EVENT DESCRIPTION
Local artist Prudence Mak returns with a solo exhibition after two years. From now until 31 July, in collaboration with Wheelock Properties, she presents her latest solo show Half Rain Half Chocolate: Fatina’s Palette of Emotions at the G/F of One Island South in Wong Chuk Hang. The exhibition features the beloved mushroom headed character “Fatina” from Chocolate Rain, and through two contrasting series – Colourful and Deep Blue – invites the audience to explore the flow of emotions and the balance of life through art.
The title Half Rain Half Chocolate symbolises life as half sweet chocolate and half rainy melancholy – one side filled with the aroma of happiness, the other with the blue of wistful thoughts. The exhibition is divided into two series: the Colourful series, representing sparkling moments of joy and the bloom of vitality; and the Deep Blue series, symbolising sadness and unhappiness – not as something negative, but as a tender corner that requires patient listening.
At the heart of the exhibition, inspired by Picasso’s Blue and Rose Periods, are two newly created large scale circular paintings. Fatina becomes an operator of the soul, forming a complete inner world: the pink Fatina whispers into a paper cup receiver, expressing our desire for and sharing of happiness; while the blue Fatina holds a paper tube and listens intently, embodying our acceptance and embrace of inner melancholy. Using colour to chart the turning points of the mind – from melancholic blue to tender pink – just as we constantly seek balance in life and reconcile with ourselves.
The exhibition also features several new narrative works, including “Sublime Dream in the City” and “Whisper of the Dandelion”. The former evokes a silent garden within the city, using soft lines and birds that whisper of time, inviting viewers to pause amid Hong Kong’s fast pace and listen to their innermost voices. The latter depicts Fatina gently holding a dandelion, its seeds drifting, shimmering, and reborn in other corners – a reminder that dreams are not far away, and that we can still choose to believe in the power of gentleness amid the city’s rhythm.
Also on display are stories such as the dinosaur Dino, who is isolated because of his straightforward personality but eventually finds warmth through Fatina’s patient company, and the fable of Chefo and the shy grass, which explores how over protection can drain the very life we wish to preserve.
Mak remarks: “This is more than an adventure of Fatina – it is a conversation with yourself. As you wander between light and dark colours, try to quiet your mind and listen to what your unhappy self has to say. Because only by learning to listen to melancholy can we truly embrace happiness.”
ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER
Prudence Mak is a Hong Kong artist whose practice spans over two decades, distinguished by her exploration of ink painting, fine art installations, and cross disciplinary storytelling. Founder of Chocolate Rain (est. 2001), she has developed a unique visual language that blends whimsical narrative with cultural heritage, positioning her as a leading voice in Hong Kong. Her ink works reinterpret traditional aesthetics through playful yet contemplative forms, often merging ink brushwork with modern iconography. This approach bridges East and West, inviting audiences to reflect on identity, memory, and imagination.Prudence has exhibited internationally — from solo art exhibition in London, Sydney, Singapore and U.S to major art fairs such as Art Central and The Other Art Fair by Saatchi Art — bringing Hong Kong’s fine art and IP culture to global audiences. Her collaborations with institutions and brands, including The British Museum and Stella McCartney CARE, highlight her ability to extend ink art into new cultural and commercial contexts.
Beyond her studio practice, Prudence serves as Senior Advisor at the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC), mentoring emerging artists in art licensing, IP, and sustainable creative entrepreneurship.
