Feel In The Blank

There are 3 main University, which offers professional course of art and design in Hong Kong; they are the CUHK, HKBU and also the HKAS. Every year each university will hold a graduation exhibition for their students, and it marks a completion of their artistic development. Few weeks ago, the graduation show of the Higher Diploma Programmes of Fine Art, Communication Design and Media Arts had just taken place at the HKAS Pao’s Gallery.

What does an audience expect from a graduation exhibition? Personally, I want to see new ideas and new forms of art. As a student who are about to graduate, their work are usually extremely fresh and creative. Their works may not be as mature as those sophisticated artist, but coincidentally, this is also the most exciting part of experiencing a graduation exhibition. Because, for those famous artists, their style and concentration are already well established, therefore, people will have certain level of expectation when they go for those exhibition. However, As an art lover, like myself. Besides those famous artworks and artists, I am also very interested in these new and young artists. As they are just graduated, they name have not being rooted in my mind, hence, every single piece of artworks in the graduation exhibition is kind of an adventure. I would never know what is the next artwork about; and there is no way for me to expect what is going to happen in the next exhibition room. Of course, it brings disappointment, sometimes. But anyways, it still worth to look forward to every graduation exhibition.

Let’s go back to this exhibition, the name calls “Feel in the Blank”. It consists of 3 different aspects: fine art, communication design and media arts. The name of this exhibition is an inkling one. It remind me the Suprematist work White on White 1918, by Malevich, Kasimir, which offers a unlimited spiritual imagination. How would one feel about blank? Is this blank function as a noun or an adjective? I suppose this title is more to be a question instead of an attitude of these new artists. It rises up question in everybody ‘s mind. It makes the audiences keep thinking about the connotation that lies behind the title throughout their entire journey in this exhibition venue.

There is one work in this exhibition that bring an indelible impression: Little Thinker by Vaan, Ip Hoi-lam. It is a series of three ink-painting, which consist of black and white color only. One can find a touch of nostalgia sense within these paintings, like a retrospection of the artist’s own childhood. Besides these paintings, there are also several design items, ceramic works and video works in this exhibition. I would summarize this exhibition as a show of the creative industry by the very new generation in Hong Kong. Which, one can take this exhibition as an opportunity to understand the mind of the 21st generation. Nevertheless, graduation exhibition is not the final scene of their study; but a starting one.

Little Thinker 2008
Ink on Canvas
Vann, Ip Hoi-lam


Paradise 2008
Painting
Chan Ting-wai


Breathe Away 2008
Workshop
Lam Wing-sau


Home 2008
Ceramics
Michelle, Ng Lai-yi


Feel In The Blank
Exhibition period: January 12 - 31, 2009
Location: 4 & 5/F, The Pao Galleries, Hong Kong Arts Centre,