Japanese artist Takeshi Ohgushi's work on display at New Town Plaza
Artist Takeshi Ohgushi used acrylic paints early in his career. But the result did not quite reflect his Japanese heritage, so he took up ink painting instead.
"Traditional [Japanese] art focuses more on the skills and technique. I hope to impress the audience by showing emotions in my paintings," he said.
Ohgushi's work - especially his pictures of beautiful women rendered with soft brush strokes - has garnered him much recognition. He has been courted by department stores and fashion brands, including Lanvin, Anteprima and Emilio Pucci, to create unique advertising images.
Nevertheless, the artist said it was important to "find a balance between my own style and the brand identity", because restrictions imposed by brands could hinder the creative process.
The artist's latest collaboration is with Sha Tin's New Town Plaza. He demonstrated his skills on Saturday by painting on a large butterfly-shaped canvas, which has now become part of the shopping mall's Lunar New Year decorations.
The butterfly painting and Ohgushi's other decorations will be on display at the mall until February 24.
