Ever since her teenage years, artist Hong Wai has sought to prove that Chinese ink painting and calligraphy are not relics of the past but vibrant tools for modern expression. Born in Shanghai, raised in Macau, and now based in France, the 42-year-old artist has exhibited her work from Melbourne to Miami to Montreal, consistently challenging traditional notions of power, culture, and gender. Since her first exhibition at 17, she has rejected rigid adherence to old masters in favor of a rebellious, contemporary approach.
Her latest exhibition, “No Way to be Good,” at Soho House in Hong Kong, takes inspiration from Cantopop icon Anita Mui’s 1985 hit “Bad Girl.” For Hong, the 1980s Cantopop era embodied a fearless defiance of norms, a spirit she channels into her calligraphy and paintings. Mui’s bold stage presence, particularly her dramatic eye makeup and studded lace costumes, feature prominently in the exhibition. Delicate lace hardened with resin and glue forms sculptural calligraphy, such as the English chorus of “Bad Girl.”
Hong’s fascination with lace stems from her early training in Chinese ink painting, which she found steeped in patriarchal traditions. To modernize the genre, she began incorporating lace motifs and actual fabric into her work, transforming landscapes into intimate, feminine forms. In some pieces, traditional mountain scenes reveal themselves upon closer inspection to be lace-adorned bodies, merging nature with sensuality. Another section of the exhibition, “Paris One Life One Dream,” explores the experiences of Asian immigrant women in Paris through sculptural lace forms.
Hong’s ability to capture Hong Kong’s cultural memory is evident in works like Sunset, which pays homage to Anita Mui’s farewell concert in 2003, where the singer wore a flowing white wedding dress train as a symbolic marriage to the stage. Another piece, 1997 Red, recalls Leslie Cheung’s red sequined heels from a groundbreaking 1997 performance, celebrating his fearless embrace of identity and love.
Her “Secret Boudoir – Vanitas Series,” inspired by 16th-century European still life paintings, features intricate ink paintings of lace lingerie, high heels, and perfume bottles. A collaboration with French luxury lingerie brand Aubade in 2020 further emphasized her artistic connection to femininity and craftsmanship.
The exhibition is part of Artbridger’s program, pairing emerging artists with mentors like Hong. In an unexpected collaboration, she is guiding Sophia, an advanced humanoid robot, in Chinese ink painting. Visitors can witness Sophia’s artistic debut on March 21, closing the exhibition with an AI-powered performance of “Bad Girl.”
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