonese opera costumes. It also reminded me of Chinese dance, which I learned when I was a child.
Last year, with support from Arts Go Digital Platform Scheme of Hong Kong Arts Development Council, I presented my solo exhibition “In the Name of Secondization – The Grotesquerie of JC Jessie”. In one of the works, Catch me if you can, motifs often found in Cantonese opera costumes – like auspicious clouds, water boundaries and bats – are transformed into grotesques in a 360°immersive virtual environment, in which the audience are invited to interact with them in interesting ways. Patterns on the Cantonese opera costumes are often indicative of the identity of the person wearing them. For example, chrysanthemum is for middle-aged lady, peony is for young maidens, whereas bamboo represents scholars.
J: What do you think is the significance of traditional Cantonese opera costumes in the context of contemporary art?
C: Costume is a crucial part of Cantonese opera. It provides important visual cues to the different characters in the story. Contemporary art can help enrich and provide fresh perspectives on the traditional art of Cantonese opera costumes, making it more accessible and relatable to modern people. Although Hong Kong has become a multicultural city, its roots in traditional Chinese culture should not be ignored, and Cantonese opera is definitely a valuable part of them.
J: Can you tell us more about “Sunrise Sunset – During the Unusual Bout”, your upcoming exhibition at PMQ?
C: During the pandemic, I would often go up Garden Hill to enjoy the sunset. This inspired me to contemplate what the constants in life are that may resonate with people. Sunrise and sunset are everyday phenomena that follow the order of nature. However, people’s views towards this “constant” vary with their different experience. This is the idea I wish to convey through the exhibition. I hope the exhibition will provide a serene and contemplative space for the audience.
Fluorescent paint resembling the vibrant colours of the costumes, although in a softer hue than those in previous works, is used. The paintings merged imaginary and real landscapes with Cantonese opera costume motifs such as mountain, water boundary, sun, moon and clouds. The composition makes reference to scatter perspective of ancient maps and landscape paintings. To increase visual depth and as a nod to East meets West, I experimented with western painting techniques for creating Chinese embroidery texture.
JC Jessie
J: Any creative plans in the horizon?
C: I shall certainly continue to seize all opportunities for promoting the culture of Cantonese opera costumes. I hope to invite masters to give talks on costume embroidery techniques, and to carry on with my digital arts creation and research for creating a platform to present the complete history of Cantonese opera costumes, so that future generations may understand and appreciate this cultural heritage. As an artist, my creative work will remain focused on paintings.
