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If you’ve visited Tai Wo Plaza lately, perhaps you’ve noticed the addition of more than 20 hand-drawn illustrations at the mall. This series of watercolour paintings uses environmental protection and sustainable development as themes. Next to the gallery, visitors can also snap photos of the Green Exploration Trails map, a large-scale painting which features multiple green sightseeing spots in Tai Po and tips on low-carbon living. For this edition of Channel 823, we spoke to the man behind these impressive and refreshing artworks – the red-hot post-90s illustrator Kazy Chan.
A graduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s advertising design department and a self-taught illustrator, Kazy admitted that he felt intrigued upon receiving the invitation from Link to collaborate on a project. The entire series took about one month to complete – a relatively short time by his standards. Since the project revolves around the green sightseeing spots of Tai Po, Kazy decided to use the colour green as an entry point to bring out the rich and multi-layered colour scheme. Through the different shades of green, he hopes to bring a sense of soothing and warmth to viewers.
On the creative process, Kazy revealed that the watercolour paintings were the end products that came after he developed the designs on an A3 scale and using high-resolution scanning and enhancement. “This method is the best way to express the aesthetic feeling and to convey the messages of the paintings,” Kazy said, adding that he prefers using watercolour as the medium. “When water is added to the colour green, it creates multiple layers that can help the works look more natural.”
Many of Kazy’s works are aimed at encouraging the community to adopt low-carbon lifestyles and green living, such as BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags), reducing the use of plastic, recycling waste and using bicycles to commute. These ideas are mostly borne out of his own lifestyle. As for the works for Tai Wo Plaza, they required him to maintain a balance between conveying green messages and showcasing nature’s raw beauty. “When I look out of the window from my workshop in Kwai Chung, I can see the different shades of green along the hills,” he said. “I borrowed plenty of ideas from this for my works.”
The exhibition at Tai Wo Plaza is the first time that Kazy has worked with a shopping mall whose primary goal is to serve the daily needs of the community. It also marks his first collaboration with Link. Kazy said the experience has been both refreshing and inspiring. Compared with properties that mainly target tourists, working with Link’s shopping malls allows him to feel closer to the local communities. Some friends even sent him photos of his works at the mall when they happened to pass by.
“Before it was just an empty wall. And now when I see my works on them, it really gives me satisfaction,” said Kazy. “The fact that they are able to draw the public’s attention and convey green messages at the same time is an unforgettable experience for me. It makes me feel like I’ve done something for the community.”
When asked if he has a favourite, Kazy’s pick was his Green Exploration Trails map painting. And the reason? “The painting, which includes a few shopping centres and nearby landmarks and sightseeing spots, really captures many people’s collective memories.”
As for his future plans, Kazy said he looks forward to working with different types of creators and artists, such as carpenters or sculptors, to bring new surprises to customers at Link’s shopping centres and fresh markets.
