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Wong Sze Wai: Cabinet of curiosities

17 October - 16 November

Free

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Contemporary by Angela Li is proud to present “Cabinet of curiosities”, solo exhibition by artist Wong Sze Wai, featuring her latest body of works that will guide the audience into an enigmatic and exploratory realm of wonders.

Wong Sze Wai utilises memories, overlooked places, and old objects in the city as cues to shape her own distinctive world. Drawing on the 15th Century theme of the “Cabinet of Wunderkammer,” she presents her world from exploration of the city through a collection of historical artifacts, everyday objects and images from urban life. Wong investigates the hidden corners of the city, drawing on her visual memories and experiences to form her artwork. Wong highlights certain symbolic objects, like stone statues, toys and receipts, which represent particular memories in our minds. She also creates narratives that express her own emotions, crafting her special spiritual landscape.

“Cabinet of curiosities” is not just an exhibition; it is a journey of the mind, a treasure trove filled with countless stories. Through the subtle clues embedded in the works, the audience is invited to embark on a shared exploration to uncover the emotions and memories hidden in the city’s forgotten corners.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Wong Sze Wai (b. 1990, Hong Kong) was born and raised in Hong Kong. She graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2013 and Master of Fine Arts in 2020. She went to Shangri-la to further her studies in 2016, participated in an artist residency in Bulgaria in 2018, and an artist residency at Organhaus in Chongqing in 2024.

Wong’s work focus on the relationship between memory and imagination. Through using various daily objects found locally, such as blue and white tarpaulin, discarded fences, bricks and plastic chairs, are seen scattered around in the painting. They represent the past of human activities as well as the passing of time. Inspired by ancient mural art and Western painting masters, Wong uses mineral pigments, clay and other materials, adding onto the canvases layer by layer. The textures spawned from the dried clay magnify the paintings’ relationships of space and time that lead viewers to explore in a further dimension.

In 2024, She has her first solo exhibition in New York City titled Whisper in Stillness (Long Story Short NYC, New York City, 2024). She participated in exhibitions in Hong Kong, Italy, Amsterdam and Bulgaria, including: “Stone Stealer” (Solo Exhibition, Contemporary by Angela Li), “The Missing Operator” (Art Central Solo Project, Contemporary by Angela Li, 2022), “Celebrating 40 Years, Friends of Art Museum, CUHK” (Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, Hong Kong, 2021), “Future of the Past” (Contemporary by Angela Li, Hong Kong, 2021), “Invisible Border of Memories” (Art Projects Gallery, Hong Kong, 2021), “Shining Moment” (TANG Art Foundation, Hong Kong, 2021), “HKFOREWORD20” (10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong, 2020), “Make _ art Not War [T/F]” (Osage, Hong Kong, 2020), “Line In Motions – East meets West” (CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam, 2018), “Word of Co. Open Studio Day” (Място 167, Bulgaria), “Elements - From Space to Space “(Palazzo Ca’Zanardi, Italy, 2017), “Amsterdam Art Exhibition of CUHK AAFAA 2015 ”(Dokzaal, Amsterdam, 2015).

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