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.

JC Jessie

JC Jessie

Anyone attending a Cantonese opera performance would have no doubt been dazzled by the beautiful costumes. Interdisciplinary art practitioner JC Jessie (L8-09) straddles traditional culture from a bygone age and leading edge digital world to research, document, reinterpret and present Cantonese opera costumes via new and diverse art forms.

JC Jessie obtained Master Degree in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, after her studies at York University in Canada. She actively promotes Cantonese opera costume in recent years, with the aim to preserve this cultural heritage. In 2017 and 2020, she completed several research reports and documentaries on the subject for Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Her digital works and animations have received various awards and recognitions at international film festivals.

Q1. J

J: What prompted you to study art and research Cantonese opera costumes?

Kwan Ngai Hong’s sketches

Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Costume Pattern Designer

A1. C

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.

Kwan Ngai Hong’s sketches

Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Costume Pattern Designer

On & Off - A Solo Painting Exhibition by JC Jessie

2018

Q2. J

J: Can you share some research insight?

A2. C

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.

Talk
CUHK CCCL | 2017
Divine Threads- The Visual & Material Culture of Cantonese Opera
April Liu | 2019
Divine Threads- The Visual & Material Culture of Cantonese Opera
April Liu | 2019
Divine Threads- The Visual & Material Culture of Cantonese Opera
April Liu | 2019
Talk
Museum of Anthology, UBC, Vancouver, Canada | 2019
Q3. J

J: What is the philosophy behind your artworks?

A3. C

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.

Records with the Color Red

Art installation – Mixed media | 2017

Records with the Color Red

Art installation – Mixed media | 2017

NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT

Art installation – Mixed media | 2021

NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT

Art installation – Mixed media | 2021

Q4. J

J: How do you adopt the “old into new” approach in your works?

A4. C

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.

A Journey of Searching
2016
Catch me if you can
In the Name of Secondization – The “Grotesquerie” of JC Jessie | 360 immersive virtual experience | 2021
Catch me if you can
In the Name of Secondization – The “Grotesquerie” of JC Jessie | 360 immersive virtual experience | 2021
Catch me if you can
In the Name of Secondization – The “Grotesquerie” of JC Jessie | 360 immersive virtual experience | 2021
Into the Clouds
In the Name of Secondization – The “Grotesquerie” of JC Jessie | Art installation – Mixed media | 2021
Into the Clouds
In the Name of Secondization – The “Grotesquerie” of JC Jessie | Art installation – Mixed media | 2021
Q5. J

J: What do you think is the significance of traditional Cantonese opera costumes in the context of contemporary art?

A5. C

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.

Sunrise Sunset – During the Unusual Bout

New Works by JC Jessie | 2022

Q6. J

J: Can you tell us more about “Sunrise Sunset – During the Unusual Bout”, your upcoming exhibition at PMQ?

A6. C

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.

Sunrise Sunset (Series 27)
Acrylic on canvas | 2022
Sunrise Sunset (Pair)
Acrylic on canvas | 2022
Sunrise Sunset (Pair)
Acrylic on canvas | 2022
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.

JC Jessie

Watching You Watching Me
Art installation – Mixed media | 2022
Watching You Watching Me
Art installation – Mixed media | 2022
Watching You Watching Me
Art installation – Mixed media | 2022
Q7. J

J: Any creative plans in the horizon?

A7. C

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.

Cosmism Series - #10

Watercolour on paper

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