Hong Kong protest art: ‘dystopia’ of street violence captured in paintings taut with emotion
- Chow Chun-fai’s exhibition Portraits from Behind features his depictions of scenes from the recent anti-government protests in Hong Kong
- Most of his works are painted from photographs taken by the artist during the protests, often away from the front lines
For Hong Kong artist Chow Chun-fai, the most dramatic scenes aren’t always the most visible. At the height of last year’s anti-government protests, what he witnessed on the roads leading to the campuses of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Polytechnic University in November had the most impact on him.
“The entrance [to the CUHK campus] was jammed with cars, the only way to get in was by bike. I was on my motorbike and what I saw was so dramatic,” recalls the 40-year-old painter.
He captures the more turbulent visuals on the smallest of canvases – where the style of painting becomes more impulsive. These works will go on show in his latest solo exhibition, “Portraits from Behind”, which opened at Gallery Exit in Aberdeen on March 14.
