About the event
JPS Gallery is honoured to present Wilson Shieh “Chop Suey 2008-2022”, the artist’s first solo exhibition with our gallery in Hong Kong. Wilson Shieh’s unparalleled artisanal skills and ability to modernise the quintessence of traditional Chinese art makes him one of the most prominent artists in Hong Kong. Bringing together works from 2008 to 2022, this exhibition will provide an overview of Shieh’s evolution as an artist while he expands his practice by working with different mediums and integrating contemporary imagery inspired by Hong Kong’s local pop culture into his works.
“Chop Suey” refers to a dish in American Chinese cuisine consisting of meat, egg and vegetables stir-fried in corn-starch-thickened sauce. The diversity of ingredients in this dish manifests this exhibition’s central theme, a visual testimony of all the phases and salient moments of Shieh’s artistic evolution over the past fourteen years. He began practising gongbi in 1992 and has since become widely recognised for using this traditional fine-brush technique to paint contemporary figurative imageries. And in 2008, Shieh started to expand his practice by utilising various mediums. Ranging from pencil drawings, digital print collages, oil and acrylic on canvas, the presented works continue to illustrate contemporary scenes in his signature style, allowing viewers to witness Hong Kong’s cultural background morph over time through the artist’s practice.
The Four Seasons series began as gongbi ink paintings, which Shieh developed into colour pencils on archival cardboard works where he renders his signature brushwork with colour pencils. Breaking down a human figure into a limited number of visual elements—costume, hairstyle and accessory—Four Seasons Women 四季女人 (2015) and Four Seasons Men 四季男人 (2022) demonstrate how conscious dressing and simple details can construct an identity. Whilst his nostalgic Paper Doll series portrays Hong Kong’s pop and cultural icons, such as Samuel Pang in An Autumn’s Tale, Hui Man Keung in The Bund and Su Li Zhen in In the Mood for Love, allowing viewers to relive these unforgettable scenes from these classic movies. In addition, the Mix Tape series reflects Shieh’s addiction to pop music during his teenage years. Some of the greatest 1980’s hit songs include Uptown Girl by Billy Joel, and Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.
This retrospective exhibition is an amalgamation of Shieh’s artistic oeuvre from 2008 to 2022 and a unique chance for viewers to investigate Hong Kong’s cultural background to learn what goes into the making of today’s Hong Kong identity.
About the organizer
Established in Hong Kong (2014) and in Tokyo (2018), JPS Gallery is an independent contemporary art gallery presenting works of emerging and established artists from around the world. In the autumn of 2022 JPS will establish a new gallery space in Paris and one in Barcelona during the first quarter of 2023.
The gallery was founded with a passionate spirit that dedicates to the new digital age and the exploration of fine art and pop culture. We aim to create an innovative environment for a new generation of artists and collectors, fostering a creative space for all. We focus on contemporary works of the era that span across different medium and disciplines, showcasing a discerning selection of works that embody the aesthetics of today.
We are committed to supporting the culture and art scene both in Hong Kong and Japan, creating a vibrant local art community. The gallery regularly presents works of emerging artists in our gallery spaces in Hong Kong and Tokyo as well as international art fairs, giving them a platform to gain global exposure and supporting young artists to launch their careers. JPS has also been an active contributor to society and the local art scene by sponsoring various charity events and auctions.