Four Filipina creative talents join art celebration of Hong Kong Tourism Board

Four Filipinas were among the 18 diverse artists that the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) gathered across Southeast Asia to create art pieces inspired by perennial icons of Hong Kong. This initiative, “Arts in HK with S.E.A artists,” is an extension of the year-long “Arts in Hong Kong” which generates awareness of the city's always-on, diverse experience of arts and culture, and establishes it as a centre for international arts and cultural exchange.

The collection of artwork from artistic talents from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam spans across a spectrum of genres from painting to digital illustration, pottery, embroidery, sand art, and more.  It celebrates traditional crafts such as Mahjong carving and slipper embroidery while others look towards the future with the modern M+ museum and the West Kowloon Cultural District.

One of the artists invited to be part of this project is Ciara Gan, a painter and content creator from the Philippines. Gan is best known for designing and hand-painting her high school prom dress. The video of her making the dress went viral, garnering over 8.5 million views online.

“The inspiration for my painting came from the game of Mahjong as it has deep ties to Hong Kong’s culture,” Gan said. “After attending the Arts in the Hong Kong virtual event organised by the HKTB, I was fascinated by Biu Kee Mahjong. The art of hand carving Mahjong tiles is so unique, I wanted to create a piece that represents both the memories that come with playing and how Mahjong brings families and even strangers together.”

Mela Gonzales, a crochet and embroidery artist from the Philippines, shared, “It’s been a long time since I was last in Hong Kong, but I can’t wait to visit again. It is heart-warming to see so many Southeast Asian artists coming together, bringing expertise from different artistic expressions to celebrate Hong Kong. I hope one day we can all gather in Hong Kong to see its iconic skyline in person once again.” 

The other two artists are Krissie Mateo, who created paper slippers inspired by Sindart, a traditional slipper embroidery store in Hong Kong; and Celine Tablinga who formed pottery inspired by Mahjong and the goldfish market.

“As an international arts and culture hub, Hong Kong is excited to engage, nurture, and develop the next generation of local artists across the region, while giving them a platform to showcase their talents to the world. By amplifying the potential of artists through this initiative, we hope to positively shape and empower artists within the local arts community in the region.” said Raymond Chan, HKTB’s regional director of Southeast Asia.