In 2023, renowned lyricist Wyman Wong, talented singer-songwriter Maggie Fu and Endy Chow launched a captivating art project titled “The Asylum 3”. Through their personal experiences, they created various types of artworks, using it as a means of self-healing while raising awareness about the increasingly prevalent issue of emotional distress. The project began with the creation of a trilogy, followed by a series of paintings, exhibitions, and interactive art workshops, all aimed at drawing attention to emotional well-being. They constructed an “Asylum” within the city of Hong Kong, providing a space for everyone to freely express themselves and experience the healing power of art.
The previous two exhibitions of “The Asylum 3” received enthusiastic acclaim from the public. As the project approaches its finale in 2024, the “Asylum” relocates to the Gallery by the Harbour from 29 February to 17 March 2024, titled “The Asylum 3: in the asylum to set you free”. This exhibition will showcase all the artworks from the project, including Maggie Fu’s oil painting series, “Layers of Submergence” (層層沉潛), and Endy Chow’s “Dancing with the Evils” series, alongside a new series of paintings titled “Glance” created by Maggie Fu.
The exhibition hall will feature a playback of the music trilogy collaboratively created by Wyman Wong, Maggie Fu and Endy Chow: “Panic Disorder and Hypochondria” (恐慌症與疑病之病), “Compulsive Happiness” (幸福強迫症), and “Embracing Illness with Joy” (快快樂樂病下去). This immersive environment will allow visitors to visually and audibly experience the range of emotions evoked during the creative process. The exhibition hall is purposefully designed in black colour, in strong contrast to the previous two exhibitions’ white settings. This tranquil ambiance will accentuate the vibrant colours within each artwork and encourage viewers to deeply engage with the exhibition.
Maggie Fu’s captivating series of oil paintings, “Layers of Submergence” (層層沉潛), captures the intricate layers of her emotions, including moments of melancholy, loneliness, restlessness, and tranquillity, which unravel the depths of her inner world. Each artwork is accompanied by a thoughtful caption, inviting viewers to courageously confront the deeply buried emotions within themselves and embrace their presence, even when they lean towards the more sombre aspects of life. Maggie’s empowering message resonates when she expresses, “It’s OK not to be OK!” and highlights the importance of releasing emotions and embracing vulnerability for the sake of our overall well-being. Neglecting to address these emotions could cause them to accumulate and layer upon one another, resulting in a heavy emotional burden that hinders personal growth and inner peace.
The “Dancing with the Evils” series by Endy Chow consists of three paintings that portray the psychological traits of the “Dark Triad” – narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Each painting showcases unique colours and faces of monsters, representing the hidden darkness lurking within us. Endy encourages viewers to embrace these aspects by suggesting that one should not fear exposing the demons and monsters that reside in their hearts. He emphasizes that even if they are exposed, as long as individuals possess enough courage for one day, they can invite these aspects to dance alongside them.
The exhibition will feature exclusive limited-edition merchandise, like T-shirts. The proceeds generated from the sale of exhibition will be donated to the Hong Kong Expressive Arts Therapy Centre, after deducting administrative expenses to support its art projects.
Wyman Wong, Maggie Fu, and Endy Chow’s “The Asylum 3: in the asylum to set you free” Exhibition
Date: 29 February – 17 March 2024
Time: 11am – 10 pm
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour (Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City)
