Rachel Wong has always been immersed in art. She was introduced to western art by her first art teacher Mr Fung Wing Chiu. Later she pursued Chinese calligraphy by following Mr Mok Tak Kwong and Chinese painting with Ms Tian Qing Ping. Her life has been enriched by her addiction to art. She decided to make her passion for art into a career by completing her tattoo apprenticeship in 2019. She is now a tattoo artist specialising in modern calligraphy art.

Chinese calligraphy is no longer just black and white. It’s no longer just about history and literature. Instead, the ideas of modern life and our advanced 21st century lifestyle are explored by crossing traditional calligraphy art over western and Japanese style with clashes and excitement in this exhibition. It may inspire you to re-examine what you think you know about traditional calligraphy.

自小涉獵各式書畫藝術，一發不可收拾。幼時師承馮榮超老師學習⻄洋畫，及後師隨已故莫德光校長研習書法及嶺南派田⻘平老師學習國畫。終日沉溺書畫之間，以藝術滋養生命，立志以此為人生事業。人到中年拜師學藝，於2019年正式滿師成為現代書法水墨紋身師。

藝術並非高不可攀，日常生活隨心也能頓悟出美。 決心以「不沉悶書法」為目標，以生活日常和人生期盼為題材，融合中國傳統書法水墨、⻄洋及日式畫風，以嶄新風格創作出一系列跳脫的作品，務求突破框架，打破大眾對書法藝術的固有觀感，在日常中重新發掘傳統的美。

Rachel’s Artworks

飛天遁地 《 Infinity 》, 2022
mixed media on paper
40cm x 60cm

行書 隸書： Infinity

以有限制無限

疫情之下有著很多限制，我們要學會如何在有限條件中，靈活變通，盡情發揮，飛天遁地，於自己天地宇宙中自由飛翔。

畫中特別加上富香港本土特色的押店招牌，當中八卦、蝙蝠和金錢代表著無限，福至和財富，比喻美好的願景。

With the pandemic affecting every aspect of life over the past few years, we need to learn to be more flexible and maintain our passion. Try our best to adapt to the new challenges and we will find our new world.

The classic street signage of a pawn shop with Tai-chi mirror, bat and coin is drawn in the piece, representing infinity, luck and fortune.

空色 《 A phantom 》, 2022
ink on paper
57.4cm x 38.4cm

行書： A phantom
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

空即是色，色即是空

空代表虛無，色代表俗世表象。《心經》中談到空即是色，色即是空，一脈相承，故以行書一筆而蹴寫下，並以絢麗奪目的桃紅色襯托代表浮華世界，衝擊虛無的意念。

It includes two Chinese characters: reality and fantasy. According to Buddhist traditions, nothing is forever. Whatever you see in reality will eventually vanish. As reality is fantasy, the two characters are connected and written in one stroke. The bright pink background indicates the extravagance in reality, which clashes with vanishing fantasy.

瘋越 《 Dashing over Lion Rock》, 2022
mixed media on paper
60cm x 40cm

行書：不瘋怎越

勇敢跳出框框才會有新啟發。
書畫當中有雲有山有沖浪。獅子山上面為獅子怒吼雲，加上日本浮世繪(ukiyo-e)傳統沖浪（Finger waves)，作品奔放中見細節，亦以由近至遠的角度，讓沖浪帶出充滿立體感的洶湧澎湃。

Think out of the box so you can be inspired.
Lion Rock HK is seen in the painting with clouds which look like a roaring lion. The ‘finger waves’ are drawn in Ukiyo-e, a traditional Japanese art style which dating back to the 17th century. The waves show the overwhelming power coming from afar to the audience.

何不 《 Why not 》, 2022
mixed media on paper
60cm x 40cm

行書： Why not

達摩(Daruma)代表堅毅不屈的精神。人生中我們總有猶疑不決的時候，當我們勇敢踏出第一步，才 有機會成功。 日本文化中，為達摩點上左眼，代表許下願望。當願望已經成真，便會為達摩雙眼點睛。 單眼達摩旁風高浪急，配襯菊花，代表不明朗的秋天。雙眼達摩旁配櫻花，代表充滿生命力的春
天。

Why not? In Japanese culture, Daruma represent strength and prudence. There are always moments of uncertainty and hesitation in our lives, making the first move is the gateway to success. Just be brave and go ahead.
In Japanese culture, colouring in left eye on a Daruma means making a wish. When the wish comes true, the right eye should be coloured. The one-eyed Daruma is with chrysanthemum, indicating the uncertainty of autumn. The two-eyed Daruma is with Sakura, indicating the vitality of spring.

醉 《 Chill 》, 2022
mixed media on paper
27cm x 18.5cm

隸書： Just chill, she’ll be fine

《苦醉禪》三部曲之《醉》
《苦》及《禪》已被收藏家購入

人的力量渺小，遇到難關，即使盡全力也可能無法完全解決。當我們盡力後，便要適時放手，放過自己。

謀事在人，成事在天。
喝杯紅酒，Just chill, she’ll be fine.
We are not superheroes. We can’t fix everything. We should just let go if we have tried our best to solve problems in life. Just chill, have a glass, she’ll be fine.

鍾馗《 Zhong Kui vs. Stay Puft 》, 2022
mixed media on paper
40cm x 40cm

隸書： When a Chinese Ghost Buster meets Stay Puft

鍾馗形象兇惡，作品特以反傳統形式，配上櫻花溫馨感覺和《捉鬼敢死隊》中可愛的棉花糖鬼，中⻄合璧，傳統與現代文化融合，兇惡與可愛的衝突，務求耳目一新。

當中櫻花代表希望，春櫻特以由右上角引領視角，到左下角”大小通吃”，喻意不應被固有觀念羈絆捆綁，方能有新啟發。

The Chinese ghost buster is stereotyped as an furious figure. By being confronted by Stay Puft marshmallow ghosts from Ghostbusters with the background of adorable Sakura, the piece shows a complete opposite image of the Chinese ghost buster. In the piece, the crossover between the modern life and traditional style, the East vs West, when the furious figure meets the fluffy villains, where a dramatic contrast is shown.

Sakura carries the meaning of hope. The petals leads the audience from the top right corner of the piece to the bottom left, landing at the phrase “benefiting from all”. We should try to be more open-minded and embrace changes—be a leader, not a follower.

願《 Wish 》, 2022
mixed media on paper
30cm x 30cm

隸書： Wish

當中水墨山為香港獅子山(Lion Rock) ，人生有時崎嶇難行，更要堅毅不屈，最後我們一定會走過荊棘，向”樂”的方向發展。

There is a Lion Rock HK in the piece. Life is sometimes difficult. We should never give up and eventually it will lead us to the pink character “happiness”.

混沌中的初心之二 躍動《 Belief 2: Get set 》, 2022
ink on paper
40cm x 60cm

行書： Belief 2: Get Set

為《混沌中的初心》之二部曲，那怕世界混亂，初心依舊，蓄勢待發，盡情發揮，為夢想努力。

當中”心”像眉開眼笑的木魚，代表堅毅樂觀，筆劃最後到達”願”字作結，代表向願望進發。

作品向四方旋轉隱藏著不同景象:包括優雅的天鵝，奔放滑雪的女子和母親與懷裏的嬰兒。

The character “heart” mimics a smiling face of a temple block, a percussion instrument. Carrying the meaning of Belief, we should still remain strong and positive even if the world is in chaos and wait for the moment so we can move forward. The character ends at the stamp “wish”, implying our strength and prudence will be eventually paid back when our wishes are fulfilled.
Upon rotating the piece through 360 degrees, some viewers observe different images, including an elegant swan, a carefree skier and a mother embracing her baby in her arms.

空色 《 A phantom 》, 2022
clay and metal
50cm x 20cm x 10cm

立體書法雕塑
Variation of A phantom
Calligraphy sculpture: Two become one

作品為Rachel Wong首個立體書法雕塑，並破天荒首度同時以2D及3D立體書法雕塑同場展出。以璀燦金色之空色表現紙醉金迷的世界，並以樸實水泥衝擊，代表一切回歸原始作結。

It’s Rachel Wong’s first ever Chinese calligraphy sculpture and also the first time that two pieces including the actual Chinese calligraphy in paper form and 3D dimensions featured at exhibition. The gold indicates extravagance in daily life, while the concrete carries the meaning of that’s where everything starts.