Traditional values inspire new wave of local creative talent
Astrong and vibrant creative culture has been steadily evolving over the past decade in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This was primarily driven by the international art market, with the city becoming an increasingly important center of influence and emerging as a major global driving force. This in turn ignited an influx of some of the most important art galleries in the world. They chose the city to service the increasingly important regional collector base, regularly exhibiting many of the most influential artists. This inevitably, albeit gradually, resulted in much greater emphases on culture and the arts.
The ever-growing talent pool of young local artists and designers receiving international recognition is rising along with the pathways and opportunities at their disposal. Local universities and colleges provide a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses covering most facets of the creative arts, and there are also a host of short-term and extracurricular programs available.
Cultural roots often influence creative practice, and nowhere is this more evident than in the revival of traditional crafts that once formed an intrinsic part of the local community and economy. More and more handmade works are being created by young artists and designers who are passionate about heritage and inspired by local artisanal traditions of a bygone era.
Like the proverbial “phoenix rising from the ashes”, these young creative talents are breathing new life into rapidly disappearing skills and traditions. They are at the heart of an exciting and creative cultural scene that is intertwined with many aspects of everyday life, from food or ceramics to fashion and textiles, but their influence slowly percolates through many facets of art and product design that is very much influenced by the cultural heritage. The end results have a tendency to exude quality and are often delivered with a contemporary twist.
Unfortunately, most of the original artisans that inspired this younger generation are no longer alive along with some of their traditions or trades. Those remaining are guardians of increasingly forgotten processes or old crafts who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their art. They often go unnoticed, particularly in the high-octane environment more often associated with 21st-century busy urban life.
Constant redevelopment, escalating rents, and gentrification of many areas have driven those remaining practitioners to the urban outskirts, but take a walk through the buzzing backstreets or alleyways in the less-affluent areas, and some can be found still plying their craft or trade in a time-honored manner. Their skills have been honed over many decades, generally from a young age and more often than not passed down from one generation of the family to the next. These people provide us with a rich historical context that should not be forgotten in an age of disposable mass-market products.
Their spirit and dedication to their work has added to the vibrancy and texture of the city, and for decades those old-school entrepreneurs, often poorly educated or uneducated, carved out a respectable living and played an important role in the cultural and economic development that helped to create the wonderfully rich tapestry that visitors associate with the Hong Kong SAR. They supported their families and employed people in their local communities. They understood the importance and value of education and its ability to enable their children or grandchildren to progress and avail of ever-increasing opportunities that were presented in each new era.
These highly skilled artisans can still be found making mahjong tiles, bamboo birdcages or paper effigies by hand, and the intrinsic value of their craft or their influence should never be underestimated.
However, proud traditions live on, and the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile is a great example of an initiative that combines an important historical reference point with a platform and the support systems necessary to commercialize, encourage and develop creative talent. In this case, the primary focus is the textile and garment industry, which was once an integral part of the industrial landscape, synonymous with increasing prosperity and a growing international reputation. It is part of a nonprofit regeneration project located on the site of former weaving mills in Tuen Mun. It exemplifies an industry that went from handmade to machine-made and then through continuous cycles of industrial development until its demise in the early ’80s. Today, the fashion and textile industry is reemerging with young talented designers at the forefront of high-quality garments, often handmade in Hong Kong and embracing traditional fabric techniques with state-of-the-art technology.
A main showcase and source of income for many young artists, designers and independent producers are the array of pop-up evening and weekend markets that have become increasingly popular all across Hong Kong. You can find exquisite handmade fashion or jewelry items alongside local craft beers or freshly produced organic foods and much more.
These markets are not simply a shopping experience but they offer a more-sociable retail experience. They are often the first stages in brand building, marketing and commercialization, but provide important feedback from potential clients. On the other hand, Yau Tsim Mong is home to an array of hidden shops and revitalized buildings offering more permanent options at low cost.
In the performing arts, the pop-up West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre opened almost 10 years ago, with a vision to reach out to and engage with a new generation of younger artists and audiences. Alongside some of the best performers of Chinese opera locally and internationally, this dramatic form of musical theater is centuries-old, but was the main form of entertainment throughout China and among the diaspora. It was the forerunner to the Xiqu Centre, which was the first major venue to be completed in the West Kowloon Cultural District and has become increasingly popular with shows that were regularly packed, preCOVID-19.
The increasing success and profile of the creative industries in Hong Kong will be driven by savvy entrepreneurs whose experience, cultural heritage and soft skills will make a major contribution to continued social and economic prosperity.