TypePOP Show

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Words carry stories and sentiments; they also bridge culture and the every day. Nan Fung Group’s landmark property in Kai Tak, AIRSIDE, has long promoted the integration of art and community. Amidst Hong Kong’s Art Month in March, GATE33 Gallery will host the “TypePOP Show” featuring 10 contemporary artists including Sign painter Katol Lo; Graphic designer Jonathan Mak; Industrial Designer Chi-wing Lee from renowned design studio Milk Design; Type designer Adonian Chan and more. They will express art through words that tell tales of the Hong Kong-sentiment, culture and history of Kai Tai’s peripheral neighbourhoods, namely Kowloon City, San Po Kong, To Kwa Wan and Wong Tai Sin whilst exploring the infinite possibilities of Kai Tak through art.

From March 31 to June 12, Contemporary Art Exhibition “TypePOP Show” will look at the exchanges between these 4 neighbourhoods surrounding Kai Tak in 4 thematic zones so as to capture the people, merchants, happenings, culture and history behind these historic pockets of Hong Kong.

To Kwa Wan – Words from Community Members in Hong Kong’s first “Infinite Mirror Room of Bestowment” for Rays of Blessings all Around

The city’s first “Infinite Mirror Room of Bestowment” is a result of graphic designer and sign painter Katol Lo’s visit to the To Kwa Wan community, where he welcomed community members to write letters of appreciation and heart-felt sentiments to the local merchants, to whom they share a tight bond. Inspired by the mirrored signs in traditional Chinese Bone-Setting clinics, he revealed these touching blessings in a mirrored Infinite Room to send rays of blessings all around.

Kowloon City – Reshaping Community Elements & Sounds of Yesteryears with an Immersive, Interactive Installation

Graphic designer Jonathan Mak, meanwhile, invited ethnically Thai children residing in Kowloon City to write messages and record their thoughts about the community. Jonathan brought their affections onto the screen alongside signs, posters and other textual mediums prominently seen around their neighbourhood. What resulted is a dreamy, immersive installation paired with an all-new Sound Type Radio interactive Installation that reacts to hand movements and voices. To demonstrate how the creator can adjust sounds to produce lively type graphics!

San Po Kong – Feel the Pulse of the Neighbourhood with Chinese Character Furniture

Well versed in a myriad of mediums, the industrial designer Chi-wing Lee from renowned design studio Milk Design and young designer Kennif Li created a font unique to San Po Kong’s distinguished history and industrial activities. Interestingly, the creative medium was three-dimensional furniture that visually depicts parts of Chinese characters that pay homage to the neighborhood’s manufacturing roots of yesteryears, offering another perspective on its undue contributions to Hong Kong’s productivity. 

Wong Tai Sin – Connecting Earth & Sky with a Characters’ Space of Good Tidings

Inspired by the Secret Names of famous Taoist gods, creator of the contemporary type design Zansyu and Type Designer Adonian Chan expresses his sentiments for humankind and nature as well as our pursuit for physical, mental, and spiritual fulfillment. Adonian has partnered with Hong Kong toy design unit LeeeeeeToy to bring toy sculptures that marry the New Zansyu Chinese characters of “Light, Path and Heart ” as a means of blessings. He also joined hands with design studio HATO in a fun, digital interactive installation: see if you can move your body to “Zansyu Character”!

Aside from the revered artists mentioned above, “TypePop Show” will also feature 3 units including To Kwa Wan vintage antique shop Jiksap, who will reveal the beauty of Chinse types and characters in Hong Kong’s old things; IG account Citywording’s founder Dave Choi, whose collection of the city’s fonts and words are revealed in the artwork series “Wording Pictorial” inspired by insect specimen. Also featured is Graphic Designer Jason Chan from Coming-soon, who has created a series of text stencils brimming with contemporary elements so those who may not be wordsmiths or font designers can unleash their imagination and community experience to create their own “Type and Characters”.