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Intimate Portrait
Intimate PortraitJ: Can you share your experiences studying illustration, animation and printmaking in the UK? Why choose printmaking as your primary creative medium?
C: I chose to study illustration at first as I am fond of painting from a young age, but later I realised that illustration calls for functionality to a certain extent, while I wish to pursue fine art. During my study, I was exposed to printmaking, which I found suitable. Nevertheless, trainings in illustration and animation helped improve my skills in drawing, and led me towards greater self-understanding. Although printmaking falls under fine art, it is widely applicable, from poster design to publication.
| Zine
| Zine
J: What is your favourite type of matrix for printmaking? What is its appeal?
C: Relief printing is the first one I came across. It is fairly common in Hong Kong and related materials are easily accessible. I encountered screen printing, monotype and copper plate etching later while studying in the UK. Although I like all of them, previously I chose to focus on screen printing as I was captivated by the bright colours. Intaglio printing, which may be monotonous in colour but allows for finer lines, is what I have been employing in my works more often in recent years.
J: The work that meant the most to you is……
C: I joined an artist-in-residence programme in Ireland several years ago. During my time in Ireland, I would hike or stroll along the seashore with my husband. This led me to create a series of monotypes based on the landscapes I have seen. Although its style differs from my previous works, it is representative of that period of my life and reminds me of my times spent there.
Mono screenprint | Water based ink printed on Somerset Satin 300gsm paper | 2016
Mono screenprint | Water based ink printed on Somerset Satin 300gsm paper | 2016
J: Are there collaborations between you and your husband Justin Larkin, who is also an artist?
C: My husband and I established The Paradise Association in 2018, to foster the development of printmaking in Hong Kong through organising related programmes, exhibitions and collaborations. Our first exhibition “The Darkest Dark” features not only our own works, but also copper plate etchings by local emerging artists. In 2020, We held an exhibition called “Passing Time” at the ACO Art Space. The exhibition presents a series of moonlight paintings by my husband alongside my etchings of figures on horseback travelling on an unending journey, which reflects the passing of time. Among the exhibits, there are also a trophy and a horse rider statue we made, which signify our belief that even without a destination, we will eventually become winners by working together.
We also participated in JCCAC Festival 2020’s feature exhibition “The Dimensions of Living: A House is” with our work A House is a Home -Happenings Inside Houses. We created wallpaper with print patterns, and paintings with window views that conjure the feeling of a home. This “home” may appear ordinary, however, if you look closely, you will notice the different stories hidden inside the patterns of the wallpaper, just like every family has a skeleton in the closet.
J: What influences do your husband and daughter have on your creations?
Zine
C: Children are always curious about common things. I will observe my daughter’s preferences, and try to look at the world from her perspective, and from which I would discover interesting things that may become part of my work. For example, the zine Things That Novah Likes includes cats and books that my daughter likes.
My husband’s works have always been more serious and restrained in terms of his approach. Meanwhile, I am more easy-going and free towards my creation. When we work together, I can learn from him and set my bar higher. As my husband comes from Ireland, our disparate cultural backgrounds often spark new ideas. For example, my husband likes horse, a common and important animal in Ireland. Yet, Hongkongers generally associate horses with horse racing and good fortune – thousands of galloping horses being a popular image in posters and calendars. Although I learnt horse riding before, the scene of galloping horses simply does not exist in Hong Kong, making these posters particularly funny to me. This observation led us to reflect on the difference in symbolic meaning of horses between the two places, and inspired me to incorporate it into my work.
Different interpretations of language, words and phrases are also my fountain of inspiration. For example, the word “melancholy” sounds like a melon named Colin to me, so I made a print based on this idea. The idiom “The early bird catches the worm” also inspires me to create a zine about the bird and worm.
Zine
J: Apart from the exhibitions mentioned above, are there any activities or projects particularly memorable to you?
C: Hot Bed Press in the UK organises “20:20 Print Exchange” every year, to facilitate exchange of prints among printmakers, and includes touring exhibitions around the UK. From my previous participation in the UK. I found the experience quite meaningful. Therefore, I later contacted the organiser, hoping that they would allow HKBU AVA students to participate. They welcomed our students, and after three consecutive years of participation with numerous prints accumulated, we sorted them by medium and held a large-scale exhibition of them at AVA . It has been a significant experience for both myself and my students.
In recent years, we also organised AVA Print Club, where we invited staff, students and alumni to each make 50 bookplates (ex-librīs) for exchange. We also taught students how to operate the risograph printer to create zines, and participated in BOOKED: Hong Kong Art Book Fair, organised by Tai Kwun. We are delighted that some of their zines are collected by M+ Museum. It started off as a fun idea, never did we expect it could go so far.
Chan An-gee
J：未來有甚麼計畫？
Chan An-gee, Justin Larkin | 2020
* “Passing Time” was supported by JCCAC’s Professor Mayching Kao Arts Development Fund.
C: Besides organising more exhibitions in the future, we also wish to create handmade books in the printmaking medium and work on children’s books. We published a book for the “Passing Time*” exhibition. We chose to record the exhibition in the form of a book instead of a catalogue or pamphlet, because a book provides more continuity. The book is not merely an introduction of the works, but more like a visual journal. It includes images of the works, as well as text and stories written by us and our friends based on insights into the works.
* “Passing Time” was supported by JCCAC’s Professor Mayching Kao Arts Development Fund.
Chan An-gee, Justin Larkin | 2020
* “Passing Time” was supported by JCCAC’s Professor Mayching Kao Arts Development Fund.
