Hawaiian-born Aaron Kai will go anywhere to be a better artist
Playful portraits of society's fringe-dwellers have won him a growing legion of fans, writes Kylie Knott
Aaron Kai's recent "Vices" exhibition is not only a reflection of some of the artist's favourite things, but also a playful homage to Hong Kong, a city that works hard and parties hard in equal measure - and super-scoop measurements at that.
In the show, held recently at Above Second Gallery in Sai Ying Pun, the post-pop artist shows he's not backward in coming forward about his own vices.
His bright and bold works bristle with images of weed, women, booze, pornography, characters from The Simpsons … and Rolexes. In one piece, simply titled Best of Hong Kong, he rolls all these motifs into one, creating a Hallmark-like scene that would make an ideal farewell card for a long-time party animal departing the city.
"I love Hong Kong and how everyone's down for partying," says the Hawaiian-born artist, who turned 26 this month.
"I think a lot of people can relate to the show because it covered temptation and life's vices that so many people have experienced. But, to be honest, the show was really about what interests me - all about vices: women figures, drugs, weed, booze and Rolexes. A bunch of stuff I was into … that's what that show was all about."
This was Kai's second visit to the city. He was here during Art Basel 2015 when he hosted a pop-up exhibition as part of a world tour as well as painting two murals - HK Walls in Stanley and The Vaford Gates in Chai Wan - as part of the Chai Wan Mei art and design festival.