“First Smash” is a non-profit art project organized by Art Experience Gallery, aiming to provide an exhibiting platform for emerging young artists in Hong Kong. The project is inspired by a Polish art student. In 2012, Wroclaw Fine Arts Academy student Andrzej Sobiepan put up his small painting in the Polish Contemporary Art Gallery of National Museum in Wroclaw. His purpose was to draw public attention to young artists who are denied exhibition space in museums. Similarly, the scarcity of land in Hong Kong makes the lack of exhibition space a major problem faced by many local artists. Art Experience Gallery deeply understands young artists’ need for exhibiting platforms outside of school to begin the very first step of their artistic journey. Therefore, the gallery is glad to announce that “First Smash” art project will be held this summer. In the form of site sponsorship, the gallery is going to exhibit a group of young promising artists’ works in our more than two thousand feet gallery space. The project aims to provide a chance for them to showcase their ideas and innovations to the public.

The gallery has selected a number of inspiring, idea-rich and unique pieces created by students and graduates from various colleges through solicitation of art proposals. A wide range of work is shown in the exhibition, including oil paintings, sculptures, installations and videos. For many young artists, their creations often start from the exploration of self. Yu Shuk Pui, for example, records the meaningful process of her exploration and thoughts on “youth”. Leung Lai Man intents to restore the appearance of a birthday cake to depict the complicated theme of life and death as well as the entanglement of existence and disappearance. While in Tsang See Wan’s works, she displays women’s mental state of losing love in a rather female perspective. Dan Hin Ka expresses her fond thoughts of her grandmother through weave of soft feet.

Apart from the exploration of self, human’s relationship with nature and the society also serves as a main theme of the exhibition. Chan Ho Choi’s video and installation reflect heavily on the relationship between nature, advanced technology and human beings. Wong Ka Chung uses “Tieshulan”, a plant that subsist in tough condition as a symbol. The woeful predicament will only make the flowers of dream stronger with exuberant vitality. Such vitality blossoms aggressively as these young artists are actively injecting artistic motivation into the city.

In addition to the artworks, this exhibition will also showcase a sharing session of artists’ creative process, such as photos, text, etc. Audiences will be able to have a closer look to the artists’ works and experience their enthusiasm and smashing creativity. They also can have a more well-rounded understanding of the meaning of this very project.

Featured artists: Chan Ho Choi, Carla, Dan Hin Ka, Ann, Leung Lai Man, Jess, Tsang See Wan, Iris, Wong Ka Chung, Dorothy and Yu Shuk Pui, Bobby.

Image: © Yu Shuk Pui, Bobby,  Art Experience Gallery