1/20/2022 Kimonos, Japanese aesthetics, escape from Laos and much more - Interview with Kim HelgasonRead NowKim Helgason: PainterKim is an extraordinary creative Filipino and Vietnamese artist who currently lives in Hong Kong. Her paintings of figures smoothly develop a sensual idea about Japanese culture, aesthetics and softness. During the fifth wave of Omicron spread, we had a chance to meet and have a wonderful chat on the riverside in Central of Hong Kong City. We spoke about her incredibly adventurous past and the challenges that women as artists need to face today in Hong Kong. Thank you so much for meeting me today. I’ve got a beautiful gift from Kim, a handmade card with a lucky Chinese cat that symbolises good fortune. Where did the idea come from? “It originally started in Japan and then it got really famous around Hong Kong and also China. This is a white coloured cat that means purity, prosperity. But if you would get other colours they might have different meanings.” That’s so kind, thank you! As a full time artist who lives in Hong Kong, what is your main source of inspiration coming from? “When I was a kid I was always fascinated with Japanese culture. I also loved the Japanese symbolism for various animals - especially those that were on kimonos. And also the symbolism of the colours too - if you would wear a red kimono that means strength and youth, that was usually worn by young and teenage girls. And the older women who were married would wear dark green or blue kimonos with different designs.” You are also half Filipino and half Vietnamese. Is there also an element of inspiration that comes to you through these two cultures as well? ”I think maybe more of the Vietnamese culture, because my mum is Vietnamese - as I spent more time with her. And my dad wasn't always around. My brother and I became closer to Vietnamese culture. My mum always cooked Vietnamese food and had vietnamese books around.” How did you make your way to Hong Kong? “That’s quite a story (laughs). So just before I was born in Laos, my mum’s parents in Vietnam had to escape because of the Japanese war. So they escaped to the Philippines to Laos - that’s why I was born there. And my dad was originally from the Philippines - but he also worked and played in a musical band in Vietnam. He and the band were playing for the American soldiers in Vietnam beforehand in about the late 60’s. After American soldiers were gone, he moved to Laos - that’s where he met my mum. And after, we had to leave Laos as the Communists were coming in the late 70’s. My mum didn’t have any passport or any travel documents so my dad helped her to get her a Phillipino passport, so he reached out to the embassy and they gave us a big favour. My mum is not a Filipino but they gave her citizenship right away. Then we got to Thailand and from Thailand to Hong Kong.” Wow what a story! How incredible. Because I believe so far what I saw it’s the history that shapes your artwork as well. Especially the figures that you are very well recognized for as well. “I had so many Japanese classmates at school. I remember the first time when I saw sushi I thought to myself how stupid it looked (laughs). But then I tried it and found it super interesting. At that time I had very close Japanese friends - they have always been so smart at school. Japanese are the smartest! It was me and my friend who were planning to go to Japan. We planned that we should have saved our money, go to work and then go to Japan. It was such a teenage dream, we’ve never gone. We never finalized on the idea to go to Japan and then what (laughs). What would we do there? No idea. But then I went later on with my family.” So how did you find Japan after you went? Did it meet all of your expectations? “It was fascinating. Especially the technology and the infrastructure that they have in Tokyo. Then we went to Osaka which is still not as modern as Tokyo, but more traditional, but very beautiful. I found out that the people there are so polite - sometimes too polite. For example when you take steps to the underground or get a train, everyone is very quiet. I was telling my husband - you know the railings that we have in Hong Kong, they used to be so high, people still jump over them. And in Japan the railings are so low but none jumps over them anyway. They are very obedient and structured people. Maybe Hong Kong people can learn a little bit from them too. But at the end of the day I find Hongkongers very funny, I like them just the way they are.” There is something every single day that shows or proves that Hong Kongers are absolutely incredible people. “Yeah, they are not too strict. I think Japanese are very strict, when I went to visit them, I found Hongkongers more relaxed. But right now I am also very fascinated by Chinese culture. It’s because of my experience after finding out how strict Japan is, the Chinese culture is very rich in fashion, food and history.” When it comes to women in Hong Kong, do you think that they have the freedom to express themselves? “Yes I think they have more freedom now then before in my opinion. In the past when I was younger you could always hear that the wife got beat up - especially if she would ask for a divorce. And the husband sometimes had two girlfriends on the side and didn’t care about the family either. But now I feel like it's changing. Now women have more opportunity to work - more than before. In the 60’s or 70’s it was very traditional, then it got better in the 90's.” Do you think you are being recognized as an artist enough? “In here, not very much. When I joined some of the Filipino art schools before I was the only woman. The school was regularly sending some information about us to the galleries for them to check the name and the art. And I got picked by one of the galleries together with my friend. I was so happy. But then later on they thought that I was a man as my official name is Charito. And I went to the gallery and they asked who I was. They were really nicely surprised. As they also had other female artists that the gallery represented. But unfortunately the gallery owner passed away and the gallery shut down. It was the Asia Fine Arts Gallery.” Have you had a chance to exhibit with any other galleries?
“Not yet. I was always moving. Went to Thailand, then to Canada for 6 years and came back again to Hong Kong.” How was life in Canada as an artist? “Oh yeah! We moved to a small town. When I had my exhibition there, everyone was very excited to see my work. I got a lot of exhibitions done and my work was selling very well, I didn't even need any gallery to help me sell my work. We always went to this pub where the owner really liked my art and told me to hang it in the pub. But none bought it and I got no commission. But we could always eat there which was very good. I really liked their homemade french fries.” So after Canada when you came back to Hong Kong what happened? “I went back in 2018 and then went to see my dad straight after in the Philippines for a year. We stayed on the island where my dad lived. We built a beach house there. And in 2019 we came back to Hong Kong. My husband came back to work and then the crazy protest happened. That one year was literally killing the economy. And then after the protest, Covid came in 2020. Oh my gosh. I was looking at galleries but they closed down. Most of them. However, have you heard of the French Club?” No, unfortunately I haven't. “I used to have an exhibition there once in 2007 with my other girlfriend and I was so pleased to hear about them again that they are actually calling for artists.” Amazing! Are you going to apply? “All of my paintings are actually still in the beach house where my dad lived so I don’t have any new ones yet. I will have to try and start making new ones soon. They’re trying to rewrite the art scene in Hong Kong I think.” After the protests and the pandemic, is it hard to get back in touch with Hong Kong galleries in general? “I think so. At least for me. It’s very hard to get into galleries here in Hong Kong. My other artist friends tried to get in as well. The group I used to join, would collectively try to apply and seek out new opportunities. The Hong Kong government would usually sponsor that art group or the event - the government would help to get you the funds and the space too. We used to exhibit in Tsim Tsa Tsui and The Hong Kong art gallery as well.” Sounds like an excellent opportunity. Hopefully the art scene in Hong Kong will pick it up again after the pandemics is over. “Yes, we need at least 8 different artists and get the events going.” Absolutely! Hopefully Creative Womxn in Hong Kong will create the opportunity to make this happen! “I just remembered (laughs). This one funny incident that happened to me when we were exhibiting in the Mid-Levels. And the owner at the gallery asked if I finished my painting. And I said “Yeye it’s ready, but it’s an oil painting and it takes a long time to dry. I already took it to the exhibition at the gallery but the painting was still wet and I even put out the sign in the gallery “please don’t touch”. It was a very bright shiny red colour on the artwork. And people never read the sign, they would come so close and they would have bright red marks on their sleeves and clothes. And the gallery owner would start laughing: “Kim oh my gosh you are victimizing our gallery visitors!” (laughs). As they have never seen an artist bring wet paint to the gallery.” To come back to the present moment - where do you take your biggest inspiration from right now? “I’m very big on spirituality at the moment, like the principles of opening your third eye. I am very interested in that as so many books that I read said that once you open your third eye you become more sensitive and aware of what's happening around you. You can see a lot of things. I also observe the fact of competition between women and the comparison. Why would you even do that? You would lose your uniqueness!” I feel like women compete with themselves because of expectations from society…What do you think that Hong Kong holds for female artists? “There is so much room for a lot of potential - for women to be able to emerge in the art scene. Sometimes even if they can't draw or paint, they always have some kind of ideas. Everytime I see some kinds of paintings , they never need to be perfect. It’s always about the inspiration and how it makes you feel. It helps a lot. Only women can express themselves like that.” Follow Kim’s Instagram on: @kim_helgason_art To check Kim’s Gift Cards follow: @charitocards Follow Creative Womxn in Hong Kong on Facebook and Instagram: @creativewomxninhongkong
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AuthorAlex Edwards is a founder of Creative Womxn in Hong Kong who has media and journalism background but also experience in art community development and social media management. Archives
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