To celebrate the grand opening of Alisan Atelier, Alisan Fine Arts proudly presents Remaining the Mountain, Becoming the Ocean - A Joint Exhibition of Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi as the inaugural exhibition of Alisan Atelier, featuring the first joint showcase of artist duo Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi. Although the gallery has worked with the artists respectively since 2007, this exhibition is the first joint presentation, both in curatorial coherence and exhibition design. It exemplifies Alisan Atelier's mission of fostering collaborative artistic dialogue, highlighting the two Hong Kong natives’ interdisciplinary exploration of Chinese aesthetics. Featuring 22 recent works by Mok and Man across a wide range of materials and media, this exhibition is a meditation on the concept of duality and companionship, offering insights into the duo’s creative process and the philosophical underpinnings of their art. Both graduates of the Fine Arts Department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Mok and Man have developed distinct yet complementary artistic styles that blend traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary forms of expression.

Professor Tang Hoi-chiu, Adjunct Professor at the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, and former Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, remarks: “In the realm of art, Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi are rare ‘soulmates.’ Mok Yat-san focuses on ink, using sculptural forms to create unique horizon through three dimensional works, while Man Fung-yi embraces the acute perception and gentle tranquility of the feminine heart, navigating with multimedia techniques of incense burnt marks, ink aesthetics, digital presentation and embroidery imagery to create her artistic vision. Both artists walk hand-in-hand on the artistic path, striving for fresh representations of ink art with their recent works in the present exhibition.”

Both artists have completed numerous significant commissions across Hong Kong, including works for Hong Kong International Airport, Tamar Park in Admiralty, the Hong Kong Legislative Council, International Commerce Centre, and various MTR stations. Their works are also held in prestigious collections such as those of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; M+, Hong Kong; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Hong Kong Heritage Museum; and Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art, Guangzhou.

Highlights include Mok Yat-san’s “Pleasure in the Hills” series (2022), which explores mythical mountains of ancient Chinese legends, and his “Returning Back to Zero” (2024), a bamboo carving of a thousand words as clarification of the mind during a challenging time. Man Fung-yi’s works, such as “Microscopic Landscape,” featured in ‘Personal Structures – Beyond Boundaries’ at the 60th Venice Biennale this year, showcase her multidisciplinary approach, moving freely between incense-burn marks, metal-lattice work, and digital video. The “Mokman’s Cosmology” series, four new collaborative works, synthesizes their past experiences and insights about landscapes, nature, and the universe into the couple’s first formal joint “ink paintings.”

CURATOR TALK:
In Between Yin and Yang
A conversation with Professor Tang Hoi-chiu, Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi
Saturday, 9 November 2024
3pm-5pm
Guided tour at 3:15PM, the talk begins at 4PM
The talk will be live streamed on Instagram @alisanfinearts starting at 4PM HKT
Yin and Yang, man and woman, husband and wife are "two poles," "two principles." Are they friction or harmony? Are they burning flames or sparkling stars? According to Professor Tang, in the realm of art, Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi are rare "soulmates," in search for their hearts' origin and making marks on the world, together.

ARTIST MEET & GREET
The Gift of Companionship:
A Special Holiday Season Event with Mok Yat-san
#SouthsideSaturday
Saturday, 30 November 2024
2pm-6pm
Join us at Alisan Atelier to celebrate the holiday season with a special meet & greet featuring artist Mok Yat-san. Enjoy personal guided tours throughout the afternoon, exploring the exhibition that contemplates themes of duality and companionship.

CLOSING EVENT - Mok Yat-san & Man Fung-yi on-site demonstration
Saturday, 18 January 2025
Guided Tour: 2:00 to 2:45 pm
Artists Demonstration: 2:45 to 3:30 pm

Join us at the exhibition closing event featuring a guided tour by the ink and mixed media artist Eric Fung Yee Lick and an on-site demonstration by Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi which will culminate in a collaborative artwork based on the sea view beyond the window in our gallery. It will be a rare opportunity to observe up close the artists’ creative process and enjoy the wonderful views of Magazine Island and Lamma Island from afar.

About Eric Fung
Born in Hong Kong in 1985, Fung received an MA in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and an MA in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, UK. Currently, he teaches Chinese Calligraphy at HKU SPACE.


1904 Hing Wai Centre, 7 Tin Wan Praya Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Wed to Sat, 10am to 6pm