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Mira Chan visits an intriguing studio in the ancient village of Sheung Wo Hang, Sha Tau Kok, near the Chinese border

How did you come to acquire this extraordinary studio?
It was actually the village school for hundreds of years. I spent my primary school years here with about 30 other children. Then I went to the UK in 1977 with my family, and when I returned Hong Kong in 1992, the study hall had become a declared monument and renovation work was in progress. I asked the Government if I could use this hut besides the main building, and that was how I got this studio.

Do many people live in Sheung Wo Hang?
We have about 60 residents in this village, most of them have the same surname as me, and we keep the customs of commemorating our ancestors and celebrating Lunar New Year together. Not only do the elderly reside here, some people from the younger generation also live here. In recent years there have been more people moving here from urban areas.

What are all these objects?
I collect things that have been thrown away; some are pieces of traditional Chinese wooden furniture made of precious rosewood. These wooden bars with Chinese motifs and auspicious patterns were originally in the ceilings and window frames of buildings here. There are also pieces of bamboo and wood that I found in the forest near the village. I like using them to create artworks, like wooden seals, installation works, and musical instruments. They bring me a lot of inspiration.

Your body of work is quite diverse
I create works from all types of media, from oil paintings in the 1990s to wooden seals and installation pieces. I also enjoy reading architecture books. Music has been one of my main interests since my childhood years, and recently I have been making a lot of musical instruments, like this Chinese flute (dizi) made of bamboo. Yet I still make artworks from time to time, I made the installation for the current exhibition about Antonio Mak. It’s good to make different things at different times; otherwise it would be too boring.

Is your family supportive of your career?
My brother teaches art at secondary school and [my parents] were never opposed us to doing art. Even if they were, they wouldn’t have been able to stop us! Art is about being human; it’s an important element of life and has existed since the start of civilisation. I can’t think of anything else I would do. I have thought of giving it up at times, but ended up doing nothing and then I started to create again. It’s become my way of life.
Check out Lee Man-sang’s mixed-media installation Radiate at the exhibition Looking for Antonio Mak showing at the Museum of Art, until Wed 28