“I always have a strong sense of not belonging to the Earth. This feeling drives me to search for an alternative living space – a place that may not be visible nor physical. Since it is impossible to know about that realm, it becomes boundless and open,” explains Henry, a recipient of The Wharf Art Scholarship Scheme in 2014.
From 7 to 24 January 2021, Gallery by the Harbour presents: A Journey to There, the first solo exhibition of Henry Siu Hong Ming,. Inspired by travel fictions like Gulliver’s Travel and Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, as well as galaxy images from NASA, Henry attempts to create an alternative world where he constantly “visits and expands”.
After graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University with a Bachelor of Art in Visual Art, Henry further his study for a master degree in Painting at Royal College of Art in 2018. Most recently, Henry is shortlisted for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2020. A Journey to There is Henry’s first solo exhibition at Gallery by the Harbour.
A Journey to There features a wide range of work including painting, drawing, sculpture, text and sound. Henry’s works are conceptually influenced by Paul Noble’s Nobson Newtown or Charles Avery’s The Island. Materially, he cites Erika Verzutti’s works as an inspiration for the sculptural qualities of his works.
Henry’s fantastical realm finds its roots in his university days. Through constant creation of images, Henry continues to construct and expand the world where his imaginary adventures fly. Drawing references from properties of different planets, Henry plays with different combinations in the absence of artistic elements such as colour. His monochromic drawings pay tribute to the moon by outlining an imaginary topography with black and white distorted images. Using a simple casting technique, Henry also creates rectangular tablets as his new 3D canvases to further his experiments on the use of forms.
“Plaster is an open and forgiving material. Apart from casting, a wide range of working methods can be used. For instance, sanding, carving and rubbing, etc. Variation of those techniques creates experimental results. Hence, each work is an experiment to understand the material, at the same time an attempt to unfold the world,” Henry added.
Join us on the Journey to his fantastical world now!
“A Journey to There”
Date: 7 to 24 January 2021
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour (Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City)
