What’s Up Hong Kong? – Mixed media works by Samantha Li

Yan Gallery is delighted to announce its next exhibition, entitled ‘What’s Up, Hong Kong?’ which features a collection of mixed media works by Hong Kong artist Samantha Li.

Samantha is a young artist who recently graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a major in Fine Arts.  She is a keen photographer and has combined her love of photography with her painting skills to create a new art form, which she describes as P on P, or, Painting on Photo.  First, she digitally processes her photos and when she is happy with the product she will print these on canvas in black and white, after that she uses acrylic paint to finish off the work creating colourful, humorous and imaginative works.  Recently she has started using collage as a means of expressing herself and her works show a strong sense of rhythm and beauty.

Samantha grew up in Hong Kong, but has travelled widely to major cities in Europe, North America and also Africa.  She uses images of birds and animals in nature as metaphors and symbols to express her views and impressions of modern day life in Hong Kong.  In one of her pictures we see a large herd of wildebeests swimming across the Harbour symbolizing the inevitable merging of China with Hong Kong.  In another work two antelope are seen with their horns locked in battle, standing in the middle of the Legislative Council.  One of her most recent works has an oppressive red star dominating the centre of the picture – underneath the star is a collage of Hong Kong street names jumbled up together with faded looking Union Jacks, a reflection on the changing times.  This work has a great sense of rhythm and makes an immediate impact on the viewer.

Samantha has held numerous joint and solo exhibitions in Hong Kong; in City Hall, Gallery by the Harbour, Hong Kong Central Library, PMQ amongst others and has also exhibited in Paris.  She has also worked together with disabled and disadvantaged people collaborating with charity organizations, which she has found very rewarding.

This is her first exhibition with Yan Gallery and a catalogue will be produced for the event.