Botanical Wonders｜Group Exhibition Introduction

Annette Marie Townsend, Autumn (Chrysanthemum), beeswax and paraffin wax, tinned copper wire, tissue paper, cotton thread, artists’ pigments, acrylic paint, acrylic varnish. Presented in a glass vase, 24 x 13 x 14cm, 2023

Karin Weber Gallery is excited to announce ‘Botanical Wonders’, a group show examining the marvels of the natural world through the lens of a diverse group of artists, mostly local to Hong Kong, with a gallery debut by UK artist Annette Marie Townsend.

As Mankind and nature have always been inextricably linked, so has engagement with nature in art. Drawing from a long line of nature-focused artists through different histories and cultures, the six artists in this group show engage with the botanical world in a variety of compelling mediums.

The plant-inspired works making an appearance in ‘Botanical Wonders’ may directly represent their real-life counterparts, as in the meticulous replica flowers created by Annette Marie Townsend. For this show, Townsend has drawn on traditional Chinese flowers like Orchids, Camellias or Chrysanthemums, all rich in meaning and iconography across Chinese and Western cultures, executed in Townsend’s signature style which borders on hyper-realism.


Tobe Kan, A Void 5, acrylic and colour pencil on canvas, 25 x 30 cm, 2022

Works may distort or amplify nature, as in Elizabeth Fong’s bronze and stoneware installation I Prefer Flowers, which draws inspiration from the old children’s story of the tooth fairy, and links the value of flowers to a commercial transaction. Tobe Kan works with classical floral subjects in a monochrome blue and white palette to explore themes of subjectivity and distortion, on the cusp between dreams and reality. Celebrated designer OrangeTerry has created vases using stone and clay to investigate their beauty.

Alternatively, artists may use nature as a springboard for exploring broader concepts, such as June Ho in her linocut works, once again engaging with her core artistic themes of identity and integration, expressed through prints of the local Hong Kong bauhinia tree, and the southern Chinese orchid tree in this show. Annebell Chan’s flower installation, created from ready-made objects, explores the soothing effects of flower appreciation, similar to reading poetry or listening to music.

Nature remains an endless source of fascination, creative inspiration, and an increasingly precious part of all our lives. We are excited to present some very special interpretations in ‘Botanical Wonders’ at Karin Weber Gallery.

June Ho, The City Pattern Bauhinia, linocut, collage, ink on paper, 40 X 40cm, 2023

Exhibition Details

• Botanical Wonders｜Group Exhibition
• Date: June 24-July 22, 2023
• Time: 11:00-19:00 Tuesday to Saturday
• Venue: Karen Weber Gallery
• Address: G/F, 20 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong

Source of above information: PR