It’s no secret that Hong Kong’s street art scene is vastly underdeveloped when compared to cities in Europe and the US. Despite this year’s emergence of Hong Kong’s first street art festival HKwalls, most of the tags, stickers and paintings seen down the otherwise grey back alleys of Sheung Wan and Mong Kok are courtesy of artists from overseas.
As they present their Somedays Somedaze exhibition alongside Singaporean painter Kristal Melson, local urban art group Parent’s Parent talks to Coconuts HK about both the strain and stimulation of making art in a city that prioritises profit over expression.
Parent’s Parent’s Kookai commission
Made up of Ysoo, Wong Tin-yau, Jimson and Chris, Hong Kong art collective Parent’s Parents was established in 2012, but its members have been friends since school. Having snuck out (after dinner) to tag Hong Kong’s streets as teenagers, they are now receiving impressive commissions from local brands Ovolo, Solas and Nice Pops, as well as international big hitters such as Kookai and Juicy Couture.
However, still working full-time office jobs to support their passion, and happy to admit they’re rubbish at social media and marketing themselves, this shy but close-knit clan is not optimistic about the prospect of themselves, or any other young Hong Kong street artists for that matter, making money from art alone.
Parent’s Parents at Solas
The group – so named because of their love of vintage style and determination to make money for their parents… some day – believes Hong Kong’s corporate preoccupation makes art an unattractive pursuit for local youth.
“Every year you see new tags and stickers on the walls, but a few years later, they just give up,” Wong tells us. “Only those who are really passionate will keep going, because everyone else is forced into business to make money.”
Using the “collective cultural memory in order to animate the present,” Parent’s Parents attempts to address local contemporary society with their latest works, on display at Sai Ying Pun’s Above Second Gallery until Oct. 4. With six multimedia pieces, each representing a topic that references Hong Kong’s current climate, Somedays Somedaze explores themes of death, religion, politics, media, destruction, money, and of course, their connection to it all as a group.
Somedays Somedaze
“We wanted to draw Hong Kong from our point of view and say something about society and the world, while trying to find an answer for each big area,” explains Ysoo.
All bringing a different skill to the table – Wong is the typographer, Ysoo does the details, Jimson the weird characters, and Chris the faces – Parent’s Parents brainstorm their topics before working an elements separately, finally seeing their work culminate in a mashup of style and meaning. In this latest case, the result is a collage of intricate imagery, made up of multiple layers of hand-cut wood, screen-printing, and fine hand-drawn details.
But despite their absorbing work and admiration for international artists such as Banksy, Cyrcle and Hell’O Monsters who have managed to take street art into the mainstream, Parent’s Parents are convinced that exhibitions such as Somedays Somdaze will be a rare indulgence rather than the bread and butter of their work. They insist a more diverse, entrepreneurial approach is the only way.
Parent’s Parents bag
Showing us their recently launched line of recycled tote bags, Wong says: “In the future we would like to do some exhibitions, but also bring the Parent’s Parents style into design work, branding and clothing. We think moving into different areas and products is the best way to compete in Hong Kong’s business-minded culture.”
While it may depress some that forging a career in art alone seems neither socially applauded nor financially viable in Hong Kong, we must take solace in the fact that some, at least, are determined to find a way to make art work for them.
Somedays Somedaze is currently on display at Above Second, 9 First Street, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 3483-7950.
