Many artists find art galleries daunting because they are owned by 'upper-class' foreigners - but not any more Young Post: When did you open the gallery? Ho: I opened Grotto in September 2001 with my boyfriend, three years after I returned to Hong Kong from Australia, where I attended university. I had been working as a gallery assistant and a graphic designer for a local company. YP: Why would you like to open an art gallery? Ho: We have always wanted to provide a hub for local artists, so we only sell local art. Many of the local artists find art galleries daunting because most of them are owned by foreigners. The artists always think that art galleries are a place for upper-class people and find it hard to knock on the door and preach about their art pieces. YP: How would you describe your job? Ho: It is not as glamorous as you think. True, we work with artists, sell paintings and open exhibitions where you have food, cocktails and meet interesting people. However, we also have to do all kinds of nitty-gritty things, like delivering the art pieces to our customers, polishing the room, printing catalogues and even preparing food and drinks for the exhibition. And, unlike what people think of artists, we are hard-working - we work from 11am to 7pm six days a week, at least. YP: How do you enjoy your work so far? Ho: I am happy to meet the other artists and art workers in Hong Kong. They are really interesting and it's good to share ideas. It is also a pretty meaningful job because on the one hand we help local artists to make a living, and on the other we help our clients find the art pieces of their heart. It is like another form of art - only that it doesn't involve using brushes or paint. YP: How do you tell if an art piece is good? Ho: If there is authenticity, or 'honesty', in the work, then it is good. Art is not about how well you draw, but what you see in this world and how you express that very essence through your work. I have seen lots of drawings that simply produce a dull copy of reality without any individuality, and that's bad. If an art work represents truly the artist's view of this world, it should be good. It's very subtle and subjective, actually. YP: Do you just sell this type of art? Ho: To be honest, sometimes we have to compromise and sell pieces that we don't really like, but most of the time we pick those we really appreciate. One has to be aware that art pieces that sell can also be good. There is no conflict between art value and public taste, contrary to the common belief, which is shared by many Hong Kong artists. They fear that once their works start to sell, it means that they have gone commercial. This is really a shame because it may keep talented artists from entering the profession. There is no reason why a good artist can't make money. YP: What does it take to be an art worker? Ho: You have to acquire some basic knowledge of the field, including the history and theory of art. But, above all, you've got to have a curious mind to probe behind the obvious and search for the essence of this world. Grotto Fine Art: 2/F, 31 C-D Wyndham Street, Central; website: www.grottofineart.com Name: JENNIFER HO SAU-JING Occupation: ART DIRECTOR, GROTTO FINE ART Age: 26
