Jackie Lam a.k.a. 009: Encounter

EVENT DESCRIPTION

JPS Gallery Hong Kong is pleased to unveil Encounter, a soul-stirring solo exhibition by Hong Kong artist Jackie Lam a.k.a. 009. The gallery is transformed into a luminous harbour where his signature cosmic travellers float through the exhibition space as silent witnesses to both earthly beauty and celestial wonder. With quiet grace, these enigmatic figures navigate emotional landscapes that mirror our own, creating visual poetry that speaks to our deepest yearning: to be truly seen and understood by another soul.

The exhibition reveals Jackie’s artistic versatility across various mediums. Alongside his signature canvas works, Jackie unveils his photography series—a breathtaking new direction making its Hong Kong debut. Beginning with intimate photographs of local coastlines where waves meet concrete and urban landscapes where humanity pulses, Jackie transforms these captured moments by painting his astronaut figures directly onto the printed images. This delicate intervention creates a poignant dialogue between documented reality and artistic vision, revealing islands of connection amid urban solitude.

At the heart of the exhibition stands an immersive installation that suspends time and space. Dozens of glass bottles hang from the ceiling like stars in a night sky, each containing handwritten messages reminiscent of notes cast into the vast sea.

As light filters through glass and paper, these crystallised moments of human vulnerability cast gentle shadows across the gallery floor, inviting visitors to physically experience the exhibition’s themes as they move through this forest of suspended emotions.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

JACKIE LAM a.k.a. 009 (Hong Kong | B.1979) graduated from the First Institute of Art and Design and worked as a toy designer and theme park architect before beginning his artistic journey as an illustrator and cartoonist. In 2009, he published his first illustration book Drawin9 Life. Besides painting, 009 also produces art toys, including his most recent character, astronaut Unio, that were met with immense popularity across Asia. The artist’s love for comics is reflected in his endearingly eccentric works and in his artist name 009, which is a homage to the manga series Cyborg 009 by legendary manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. He draws inspiration from Japanese manga, comics and European modernist movements, wielding these various methods to create emotionally saturated visuals manifested through his vivid and vibrant works. There is a unique warmth to his work that is endearing, relatable, yet reflective to many.