Sneakerhead art by Wood Fire, Hong Kong graphic artist, celebrates classic sports shoe designs
For Stanley Wong, whose work features in a show for emerging artists, art is about capturing the moment
“Sneakers are not made to be worn. Sneakers are made to be shown.” That’s the motto of Stanley Wong Sheung-pan, an artist and designer whose appreciation of streetwear translates into graphic prints celebrating classic sports shoe styles.
Wong, aka Wood Fire, specialises in bold, colourful artworks that spare no attention to detail, from the precise stitching on a pair of Reebok Ventilators to the textured tread on Adidas NMD R1s.
Having begun his career as a biochemist, Wong switched lanes to graphic art and design, founding his own studio in 2014 and taking commissions for clothing and shoe brands, before launching his Sneaker Concept series of illustrations last summer.
“My work is about capturing the moment,” he says. “Fashion may fade and be forgotten over time, so I want to record these moments through art.”
Wong will be selling his prints, priced at about HK$300, as well as postcards and tote bags, at “Print Gone Wild”, an exhibition of up-and-coming illustrators and graphic designers
“The problem with being an illustrator in Hong Kong is getting exposure,” he says. “We don’t have a lot of money, so this kind of event is important for us to show our work.”
While browsing stalls and picking up affordable artwork, exhibition visitors can also relive school art lessons at linocut workshops.
“Print Gone Wild” will be held at The Hive Studios, 8/F, Cheung Hing Industrial Building, Kennedy Town, on February 9, from 7pm-10pm. Entry is free; workshop participation costs HK$150 per person (limited to 15 people per session, pre-booking is required).
