Okokume - 24/7: Online Auction Hong Kong Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | Phillips

Create your first list.

Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Spanish artist Okokume, also known as Laura Mas Hernandez, is best known for her signature works depicting the utopian universe of Cosmic Girl. First created by Okokume in 2015 as an attempt to raise awareness of current environmental issues, Cosmic Girl and her world encapsulate the artist's keen wishes for a bright and hopeful future. Influenced by Japanese manga, American street culture and cartoons, the dreamy Cosmic Girl has sparkling eyes, turquoise skin and pink hair. The positive message and cheerful style of Okokume's works transports viewers into a colourful magical universe, garnering the artist international popularity and acclaim.

     

    The artist adding finishing touches to the current work as shown on her Instagram in 2018

    Travelling through space, Cosmic Girl spreads the importance of protecting the environment and helps restore plants in need to their former glory. With great spirit and compassion, guardian angel Cosmic Girl travels to our planet to meet the terrestrial children, communicating with them with the help of a charismatic lizard, Dino. In order to save the sickly Earth, Cosmic Girl gathers the magical spirits of the four elements - Water, Wind, Fire and Earth - to help heal their home with magic, and inspire humans to create a world free of impurities and pollution.

     

    Through her works, the artist hopes to raise awareness of the current environmental situation of our shared home. To reach a younger audience, 16 of Okokume's works have also been selected and compiled into an illustrated story book (written by the artist herself), depicting Cosmic Girl's travels to Earth, highlighting her conservational message.

     

    Born 1985 in Barcelona, Spain, Okokume graduated from the Llotja Advanced School of Art and Design in Barcelona. Her works have gained major popularity in recent years, and have been widely exhibited in galleries and art fairs around the world in cities such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul, Los Angeles and Berlin. Okokume's largest solo exhibition to date was held in 2018 at the K11 in Hong Kong, in which the present work was also included. Okokume lives and works in Barcelona, and shares a studio with her partner, artist Okrabelo.

     

    Installation view of the current work at The Arrival of Cosmic Girl, chi K11 Art Space, Hong Kong, 8 June - 2 July 2018  
    • Provenance

      JPS Gallery, Hong Kong
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Exhibited

      Hong Kong, chi K11 Art Space, The Arrival of Cosmic Girl, 8 June - 2 July 2018

7

Cosmic Girl Head

signed and dated 'Okokume 2018' on the reverse
acrylic on canvas
79 x 90.9 cm. (31 1/8 x 35 3/4 in.)
Painted in 2018, this work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist and issued by JPS Gallery.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
HK$100,000 - 200,000 
€10,900-21,700
$12,800-25,600

Sold for HK$403,200

Contact Specialist

Hin Hin Wong
Associate Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
+852 2318 2013
hinhinwong@phillips.com

24/7: Online Auction

Online Auction 21 - 30 July 2021