Latest news with #HongKong-themed
The Mainichi
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Hong Kong 'Super Fan' from Japan weaves art in city's vivid colors
OSAKA -- Japanese embroidery artist Katsumi Takeoka features Hong Kong themes such as pandas and "yum cha" dim sum and tea breakfasts in her works that are catching eyes both in Hong Kong and Japan. Based in Osaka, Takeoka is passionate about Hong Kong and was certified as a "Hong Kong Super Fan" by the Hong Kong Tourism Board in 2021. Among her creations is "Panda Paradise," with fuzzy pandas so cute one wants to pet them, gathered around a table. Other motifs include hanging roasted ducks found in shopfronts, bottles of oyster sauce and "bo lo yau" buns with butter in the center, closely reflecting daily Hong Kong life. Takeoka uses a technique called "punch needle" to give her embroidery a three-dimensional, fluffy look, employing thick yarn rather than traditional embroidery thread along with a specialized needle. The result is visually dynamic, and she sometimes adds beads or sequins to further accentuate the "kawaii" (cute) appeal. The artist spoke about how the lively image of Hong Kong seen in vibrant signboards or neon lights owes itself to traditional feng shui color practices. "Colors like red and gold, which symbolize health and prosperity, are preferred and used everywhere in the city, perhaps making it feel so energetic," Takeoka said. After graduating from art university, Takeoka worked as a designer for a baby bedding manufacturer. Her first visit to Hong Kong was in 1999. As someone accustomed to pale pastel hues for baby products, she found the Hong Kong cityscape to be a stimulating "flood of color." As her work involved using computers, she realized she wanted to create something by hand. She then remembered a "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" embroidery kit her mother bought her when she was a child. Takeoka resumed embroidery, starting her career as an artist in 2000. About 10 years ago, she purchased beads and sequins in Hong Kong and began thinking it might be interesting to make Hong Kong-themed works using the materials. In 2021, the Hong Kong Tourism Board ran a coloring contest featuring scenes of the city as part of a campaign. Although Takeoka was unable to enter during the application period, she converted a coloring design into an embroidery piece and posted it on Instagram, catching the attention of tourism board officials. In 2023, she was invited to participate in an art exhibition in Hong Kong, where she also worked on a joint project with a local artist. People often ask if Takeoka plans to move to Hong Kong, but her answer is a no. "I always want to keep the sense of excitement I feel as a tourist." For future projects, she is interested in the theme of "Neo-Hong Kong:" "I want to express a futuristic, ever-evolving Hong Kong," she said, her eyes gleaming with creative determination. Aside from embroidery, Takeoka also creates pieces with tufting, a weaving technique for carpets and other fabrics. (Japanese original by Mayu Maemoto, Osaka City News Department)
South China Morning Post
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
New Hong Kong restaurants, coffee shops, bars to try in April 2025 and a pop-up cake shop
With Hong Kong's weather set to cool again in the coming days, April promises some cool new flavours for the city's palates. Advertisement One of the most exciting newcomers is a cheese-focused concept by Jeremy Evrard, the city's most prominent fromager (cheesemaker) and formerly of Four Seasons Hong Kong fame, and a new coffee shop from The Arcane Collective. A Petrus alumnus has spread his wings to open a distinctly Hong Kong-themed fine dining restaurant. Japanese concepts still pepper the city's dining scene: there is a new shabu-shabu restaurant in Causeway Bay and more ramen places opening in the coming months. Read on to see what else is new. Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang of Always Joy, their new izakaya restaurant in Sheung Wan. Photo: Instagram/lindsayjang 1. Always Joy Following the closure of their restaurant Ronin, Lindsay Jang and Matt Abergel have opened their newest venture – right next to their Yardbird restaurant on Wing Lok Street in Sheung Wan.
