Pokémon art exhibition by American painter Katherine Bernhardt blows up Pikachu, Charizard, Ditto, Chansey and more
- A favourite of children and adults alike, Pokémon characters including Pikachu are the focus of a solo exhibition in Hong Kong by US painter Katherine Bernhardt
- She grew to love the characters through her son, who began collecting Pokémon cards in 2021, and her paintings are based on them
Since its debut as a video game in 1996, Pokémon has captured the hearts of children, teens and adults alike through an expanded media universe of television series, films and collectible cards.
The star of the show, Pikachu – a bright yellow creature with pointed ears, circular red cheeks and a lightning bolt-shaped tail – has become universally recognised. And who can forget Pokémon Go, the augmented-reality mobile game that took the world by storm in 2016?
As of 2021, Pokémon was the highest-grossing media franchise in the world, pulling in US$100 billion, far more than longer-established cartoon names such as Hello Kitty and even Mickey Mouse & Friends, according to media research firm Statista.
American painter Katherine Bernhardt, born in 1975 and based in St Louis, Missouri, is an avid fan.
The artist says in a video interview with the Post that she became enamoured with Pokémon through her son, who began collecting Pokémon cards two years ago.