Born in 1993 in Hong Kong, Giraffe Leung Lok Hei obtained his M.A in Fine Arts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2021. Leung renders his artistic language a sensitive and thought-provoking channel in the re-imagination of our daily, local encounter. Anchoring on a myriad of mediums and materials, together with his personal sensitivity towards the dynamics between the seen and the unseen, Leung’s works seek to engage the audience with an experience that redirect their attention to happenings one shall never be accustomed to.

The artist continues his artistic experimentation with found objects and instantly reacts to the daily nonsense with his works. While rendering his works as a form of documentation, the artist also proactively engages the audience with an experience that probes a powerful reflection on the power dynamics between our daily encounter and biopolitics.

Can you tell us about your background and how you started your artistic journey?

I graduated from a design school, and after working for over a year, I realized that a career in design wasn’t quite right for me. At just 22 years old, I decisively transitioned into creating art, and I have continued to do so ever since.

What are the main themes or concepts you explore in your work?

My creative process relies on instinct and intuition, and my style consistently reflects the information absorbed from life, particularly through the reassembly of ready-made and everyday objects from reality. My artistic perspective reveals the connection between the reinterpretation of material meaning and my inner expression. This idea, rooted in the most familiar aspects of daily life, goes beyond surface-level engagement, gradually delving into the core of the work to uncover rich transformative dimensions, allowing viewers to experience a blend of familiar visuals and unknown imaginings.

Can you describe a recent project or artwork that you are particularly proud of?

A series of map creations reflect an independent experiment conducted between 2022 and 2025, establishing a potential dialogue with both preceding and subsequent works in Giraffe’s retrospective in 2024. After two years of piecing together the “Utopia Island Map,” he created a fictional island world based on the map of Hong Kong. He tore and reassembled the core material of the exhibition—maps—into pieces that are both familiar and strange, metaphorically representing the dislocation and reconstruction experienced by friends after immigration. This work seeks to respond to the emotional fractures brought about by waves of migration—serving as a projection of personal feelings as well as a reflection on social change.

How do your personal experiences and identity influence your art and the medium you choose? What is your creative process like?

In today’s digital age, paper maps are no longer a daily necessity; they have been replaced by Google Maps and satellite technology. However, “maps themselves embody a language of boundaries, plates, and power, which aligns closely with my creative context.” The choice of maps is not only due to their geographical function but also because they metaphorically represent the limits of identity and social change, carrying specific imaginative spaces.

The existing traces of roads, mountain contours, and coastal boundaries on the map become the starting point for my work. Unlike painting, a map is not a blank canvas; I cannot freely apply colors or draw lines as I wish. I tear apart and reorganize the map, yet I am always constrained by its original structure. This “tugging” and the inability to completely dominate the process create a freedom that is also very limited, allowing me to find possibilities for expression within a constrained framework.

This semi-controlled state enables the work to transcend mere visual presentation, becoming an indispensable element of my creation—maps serve both as materials and as conversational partners, engaging in a dialogue with my creative intentions. Furthermore, the process of tearing and reorganizing transforms these traces into a unique artistic language system, depicting a linguistic landscape that reveals the underlying spiritual aspects and the process of image generation.

In addition to the reassembled maps, there are also works that combine pencil sketches of urban planning and natural landscapes. The choice of pencil stems from a creative approach deeply rooted in personal experience. I imagine myself entering the world of the artwork, sketchbook and pencil in hand, as if continuing the habit of spontaneously drawing in the shade of a tree or on a street corner while traveling—making a brief stop to quickly record my observations before moving on. The pencil serves as a tool for exploring fictional landscapes and capturing immediate experiences. The use of black and white monochrome emphasizes a commitment to the essence of “documentation,” particularly focusing on the direct conveyance of inner feelings.

Text & photo courtesy of Giraffe Leung Lok Hei

Website: https://www.giraffeleung.com
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