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InHong Kong there are a few types of graffiti that are utilized for different reasons. The face of artistAi Weiwei is one of the more well-known caricatures in the region. Journalist and commentators have considered the graffiti as "street-art", "creative" and the "voice of the young".[2]
Graffiti is often a mode of expression much like other artistic outlets. It can allow artists to vent emotions as well as their opinions on the politics or society around them. Unlike other places around the world, Graffiti in Hong Kong can be used as a way of advertisement for some companies.
Similar to other countries however, graffiti is considered defacing public property and is technically an illegal act in Hong Kong. While graffiti is not prosecuted as commonly as in the United States, fines and arrest still do occur.[3]
Graffiti is a term applied to a range of illegally created marks in which there has been an attempt to establish some sort of coherent composition that people could resonate with, or one that conveys messages. Such marks are made by an individual or individuals, who might not be professional artists, upon awall or other surface that is usually visually accessible to the public.
Tsang Tsou Choi, also known as the "King of Kowloon", was the founder ofHong Kongcalligraphy graffiti. His graffiti work is different from generalspray painting; he usedink brushes to writewords on walls instead of spray painting to express his ideas and thoughts towards society. Theaesthetic value of his works of art stirred up much controversy over Hong Kong. Still, most Hong Kong citizens still pay respect and attention to his graffiti, even though he died in 2007.[4]
Spray painting graffiti is one of the most popular styles adopted by graffiti artists. Hong Kong graffiti artists have a unique sense on where to do graffiti to reflect different aesthetic feelings of their works. For instance,drawing onrusty surfaces like iron walls produces a vintage feeling of the work. Drawings on unevenstone walls gives a strong dimensional sense.
Ai Weiwei, aChinesecontemporary artist andactivist, was arrested byBeijing authorities for "economic crimes" . Ai'sportrait was later painted on walls facing streets in Hong Kong by a teenage girl, who attempted to raise awareness ofhuman rights and reveal the dark side of theChinese government. Ai's portrait was even projected on Wall of thePeople's Liberation Army building vialaser.[5]
Perbasic law, modifying apublic property without permission is illegal in Hong Kong. On 13 July 2009, a French graffiti artist named Zevs painted aChanellogo on the outside wall of an Armani store in central Hong Kong. He was arrested for his illicit spray-painting and was detained in Hong Kong until August. In 2011, a painted portrait ofAi WeiWei resulted in an investigation byHong Kong police and the Crime Investigate Detective. Invader, another famous graffiti artist, has been spreading his work in Hong Kong since 2001; he has painted at least 74mosaic print tiles on city streets. Most of them have been removed. In 2014, aPac-Man print inTin Hau also produced by Invader was removed for safety reasons. Such actions have stirred up much disagreement. The public did not agree that tile mosaics on walls would cause any harm and danger tosociety. Some news articles and journals criticised thegovernment for their actions towardsstreet art. However, the government continued to take down Invader's work.
Thoughpainting on public properties without permission is illegal, Hong Kong's government promised to preserve the painted works of King of KowloonTsang Tsou Choi, though most have already been cleaned away. Thewall of fame inMong Kok, in an alleyway linked toArgyle Street, provides a canvas for Hong Kong graffiti artists.[6] The government seems to have accepted the street as a "graffiti community" even though street artists are violating the law. Paintings extend over the wall for two blocks.
Graffiti in Hong Kong can be divided into three aspects — as anemotional outlet, forpolitical dissatisfaction, and asadvertisement.
Graffiti related to emotions can generally be seen intunnels and under bridges, where the public might not easily notice. For instance, spray painted words like "free" or "heart broken" can be seen painted on walls. The reason for such placement is to provide artists with an outlet toexpress their personal emotions. Many people express their feelings through writing and talking. However, there are people who aren't good at oral or writtencommunication. Instead, they are more comfortable withdrawing andart. Graffiti is an illegal street art, and some people are attracted to the exciting and rebellious feeling of doing illegal things in an attempt to voice their opinions.
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Graffiti can also be used to voiceopinions and dissatisfaction towardsauthorities. For instance, there was graffiti related to "realuniversal suffrage" being drawn inAdmiralty duringthe Occupy Central protests in 2014. Individuals voiced theiranger and depression towards both the Chinese and Hong Kong governments through graffiti work. They hoped to make common cause with Hong Kongcitizens through graffiti art in order to gain more support for universal suffrage. For example, protesters not only did chalk paint graffiti, but also created amural made from thousands ofPost-It notes with citizens' wishes written on each. Couplets with citizens' petitions were also hung on afootbridge.
Graffiti can also be used cheaply as a medium to advertise in Hong Kong. It is quite common to see advertisements spray-painted onpublic facilities,mailslots,transformer boxes,street signs, and so on. Company names and contact data might be written or drawn in an attempt for publication purposes. Such graffiti can be commonly seen in traditionaldistricts such asSham Shui Po andKwun Tong. It is a style of graffiti unique to Hong Kong.
