DISCOVERY
SCAD
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HONG KONG ART WORLD IS RAPID, and many famous galleries and international exhibitions have selected this city as one of their bases. The local education community is also committed to fostering a new generation of artists through a variety of channels and academic exchanges. Here, three individuals from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Hong Kong share their creative ideas on promoting the development of local art: Stephen Thorpe, a professor of painting; alumna Blessy Man, and Abby McKenzie, a representative of SCAD Art Sales.
“SCAD’s painting course is a combination of theoretical teaching and studio experience, allowing students to directly apply concepts and theories to works,” explains Stephen. In addition to classroom teaching, he also takes students to art galleries, museums and artist talks, all of which lead the younger generation to draw on artistic knowledge from multiple perspectives.
Furthermore, Stephen actively connects students with industry professionals through the university’s strong network to provide more opportunities for their future development. “Students are the factor that makes me enjoy teaching in SCAD,” he says. “Their high level of participation in the classroom has given me great encouragement. The international, multicultural exchange of ideas on the university campus has also created a rich and unique learning environment for teachers and students.”
Blessy, who has studied at the SCAD campuses in both Hong Kong and Savannah (in the US state of Georgia), is a Hong Kongbased multidisciplinary artist. This outstanding graduate of SCAD’s painting department received her BFA degree in 2015. She embarked on her remarkable artistic journey, and her extraordinary works have been published in magazines and an art book from the CICA Museum. She encourages art students to maintain a positive learning attitude, read more and participate in art exhibitions, maintain their curiosity and keep improving.
In addition to its well-known art programme, SCAD Art Sales is committed to promoting the work of local artists in Hong Kong and helping the development of local art and culture. Abby explains: “We work closely with students, alumni and faculty to create in a variety of media and crafts, with more than 45,000 artists and designers, including painting, sculpture, furniture and interior design, film and video art.”
SCAD Art Sales in Hong Kong strives to promote the work of SCAD artists. Its team of experts provides comprehensive guidance to clients and collectors, including consulting and development, selection and acquisition, framing and presentation, and delivery and installation. “The biggest difference between us and other art sales channels is that SCAD Art Sales is keen to cooperate with emerging and well-known international artists to meet the needs of customers with diverse works and different prices, including private art collectors, fashion brands, interior designers and international corporations,” adds Abby. “For private art collectors, the biggest attraction of working with us is to be able to sponsor and support the careers of young artists while collecting unique and valuable artworks.”
SCAD Art Sales will host an open studio event in May, featuring a variety of works by students, alumni and faculty. Abby anticipates that by showing diverse works of art, everyone can purchase the artwork in order to have a better understanding of the themes and aesthetics that the next generation of artists are exploring. //