Cary Kwok is a London and Hong Kong based artist well known for his exquisite ball point pen drawings. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he attended a footwear course there before moving to London to further his studies in the mid 90s spending six years at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design studying fashion at BA and MA levels. He graduated in 2001 with an MA in Fashion Design (Womenswear).
A fascination with fashion, period costumes, footwear and sexuality forms the nucleus of Kwok’s subject matter, the diversity of styles and street fashion of London as well as period films also influence him greatly. Subjects range from explicit male nudes to period portraits and still lifes. Hairstyles and shoes are among his favoured subjects with work often subtly alluding to issues of race, ethnicity, culture, gender and sexual equality.
Cary has exhibited internationally in London, New York, Miami, Tokyo, Geneva and Zurich, including shows at Galerie Emanuel Perrotin, Miami, Attention to Detail curated by Chuck Close at FLAG Art Foundation, New York, Rude Britannia at the Tate Britain, London, Taro Nasu, Tokyo and Hauser & Wirth, Zurich.
Born in Hong Kong
Lives and works in London, UK
'Sky Rebel Crusade' is the first of an on-going comic styled series of work under the series name 'Citizen Kame'. Greatly inspired by my fascination for graphic art, comic books and fashion, this series raises awareness of the injustices we face in society: all forms of oppression, bullying and unfairness whether related to gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. The narrative is a group of people from different parts of the world who form a secret group of insurgents called ‘Sky Rebels’ to fight injustice, using empathy as the force behind their cause. Set at the turn of the last century with an alternate universe futuristic setting, the story reflects the naivety of believing that everything is based on peace, justice and freedom now.
The politics behind 'Sky Rebel Crusade’ contain subtle resonances about racial, ethnic, sexual and gender equality, interpreted with my sense of humour. Living in the UK and Europe as a non-white member of an ethnic minority as well as a gay man of "colour" has given me an opportunity to see myself in a different light. It taught me to appreciate my own culture and the differences of others.
I’ve been asked why the people I draw are stereotypical and why I don’t make them ambiguous if I am trying to say we’re all the same. Although we share a common humanity we should still be able to be individuals and of different cultures through acceptance and appreciation. I do not pretend we have no differences, because that would be failing to acknowledge the diversity of cultures the world provides, and also a form of discrimination. We need to find a way to co-exist happily and respect one another’s differences. Although we are culturally different, we also share a lot of similarities. We, humans are fundamentally just the same.
