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You'll get an exclusive peek of my first NFT artwork if you've signed up for my newsletter! I'll be revealing it first via my newsletter later at 24th June 2021, 9PM (GMT+8), 9AM (EST)。
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Good luck for Election Day! x
How is everybody doing? Sending you good thoughts; I'm thinking of you! x
I uploaded this video in 2012 and I'm not sure why it's been taken down, so here's a re-upload!
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This piece was a personal project installed in an alleyway in an old residential compound in Shanghai.
This piece was inspired by the way locals hang out laundry to dry on bamboo sticks through windows. I made Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s portrait from socks and pins, hanging from bamboo sticks, and while I planned to work on this solo, curious neighbours and passersby ended up offering their assistance and we installed this together. I would like to think that process was part of the art; they were excited to celebrate installing this piece in the neighbourhood.
Posted on my Facebook page too: Facebook.com/redhongyi
Facebook wanted a mural on their 10 meter long wall in their Singapore office, and requested that it be made of chopsticks as the space is right beside their cafe (which serves amazing food all day - employees are so lucky!). I wanted to explore bamboo chopsticks as a material and experiment with alternative methods to create murals, so instead of painting on the wall, I decided to set it ablaze. 15,000 bamboo chopsticks were glued, torched, then layered again and burnt a few more times to create depth and dimension to the piece.
This piece depicts the story of the Merlion - a mythical creature with the head of a lion and body of a fish, and its significance as Singapore's national icon. The Merlion is the guardian of Singapore and has protected the country from waves, storms and enemies, from its early days as a village to where it is now. The Merlion is seen smiling as it is looking forward to the the future with enthusiasm and hope.
Big thanks to Mond and Jannette of United Make - UDMK for working on this project with me (shown in video), as well as my team Vanessa Bong, Michael Mack and Sam Koh (not shown in video). The amazing Jootz See of Back Alley Creations for shooting and directing this, and FB head chef Tim Wong for being game enough to act in this video (last-minute request! We actually really did take all of his chopsticks). And a massive thank you to Facebook for having me create this piece - it was so much fun and I loved working with your team, and in your beautiful office!
ps: Notice the little details - like the boats in his mane and the fisherman on his boat with his Facebook browser on, on his laptop (in reference to internet.org!).
(First uploaded 2 March 2016 at facebook.com/redhongyi)
My tool this time? Celery sticks. What did I paint? A bear. Why? Because the bear deserves an Oscar too.
Hah, kidding. Here's my blurb:
Picasso once said that all children are born artists, the problem is how to remain an artist as we grow up. I think we eventually grow out of creativity because we become afraid of making mistakes. For a while now, I've been interested to try painting murals but I've held back because I worry about not being able to create a piece that's good enough. And fear holds us back from being creative.
I tapped into my inner child by experimenting tools that I used as a kid in art class, like stamping with celery sticks. I chose to paint a bear - an animal I used to be afraid of because I had been clawed by a circus bear when I was a kid. The bear represents the fear I have whenever I push myself to create something new, and I've learned that to innovate, I must learn to face that fear. I still think about the circus bear from time to time, and wish that we could have assured each other that there was nothing we had to be afraid of. I'd like to imagine us being friends, perhaps chilling out together with a smoothie.
Thank you Five Plus Smoothie for allowing me to paint your wall and replenishing me with yummy smoothies throughout this project, for Lovebirds Studio for filming this project, for my team (Michael Mack, Rachel Mui, Chui Nee Wong, and Vess Bong) for assisting me, and for those who tuned into live streaming and for those who came by to say hi! #FivePlusBear
You can visit the mural at 265 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
