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Karin Weber Gallery is excited to announce ‘Botanical Wonders’, a group show examining the marvels of the natural world through the lens of a diverse group of artists, mostly local to Hong Kong, with a gallery debut by UK artist Annette Marie Townsend.

As Mankind and nature have always been inextricably linked, so has engagement with nature in art. Drawing from a long line of nature-focused artists through different histories and cultures, the six artists in this group show engage with the botanical world in a variety of compelling mediums.

The plant-inspired works making an appearance in ‘Botanical Wonders’ may directly represent their real-life counterparts, as in the meticulous replica flowers created by Annette Marie Townsend. For this show, Townsend has drawn on traditional Chinese flowers like Orchids, Camellias or Chrysanthemums, all rich in meaning and iconography across Chinese and Western cultures, executed in Townsend’s signature style which borders on hyper-realism.

Works may distort or amplify nature, as in Elizabeth Fong’s bronze and stoneware installation I Prefer Flowers, which draws inspiration from the old children’s story of the tooth fairy, and links the value of flowers to a commercial transaction. Tobe Kan works with classical floral subjects in a monochrome blue and white palette to explore themes of subjectivity and distortion, on the cusp between dreams and reality. Celebrated designer OrangeTerry has created vases using stone and clay to investigate their beauty.

Alternatively, artists may use nature as a springboard for exploring broader concepts, such as June Ho in her linocut works, once again engaging with her core artistic themes of identity and integration, expressed through prints of the local Hong Kong bauhinia tree, and the southern Chinese orchid tree in this show. Annebell Chan’s flower installation, created from ready-made objects, explores the soothing effects of flower appreciation, similar to reading poetry or listening to music.

Nature remains an endless source of fascination, creative inspiration, and an increasingly precious part of all our lives. We are excited to present some very special interpretations in ‘Botanical Wonders’ at Karin Weber Gallery.

About the Artists:

Annette Marie Townsend (b. 1973, Wales, UK) is a Welsh interdisciplinary artist specialising in the field of Natural History. After graduating with a BA(Hons.) Design in 1995, she was employed by Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, UK, as a Scientific Artist. She also trained and qualified as a Natural Science Conservator. Townsend now works as an independent artist from her urban garden studio in Cardiff. She creates artwork inspired by the natural world which expresses a fascination with intricate detail, realism and beauty and draws direct reference to her experience in preserving, documenting and storing scientific specimens in a museum context. Her works are held in the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, in the public galleries at the National Museum Cardiff, the Big Pit National Coal Museum, Wales and growing private collections in the UK and Europe.

June Ho (b. 1990, China) graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2015. She has been involved in several book projects and has previously shown in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Taking inspiration from her personal experiences, Ho condenses and reconstructs familiar and foreign sceneries in everyday life to portray her diaspora identity. Her works often depict the complex feelings of indifference, uncertainty, anxiety and attachment associated with her birthplace and current home. For ‘Botanical Wonders’, June Ho has explored the flora of Hong Kong and southern China, emblematic of transported cultures and fused identities.

Tobe Kan (born in Hong Kong) holds a joint BFA from RMIT University, Australia and Hong Kong Art School (2017). Her current practice experiments with painting, drawing, and installation, exploring themes of liminality and impermanence, insecurity and alienation, the boundaries between dreams and reality. Kan has participated in numerous gallery exhibitions around Hong Kong and the USA. Recent institutional shows include Tai Kwun, Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Arts Centre.

Annebell Chan (b.1993, Hong Kong) graduated with a BA(Hons.) in Fine Arts co- presented by the Hong Kong Art School and the RMIT University, Australia. She creates sculptures, paintings, installations and films that engage with presenting humanity. In 2017, Annebell Chan was the artist in residence at Spring Workshop, Hong Kong.

Elizabeth Fong (b. 1998, Hong Kong) holds a BFA from RMIT University in Hong Kong (2021). Her artistic practice focuses on ceramic sculpture, creating new species to reflect small details of life, products of her unique imagination. Her goal is to create and display her own archive of imagined creatures. In 2022, Elizabeth Fong won the Vitamin D award, Inverse 2022 in Hong Kong.

OrangeTerry (b.1993, Hong Kong) graduated with a BA(Hons.) in Design from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2015. Fusing his designer background and training with a strong creative streak. OrangeTerry effortlessly bridges the worlds of art and design. In 2022, he was one of the local artists invited to participate in the Rimowa brand sponsored art show ‘As Seen By,’ creating unique art pieces using the brand’s own luggage materials.