Joey Leung Ka Yin - New Now Hong Kong Friday, March 29, 2024 | Phillips

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  • Born in 1976, Joey Leung Ka Yin is a Chinese contemporary artist who currently works and resides in Hong Kong. Having earned her BA and MFA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Leung began studying gongbi painting in 1998 and has since developed her own visual lexicon through imbuing her creative output with a modern spirit, whilst retaining the traditional and ‘realistic’ techniques that are often associated with gongbihua.

     

    The female figure in the present work is depicted in a resting state as she settles into sleep. Covered with a blanket that resembles an expanse of undulating hills, Everyday Practice - Sleeping showcases Leung’s masterful approach in integrating Chinese traditional values of gongbi painting with popular culture. Inspired by the artist’s own personal experiences of city life, her works are suffused with narratives that prompt viewers to derive meaning from both text and imagery. Rendered in a natural and relaxed state, the central figure’s body language echoes the sentiment of Leung’s rhythmic doggerel verse written on the top left quadrant of the work. Portraying an ironic and playful twist to the mundane happenings of everyday life, the poem addresses the passage of time as well as the unmotivated condition of the reclining figure. This perhaps reflects Leung’s own feelings towards today’s society.

     

    “The day repeats itself and again
    As such another year in life passed
    Someday you'll end up returning to dust
    Why bother your head now about working hard."
    — Joey Leung Ka Yin
    Poem translation courtesy of Yiping Lin

     

     Kai-Yin Lo and Her Collecting Journey

     

    Born in Hong Kong, Kai-Yin Lo is an individual of many talents. Renowned as a jewellery designer, cultural historian, curator, and avid collector, Lo cultivated her refined taste in art through a multitude of enriching experiences which have continued to shape her creative journey until today. Besides being celebrated for her own jewellery brand and designs that pay tribute to Chinese history, Kai-Yin Lo has also earned numerous accolades within the creative field. Most notably, Lo curated a groundbreaking solo exhibition for the modern master Wu Guanzhong at the British Museum in 1992, which was a rarity at the time and reflected her vision in transcending conventional artistic boundaries through melding the cultural heritages of the East and West.

     

    Kai-Yin Lo’s passion in bridging cultures is demonstrated through her many contributions to society. Lo is currently on the board of M+ and the Hong Kong Design Centre, a member of Tate Modern’s Asia Pacific Art Acquisition Committee, and an esteemed visiting professor at Central Saint Martins in London and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

    • Provenance

      Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF KAI-YIN LO

69

Everyday Practice - Sleeping

signed 'Ka' lower left of the main image
ink and watercolour on paper
55 x 90 cm. (21 5/8 x 35 3/8 in.)
Executed in 2008.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
HK$40,000 - 60,000 
€4,700-7,100
$5,100-7,700

Sold for HK$50,800

Contact Specialist

Angela Tian
Associate Specialist, Head of New Now Sale
20th Century & Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
+852 2318 2058
AngelaTian@phillips.com
 

New Now

Hong Kong Auction 29 March 2024