In his Tik Ka from East series, he has drawn the Guardians of the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, various Star Wars characters, and even characters from the Minions movies in old school Chinese clothes.
Other than these mash-ups, Tik Ka has exhibited his paintings internationally in cities like London, Paris, New York and Milan. He has also designed for vinyl toys, like the attractive Hambuddha series, and the Chinese-looking Santa Guan figurines.
Red Dot Diva: Before Tik Ka from East series, you have another one featuring cute, cherubic babies, especially one called Chizi. How did this baby theme come about?
Tik Ka (TK): I started from contemporary art. Before my discovery to infuse Chinese elements into the baby theme, I was a creative for an advertising firm. It was a highly charged profession, and I felt the strain. And it made me wonder if that is what I really wanted. I decided to leave that profession behind and concentrate on painting. I feel complete when I am busy with my paintings, and I have no regrets with that decision.
TK: The baby painting art world or “Chizi”, is maintained throughout my paintings, while Tik Ka from East was derived from a culmination of Chinese elements. My years experiencing the mix of East and West culture while growing up in post-colonial Hong Kong has inspired me artistically. I try to mix these elements in my works, and I see the finished product as a representation of myself.
Red Dot Diva: The Chinese opera costumes in these mash-up drawings are very detailed. Did you do a lot of research on this?
TK: I love Chinese culture! From the splendid food their dramatic opera, and its rich history and have spent countless hours researching. It is thus wise to find a balance between East and West elements, sort of like finding a common ground so as not to misrepresent any culture.
