BINNY TALIB

A local friend gave me these gorgeous Christmas tree ornaments when I was living in Hong Kong, working as an illustrator. They’re 3D, about 7cm tall and made of poly-resin, with a velvet ribbon for hanging. I totally adored Hong Kong, as it was a wonderful mix of East and West – I think these ornaments capture that perfectly. They depict the cultural icons of the city. I love anything in miniature, and this collection includes mini taxis, dragons, teapots, cats and trams. They all have gorgeous details – they’re fairly realistic versions of the objects. I’ve used a bit of artistic licence here by altering the colours and patterns to show the rich, vibrant and eclectic Hong Kong culture. I remember hanging them on the Christmas tree in my lovely Colonial-style, low-rise apartment in Tai Hang – my first expat Christmas, and first winter Christmas, too! Instead of family, you have all your friends over. I was very excited, as I’d designed a massive Christmas installation for the prestigious IFC Mall in the centre of the city, with giant polar bears in ice baths, ice-skating penguins, clouds that snowed and huge icebergs with animals sliding down. It was a privilege and I was in serious festive mode. Nowadays, the designer in me likes Scandinavian-inspired decorations like bears and deer with a red and earthy colour palette, but I’ll always love these ornaments for their memories of my treasured time in Hong Kong, and my wonderful friend, who I miss.