In-store show a playful mix of Japanese art and kids' fashion - and all for a good cause

Art and children's fashion converged at Mama Kid in Central, when former actress and entrepreneur Valerie Chow Kar-ling hosted Japanese artist Tomoko Nagai's first solo show in Hong Kong at her children's boutique. The 29-year-old artist was present to greet fans and collectors on Tuesday night, during her first trip to the city.

An avid art collector, Chow became interested in Nagai's work after a friend raved about her exhibition at the Tomio Koyama Gallery in Tokyo. The Hong Kong show is a collection of whimsical mixed-media works of na?ve art using ink, paint, pencil and collage.

'I was drawn to Tomoko's art for its appeal to adults and children. When we were designing the interior for Mama Kid, I decided to incorporate her work into the space,' Chow said. 'And now, with the artist in town for the Art Fair, it was the perfect opportunity to showcase more of her drawings and paintings at the store.'

Nagai said: 'My work comes from my imagination, but I draw upon all the things I see around me. On this trip, I've been to the flower markets, ladies' market and goldfish stores. I'm particularly captivated by the neon signage on the dense streets here - they are at once familiar and mysterious to me.'

The exhibition of 37 small-format pieces also serves a good cause - 20 per cent of the proceeds from sales will go to Japan Platform, a charity chosen by Nagai's gallery, for continued disaster relief for victims of the Japan quake and tsunami.

Hong Kong resident and art lover Nagisa Nakao was one of the many guests who turned up at the opening to meet Nagai and buy the artist's work. She chose a framed colour drawing of a crocodile as a gift for her son.