In Retrospect: Leung Chi Wo, Warren

Our guest this month, Leung Chi Wo, Warren, is a visual artist who needs no formal introduction as most of us in Hong Kong are acquainted with his conceptual and inquisitive approach to his multi-media works, which have been featured in major international exhibitions and publications since the 1990s. Warren is widely known as the co-founder of Para Site, a leading non-profit contemporary art organisation in Hong Kong and one of the oldest independent art institutions in Asia. He is also an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong.

First Edition had the opportunity to interview Warren about his interest in exploring the intrinsic connections between site, history and memory in his interdisciplinary works, and recent exhibitions, such as ‘Home and Non-home’ at the Eaton Hotel in 2020, that explore community relationships. In addition, it was a delightful experience to learn about Warren’s memorable private encounters with artists and early education background firsthand. During our conversation, it came as a pleasant surprise when he vividly recalled his early training days to become a professional swimmer before pursuing art seriously. He explained that studying art stemmed from practical circumstances, which unexpectedly turned into a lifelong pursuit after his formative exchange years in Europe and his editorial role in Joint Publishing.

Make sure to tune in to this episode to learn more about Warren’s career in retrospect, current state of mind about practicing art under covid withstraints or the “new normal”, and for some invaluable insights into what it takes to be an artist in Hong Kong.