The fish collection

Vivian has drawn "fish" continuously in several of her exhibitions. The reasons for drawing fish can be illustrated by her academic background. Vivian was educated in US, the Wesleyan University, which locates at a very small town without much facilities. People have to buy food in small groceries. These groceries usually sells sliced frozen processed meat. She found that foreign people might not even know how these meat come from ( the processing procedure) and some of them think that slaughtering is just too terrible and bloody. She thought that slaughtering is just common scene that can be seen in wet market easily in Hong Kong. Therefore, she drawn to mock them from having narrow horizons and being so foolish. 

In her collection, she uses different body parts of fresh fish (head, intestine, internal organs) to show the real face of it( instead of the processed fillet). She used sharp colors to give a gutty and bloody feeling to the audience.

This was her graduation pieces “Of Delicacy and Horror” exhibited in the Zilkha Gallery, Wesleyan University, during April 2012. Moreover, it has also been exhibited in “Gutted // Vivian Ho’s Solo Painting Show” in the Twodogs Backyard,during September 2012.

The Street Art Movement

 

Collaborated with Vivian's friend Jessica Poon, they have created "Street Art Movement", which provide a series of public art activities. They advocates that everyone has the chance and opportunity to be an artist, and galleries or stages are never the only platform for artists to showcase their work. 

"The street art show" was the first activity that have organized. They have invited people who love drawings to paint on the wall as (Graffiti) in a narrow lane in Mongkok. Each artists has also paint some T-shirts for the auction section.

At the day of exhibition, public are invited to appreciate artist's work as well as joining the interactive auction section. Instead of using money to buy the designer T-shirt, Vivian has invented a thought-provoking medium of exchange - by doing simple tasks like singing songs, doing sit up exercises and headstand.

The second activity was that they have called up people to meet in MTR station and travel around. They draw during the MTR trip.

I think Vivian is very confident and creative as she has the courage to create events that have never been seen before. It is also very revolutionary as drawing graffiti is prohibited and it's challenging to avoid being caught when police petrol around the street, while "Drawing in MTR" is never a usual thing that would happen. It must be a very memorable and interesting experience for those participants.

Interview Questions

1. What do you usually draw? Is there any common characteristics among all of your artwork?
2. Why did you hold the event "Street Art Movement"? 
3. Any difficulties or interesting things that you have come across during the "Street Art Movement"?
4. Why did you want to draw graffiti? What message you intended to bring out?
5. Can you explain the medium, the tone of colour and the perspective you used in the oil painting fish collection and the collection you have shown during the Fotanian Open Studio?
6. What are the preparation you will do before a collection of artwork?
7. Have you follow any famous artist's drawing techniques in your artwork?
8. Is there any strong social / political message you want to spread through your artwork?

Biography - Vivian Ho

Vivian Ho is a painter and illustrator. She loves to draw something that is lively that is strange, cute and ugly. She was studied at Heep Yunn School in Hong Kong. After studying F.6, she went to study Art in Wesleyan University in USA. She came back Hong Kong after graduation and started her career in painting and illustrating. 

She has conducted several Art exhibitions and events. Such as Fotanian open studio, Street Art Movement and showroom in Central. She is currently preparing for another exhibition in late March.