Cover Hong Kong actor Simon Yam holding his new photography book, ‘The Essence of Existence: A Journey Through Life and Art’, in his studio (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Hong Kong actor Simon Yam holding his new photography book, ‘The Essence of Existence: A Journey Through Life and Art’, in his studio (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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Hong Kong actor Simon Yam, who has just published a new photography book, reflects on how he was inspired by Van Gogh and Monet, and why he believes even AI can possess love
Hundreds of abstract, vibrantly coloured paintings are stacked against every wall and corner of Simon Yam’s studio in Chai Wan. In the centre of the room stands an easel bearing a painting that appears to depict a parrot. Tubes of paint and brushes lie in disarray on a nearby trolley. With childlike excitement, Yam unwraps his art materials as though opening a Christmas present, lifts out a wooden bar streaked with acrylic paint, and holds it against his bird painting at different angles to see how best he might embellish his work.
This may not be the Simon Yam audiences remember—the veteran actor who has captivated viewers on screen for decades—yet beyond cinema, he has quietly cultivated another passion: photography. His latest book, The Essence of Existence: A Journey Through Life and Art (2025), brings together years of images inspired by flowers, circular motifs and ink-like flows reminiscent of Victoria Harbour.
Tatler sat down with him at his studio to talk about his artistic journey and how he transforms discarded blooms from the Flower Market into expressive works of art.
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You began your career as an actor. What drew you into photography and visual art?
Photography is part of my nature. I started photographing in the 1970s, when I was still in my 20s. I’ve always loved travelling and observing the world through the lens. Our eyes are round, and so is our earth, and that circle became a symbol of the connection between us and our planet. When I photograph, I’m often searching for circles and lines that express this curiosity and passion.
Your new book focuses on flowers. What inspired you to use them as your main subject?
I wanted to capture flowers not only for their beauty but for what they represent: fragility, life and renewal. I collected discarded flowers from the Flower Market in Mong Kok, mixed them with fresh blooms and photographed new arrangements. It’s my way of transforming what people overlook into something poetic. There is a sense of beauty and serenity in death and decay. Flowers speak a universal language. You don’t need to understand words or share the same skin colour to feel their energy. Even when they wither, their scent and spirit remain. This is like how Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s Waterlilies, which transport viewers into the state of mind of the artists. I believe the flowers in the Flower Market have the same power.
Above ‘Love’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
‘Love’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
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Many of your works mix photography with ink and collage. What was your creative process like?
It took me almost a year to work on the book, in which some of the works were created five years ago. It was a process of reflection. I study how light and water flow, just like how the harbour shifts between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Every angle is different: during the day, the buildings in Central may appear to be apathetic and cold; during sunset, if you look from the Island side, the Lion Rock looks silhouetted; at night, the buildings light up in vibrant colours.
When I think of this landscape, I think of ink art, which is an art form of flowing colours. It depicts the pulse of Victoria Harbour and the movement and vitality of the city perfectly, turning each image into an art piece, not just a photograph.
The topics of your art, such as death and beauty, are abstract, whereas photography captures a concrete image. How do you bring these paradoxical concepts together in your work?
Contrasts and paradoxes are the essence of life itself. The subject remains constant; it’s only the form that has changed. The flowers I capture in my art are flowers, regardless of what stages they’re in. Alternatively, think of a pineapple bun: its core ingredients stay, but it becomes something new when you turn it into a pork bun, butter bun or custard bun. The same is true for art. The core of existence is love and creativity, but we must always transform to stay alive. That is progress.
Above ‘Dance’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
‘Dance’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
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You often speak about the year 3025 in your work. What does this idea of the future mean to you?
Art should always move forward. Every generation must progress, keep creating and questioning. If someone in 3025 looks at my book and feels something, that means life and art continue beyond time.
This is why I see AI as just another tool to explore existence and emotion. As artists, we must progress, not retreat. We shouldn’t fear AI. If we understand it, we can guide it. Even machines can love when we programme them to do so.
Why publish a physical book in such a digital era?
I still love books and printed words. Holding a book and feeling its texture is something digital images can’t replace. Each page carries emotion and time. I might not be good at writing, but through photography, I can express what I feel. A printed book preserves that essence.
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Above ‘Vibrant’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
‘Vibrant’ by Simon Yam (Image: courtesy of Yam)
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Has your experience in film influenced your photography?
Very much so. The awareness of light, movement and storytelling definitely came from cinema. It helps me see rhythm and composition even in still images. Adding to the experience of growing up in the 1960s and 1970s and seeing Hong Kong’s transformation from a city of handmade plastic flowers and neon lights to now, I’ve developed an eye for how colours and moods change from place to place as I travel the world with my camera.
Finally, what do you hope readers take away from The Essence of Existence?
That love is everywhere, in flowers, in the city, even in decay. Whether in 2025 or 3025, if we see the world with love, there’s always warmth. Just like Hong Kong at night: lights shimmering, life flowing. That’s the eternal beauty of existence.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
