Sino Group’s ‘Art in Hong Kong’ joins hands with MADHOUSE Contemporary for the first time to present ‘Anybody left under the Lion Rock? works by Cassian Lau’ (‘Lion Rock’) at OC Gallery. As a trendsetter and a founder of fashion store as well as an artist, Cassian Lau has created 22 paintings to celebrate Hong Kong culture.
Born in Hong Kong, Cassian and his family immigrated to Canada when he was six. Growing up in a western society has nurtured his sensibility towards art that converges western and eastern cultural elements. After the success of his fashion business, Cassian turned back to his lifetime interest in painting, and held his first solo exhibition ‘Electric Claustrophobia’ in 2009. In his second solo exhibition, he focuses on ‘Lion Rock’ to illustrate his memory of the good old days of Hong Kong.
‘Lion Rock’ has a significant meaning for every Hong Kong citizen. It witnesses the development of Hong King from the 60s. The spirit of people under the Lion Rock is one of the most important elements for the success of Hong Kong. Although HK people have faced many ups and downs in the past, they are still living happily under difficulties. Nowadays, our society is often in need of more positive energy and a better sense of humour.
In this exhibition, Cassian is not only trying to recall our memory of the good old days through his painting but also to remind the younger generation to treasure the traditional Chinese value – the teaching of Confucius about filial piety towards our parents. He chooses to use a funny way to bring out his message by mixing cartoon characters and lines we are familiar with to compose an interesting narrative description about Hong Kong cultural scene. When we look into the familiar songs, television jingles, and Sanzi Jing (Three-character classic) from the painting background, it reminds us of the Lion Rock spirit – keep smiling during hard times.
To celebrate Cantonese culture with the younger generation, Cassian has also created a large cartoon character lantern in the OC Gallery to encourage visitors to experience the joy of the good old days.
