As growing up, we all fantasize about Superheroes. We admire all of these costumed do-gooders who always appear in colourful outfits, performing “heroic deeds” like community services or fighting crime, defeating their archenemy the Supervillian. Ever since the first appearance of Superman in 1938, along with different comic bo...ok characters coming out in the 1940s, the heroes have exercised a powerful influence over our collective imagination, serving as avatars for our hopes, dreams, and desires. This is how the iconic figures have the ability to address serious issues, toward self and society, identity and ideology. Through photographs and drawings, artists KarHoo Chow and Chris Lam make use of their heroes in an avant-garde approach, to rediscover today’s social and political realities.

The Superhero comics hit Hong Kong in the 1980s. The arrival of the American imported art-making and story telling of the superheroes became one of the most popular visual genres at that time. Understanding the stories behind these comics reflecting the very real battles of good and evil from WWII and depicting powerful superheroes came to secure the truth and justice for many new American immigrants, artist KarHoo Chow long for the same Superheroes being in Hong Kong. With the unique photographic skills, KarHoo brings Batman into the crowded Ap Liu Street flea market, places Hellboy having dinner at the Cantonese StreetSide food stall, and assigns Black Spiderman picking up the recycled papers; we are doing the same things as the heroes. Wittily playing with the backdrops, KarHoo brings out the hot topics addressing the environmental, heritage and poverty problems. As being one of the After 80s generation, growing up with McDonald fast food, KarHoo wishes that the traditions in Hong Kong will not face extinction.

Through superheroes, artist Chris Lam gains the freedom to fantasize, to escape the ordinary, and to fight against the injustice. In addition to courage and righteousness, Chris’ heroes possess the will for self-sacrifice. Under the mask of his pig-like Batman, it addresses one of the serious genetically modified organism ‘GMO’ issues. Applying hormone-like chemical shots to the animals, making them to grow abnormally faster in order to make even on the evergrowing food demand; greed, as a social phenomenon, as our supervillian is gradually destroying our world. For instance, Penguin from “Batman Return” tries to fight against the world because of being discriminated unfairly. To voice out such issues, in particular, Chris also finds resonance in the type of music that revolves around social issues. In a way, listening to the music of hardcore and extreme metal, it strongly influences his expressive choice of style, driving him to express certain madness in the drawings. The music and his paintings may look violent, yet they bring positive “straight edge” message. To balance the aggressive heroic figures, Chris creates his silkscreen on raw wood, presenting a touch of further edginess.