1. Stuff IX by Kong Chun Hei
Kong Chun Hei’s transformation of everyday objects used as construction materials speaks to his versatility as an artist. Simultaneously an ink painting and a piece of sculpture, Stuff IX upends preconceptions of industrial materials and challenges how we look at the ordinary objects that make up urban environments. Unlike an architect, who uses these building blocks to construct cities, Kong uses the same items to deconstruct the created realities within the places we live.
“Kong Chun Hei is known for his multimedia works that make people ponder realities in this urbanised environment. His works employ industrial materials and sometimes incorporate with ink and paper. This work again creates the surface of steel with ink and paper. I particularly appreciate how he manipulates the contrasting relationship of his subject and materials, and this piece is humble as usual but creates an intriguing visual impact.”
—William Zhao, critic, curator, collector and Hong Kong Tatler’s editor-at-large for art