72 years old, artist

The paintings of Wucius Wong epitomise the essence of Hong Kong. The painter, critic, art educator and writer is one of our greatest living artists, whose paintings perfectly fuse ancient Chinese ink tradition with the bold colours and aesthetics of Western modern art.

Wong agrees that this city has been his chief influence over the years. “I was brought up in Hong Kong in a bilingual background, which has been shaping my development both as a person and as an artist,” he says. “I have always felt that my art shows a strong Hong Kong spirit.”

When asked who his Hong Kong hero is, Wong immediately pays homage to his teacher. “I owe much to my mentor, Lui Shou-kwan, who in the 1950s and 60s pioneered the direction of new ink painting in Hong Kong, and really committed to the cause.”

Having been at the forefront of the Hong Kong art scene for more than five decades, Wong’s viewpoint on the current state of affairs is positive. “The current Hong Kong arts scene is undergoing a pivotal change as we now look to China, accepting her as our motherland,” says the artist. “While we seek inspiration from our rich heritage, we are still very different from most native Chinese in mainland China, and we are inclined to stress all the local elements. There are many indicators that the Hong Kong arts scene is getting more thriving. Hong Kong artists can now move beyond the isolation within Hong Kong waters to a much wider realm in the mainland, and even to the entire world, to exhibit, perform, and interact. The Hong Kong government should put more resources to push this trend, as well to help producing more new blood.” Wise words from the master. Clare Morin