During my early years, I lived in Mainland China. My mother often brought me along as she traveled across various regions for work. Her career spanned several fields including journalism, trade, and publishing. The precise sequence of her professional endeavors remains unclear to me, but I do recall our frequent moves among these places. Shanghai, Shenzhen And Nanning, close to the Vietnamese border. When I was about 12 years old, I was dispatched to England. Similar to numerous youngsters during that era, I was among the group of children who were sent overseas for education.
Luck of the draw
In primary school, we were encouraged to maintain a journal. I recall my teacher mentioning, "There's no need to begin your diary with ' jintian 'Today, you could begin by illustrating your day, adding a touch of creativity.' I must have been around eight or nine at the time. Personally, I preferred painting my days over merely documenting events that took place.
Finding a forte
Back when I was in mainland China, fields like art were not seen as legitimate subjects—anything beyond literature and science took a back seat. Consequently, it wasn’t until I relocated to England that I discovered my passion for art and design. It was only after being awarded a scholarship for my A-Level art studies that I thought to myself, “Maybe this could actually turn into a viable career.”
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Express permission
When I was around 15 or 16 years old, my teacher brought to my attention Alberto Giacometti's work His creations aren’t particularly straightforward— they’re neither visually stunning nor vibrantly colored. However, I found myself intrigued by the backstory and reasons behind this artist’s production of such somber pieces. The weightiness present in both his paintings and sculptures struck me. For me, this represented the duality of what art can signify. Art isn’t merely about pleasant aspects of life; rather, it serves as an expressive medium and a historical record. This realization encouraged me to embrace art differently, viewing it through the lens of personal narrative and cultural documentation.
Master plan
My mom wasn’t supportive of my decision to pursue a fine arts degree. She felt that I should opt for something related to art, but with better prospects for employment. As a result, I went ahead with that alternative. urban design and planning at University College London, where I received an unconditional offer to continue my master's. I negotiated with my mother again to do art history for my master's because I had architectural history as a foundation.
Goodbye, Gagosian
During my master’s program, I worked in galleries and also interned at the Pinta Art Fair. Later, I received an invitation from the Gagosian to serve as a registrar. However, I chose to join my then boyfriend, who was living in Dubai, turning down the opportunity offered by Gagosian to relocate there with him.
Hello, Dubai
The first time I went to Dubai, sometime between 2008 and 2009, the city was just starting to develop its modern art scene. I searched for galleries but could find only one or two. After interning at Art Dubai, I started looking into various possibilities, which led me to meet an individual named Rami Farook, who happened to be a private collector. He gave me employment. At that point, I informed my mom with these words: “I’ve landed a position in Dubai.”
Moving on up
I applied to Art Basel Since I learned about the plan for a new exhibition opening in Hong Kong back in 2012, I decided to apply, not really expecting anything from it. However, I received a phone call the very next day. Before long, within just three weeks, I found myself relocating to Hong Kong.
Community spirit
Upon my arrival in Hong Kong When I initially came to Dubai, the art world had significantly expanded compared to my early days there. However, the strong feeling of camaraderie, where everyone supported one another, remained comfortably recognizable, making the adjustment smooth. From Rami, I understood the significance of having a supportive community, which has stayed with me ever since. Over this span of 13 years, I believe I have developed alongside Hong Kong’s artistic circle.
In the family
I am blessed with two kids who live surrounded by art, which wasn’t always the case for me. Since they were infants, we've attended Art Basel together. When my eldest child arrived in early February, the next big event at this exhibition was just around the corner in March. Even as a newborn only one month old, he joined us at his inaugural Art Basel show. This has been an ongoing tradition ever since. My children exhibit remarkable creativity through painting; each expresses themselves freely without being confined by notions of correctness or error regarding artistic principles. For these young ones, engaging with art seems almost innate—a natural aspect woven into their essence from birth.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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