Plumber King Anywhere Everywhere

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Roaming in the streets and alleys, street artists were often perceived as rebellious. Now the craft of graffiti is identified as a modern art form and even considered as a representation of the city’s culture. When New York has graffiti masters such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, London has the enigma which is Banksy, who does Hong Kong have as representatives? Other than the “King of Kowloon” Tsang Tsou Choi, “The Plumber King” Yim Chiu Tong would lay that claim.

Join us on a cultural journey to explore the Plumber King’s creations from now until June 30th. Starting from Whatever. Coffee, the Plumber King Anywhere Everywhere showcase extends to the streets of Sham Shui Po, where the original artworks can be seen immersing into the natural surroundings. Discover the charm of the neighborhood through the eyes of the Plumber King, all whilst taking a sip of aromatic coffee. Let’s talk about plumbing, shall we?

Brands have started to canvas the street walls with captivating posters these days, but the walls of Hong Kong have been preoccupied by the Plumber King since the 1960s! Pioneer of advertisements and street calligraphy, the Plumber King injects his own aesthetics into simple promotional messages, transforming his plumbing advertisements to unique street art filled with local flair and charisma. Very rare in the art scene – his work is relatable to the public eye whilst also well respected by the world of art.

With no intention of being an artist, the Plumber King was busy making ends meet by distributing personalized business cards to household mailboxes, which unfortunately ended up in landfill. Like the ancient Egyptians, the Plumber King came to an epiphany that there is nothing more lasting than a wall painting. With a strong grip of paint on his left hand, and the fine grasp of a paintbrush on his right, he has been bustling the busy streets of Hong Kong to compose his work. Since then, his telephone number can be seen in every corner of the city.

Presented with a large rounded font with black frames, the classic Plumber King advertisements show distinct contrast between black and white. He has also created a signature font by adding an uprise tick to the water element in the word “plumbing”. His wide recognition has unfortunately led to jealous competitors, who damaged his advertisements by blemishing his contact details. The more they destroy, the more the Plumber King paints. The Plumber King believes the best way to succeed is to continue hand painting all his advertisements all over town. His perseverance, fast wit and innovation represent the true spirit of Hong Kongers – “give it all you’ve got to live the dream”.

The Plumber King laid witness to the mass changes within Hong Kong throughout the past 60 years whilst navigating the many streets and alleys carrying out both advertising and plumbing duties. “I have written a lot in Sham Shui Po. A few streets have been restructured. Alleys I have written on have disappeared”. To preserve the scenery of Hong Kong, Whatever. Coffee invites those in need of plumbing services to embark on the ‘Plumber King Anywhere Everywhere’ journey by clicking on the ‘scaffold-free line’ (Google Map with directions of The Plumber King’s Work), prepared by The Plumber King himself.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

The Plumber King, also known by his birth name Yim Chiu Tong, is a well-known Hong Kong plumber- artist, whose unique hand-painted “Plumber King Advertisements" emblazoned on the streets of Hong Kong over many years have showcased his unique calligraphic style and secured recognition of his name in the hearts and minds of Hong Kongers the city over. He has been regarded as an iconic Hong Kong street artist in the same vein as the “King of Kowloon”, Tsang Tsou Choi, and has spearheaded a unique representation of local Hong Kong culture.

Since the 1960s, Mr Yim (Plumber King) has consistently used his unique but traditional calligraphic script to create street advertisements in order to promote his business. Through the consistency and durability of his works over half a century, his art reflects the perseverance of the Hong Kong people in pursuit of their life and ideals.

In addition to street advertisements, he also showcases his classic font creations through the official Instagram account: (@The.Plumber.King). This IG account records Mr Yim’s calligraphy in various districts over the years, allowing more local and overseas friends to develop a deeper understanding of “Plumber King Culture”, with the hope of preserving the precious Hong Kong aesthetic.