How Hong Kong artist Frank Tang draws on the past to capture the present
- Tang hosts sketching tours to map the city’s constantly changing landscape and recreates iconic and beautiful scenes ‘before they disappear’
- His unique artworks can be viewed as part of the ‘Ink City’ group exhibition, at Tai Kwun in Central, until August 1
Adjoining the bustling retail hub in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong is Victoria Park, an oasis of calm where people practise tai chi and enjoy their lunch. At the main entrance, pigeons sit on the shoulders of a large bronze statue of Queen Victoria.
Frank Tang Kai-yiu, 35, is well acquainted with the figure. The Hong Kong artist has sketched her hundreds of times, along with the plants and flowers that flourish in the 19-hectare park.
Created by Italian sculptor Mario Raggi, the statue was cast in London before being shipped to Hong Kong, where it was unveiled in May 1896, to mark the queen’s 77th birthday.
“Its original location was on reclaimed land in what is now Statue Square in Central … that’s where the area gets its name [from],” says Tang.
While Tang’s knowledge of Hong Kong’s past is impressive, it’s the present that interests him most. “Hong Kong is quickly changing, so I try to capture scenes before they disappear,” he says.