One of the covers Siuhak did for his own Fake Forensic Science series.

As Hong Kong rapidly evolves into a major world market center for the Arts, and as people of wealth snap up masterpieces of contemporary art, the popular works of one figure stand out on the local arts scene. The illustrations of Siuhak are familiar to everyone.

The unmistakable touch of Siuhak, a 34 year old Hong Kong-born illustrator, is seen in MTR stations, advertisements and magazines.

He takes pride in the distinctive style he developed as a comic illustrator. His soft-color illustrations often appear at first like doodle art. Upon closer inspection, however, Siuhak's works are strikingly perceptive. His advertising illustrations appear iconic, as they communicate their message simply but succinctly.

Asked about this distinctive style for presenting ideas, his answer is as simple and straight-forward as his art. His artistic style comes from within. It is a reflection of himself. "I don't have a particular reason for that. If I really have to name one, it can be attributed to my personality."

"Styles are derived from personalities and they are subject to change according to your emotions," he elaborated.

Art is not mathematics, as he observes, and for him rationalism simply does not apply.

"But don't get me wrong. Though I tend to use pen and ink to finish my works quite often, I'm adaptable to using all sorts of media," he added. "Each story decides the medium to be used. To me, the choice of medium isn't vitally important, it's the content that matters."

The widespread acceptance of his work bears out the truth of his statements. Viewers often are moved by Siuhak's exquisite compositions, adorned with "raw" and "unfinished" illustrations.

The artist's inspirations seem both heart felt and at the same time magnificent. But where does he get his inspirations? "They certainly are not grown on trees," Siuhak laughed. "Creativity is not merely imagination. It has much to do with your everyday happenings and how you transform them into your own creation via your interpretation and idiosyncrasies."

"In all, inspirations - at least 50 percent of them - are from keen observation."

Apart from his unique, distinctive style, his work reveals the transcendental vision of a master story teller.

So, does Siuhak consider himself an eloquent teller of stories?

A portrait of Aiuhak by his friend and fellow artist Tak.

"I am not so sure about that," he answered modestly. "I just have the initiative to tell stories. They can be displayed in comics or plays or in any form."

Born and raised in Hong Kong, this versatile artist agrees that "the Hong Kong identity" has great impact on his works. "Take food as an example. Hong Kong people consider wonton a local specialty. Fast food cannot compare," he explained.

In fact, local culture remains integral to his works. "Memories, status quo and expectations are the three basic scenarios throughout our lives," said he. "People have sympathetic responses to my works because I'm reflecting their lives and thoughts like a mirror."

Siuhak recalls Hong Kong in the '80s. He believes the city was in its prime then. People splurged lavishly and sometimes the extravagance went over the top. "Nothing compare to the old times. People were more hard-working back then and they had a better sense of responsibility. But now we just need to recognize the fact that Hong Kong has started losing its edge."

"The colonial era is still affecting the thirty-somethings, from education system to other aspects of life. That influence begins to recede among the millennium generation (people born between 1980 and 2000)."

The colonial era remains in decades-old vestiges. Some pre-war constructions were abandoned and eventually fell to ruin. "The government has not done enough to preserve them, let alone refurbish them," Siuhak complained. "The quicker they vanish, the more pressing the need to keep the memories."

And he has set out to preserve Hong Kong's heyday through his art as a self-assigned task. His works are, in a way, reminders of youthful innocence and the times when core values count in daily life more than they do now.

Making the grade as an illustrator is a tough climb. Only a few who set out on that career path are able to endure the hardships and setbacks to make illustrating their full time occupation.

Collaboration among artists is not rare, though Siuhak admits that it is not easy, due to the individuality of each artist. Collaboration certainly entails compromise.

When it comes to commissioned work, naturally the client's requirements become paramount. Apart from overhanging deadlines, there are numerous obstacles to overcome in collaborative work.

"Occasionally, we are just not in a mood to create or design and it takes time for us to contemplate projects we are working on," he said.

Anyway, as he notes, having to overcome obstacles is to be preferred over being eliminated from consideration for a commission during the selection process. In the era of knowledge and technology, artists, like all other "worker ants", must be multi-skilled and adaptive in order to continue to function as effective members of society.

Being hard-pressed as an artist himself, Siuhak is aware of the need to improve his skills and his mind constantly. "I would read more to gain wisdom and gird myself so I am not being weeded out," he ventured.

Despite the glamorous veneer, professional illustration in Hong Kong is not as developed in countries such as Japan. The Japanese already have a long history in cartoons and animation. Superlative graphic designs can be seen literally in every magazine.

"This is the so-called 'visual communication.' There is much ground for us to make up in this regard," Siuhak stated. "Every coin has two sides though, struggle for recognition in the industry here presents a climate where there are fewer competitors and more chances to get noticed. We ordinarily get jobs because clients lack sufficient capital," he sighed.

In view of this, Siuhak expects the government to pay extra effort in promoting the development of local illustrators right from the basics. "Aesthetics education should begin from kindergartens. To foster kids' own perception of art and beauty, there is a larger chance for them to pursue this as a career," he suggested.

"Nowadays, the main stream is too materialistic. I have discovered my own view towards the world, I understand myself better - for what I like and dislike. All the hard work pays off when my works resonate in people's heart."

Examples of Siuhak's style.

(HK Edition 04/25/2009 page7)