家.香港
HOME. HONG KONG
Top: Paintings are 36”W x 48”L, acrylic on canvas
From left to right: Hong Kong, Home (in Cantonese), Inherited/Passing On, Reunion
Bottom: Paintings are 18” x 18”, acrylic on canvas
From left to right: Home, Residence/Habitation, Harmony and Peace, Merging in Harmony (also my name in Chinese)
In the fall of 2016, Yvonne Kwok curated her first public exhibition, Home. Hong Kong. The exhibition explored themes of home, family, heritage, and traditional Asian culture—a heartfelt homage to the city that raised her. Collaborating with her father, Yvonne combined her paintings with his traditional Chinese calligraphy to express their shared interpretations of what "home" means.
Yvonne’s father was her mentor in penmanship and Chinese calligraphy, and some of her fondest childhood memories are of learning to write beautifully under his guidance. Working alongside him for this exhibition was especially meaningful, allowing them to share their love for their hometown of Hong Kong with an audience in New York City.
All paintings are 20”x20”, acrylic on canvas
From left to right: 武 Martial, 仁 Benevolence/ Humanity, 義 Righteousness/Morality, 禮 Courtesy, 智 Wisdom, 信 Trust
In spring 2019, Yvonne created the collection titled Dual, consisting of six paintings that blend elements of both martial and artistic concepts. Each painting features a traditional Chinese character representing the core virtues of a martial artist and a well-rounded individual. Five of these characters — 仁 (benevolence), 義 (righteousness), 禮 (propriety), 智 (wisdom), 信 (trustworthiness)—are the five constant virtues in Confucianism.
In traditional Chinese art and culture, the colors black, red, qing (a combination of green and blue), white, and yellow are considered the five standard colors, which Yvonne incorporated into this collection. The radical of each character is highlighted, symbolizing the root and essence of its meaning.
雙 DUAL
Before viewing the artwork, our first exercise is to understand the extreme aspects in the Chinese character: 武. The saying "止戈為武" embodies the spirit of this exhibition. Not only does this phrase contain multiple interpretations, but these interpretations combine to create a holistic idea.
武 - Martial
止 - The radical of “武”, previously meant "walk towards"; modern meaning is "stop"
戈 - Combat
Therefore:
"止戈為武" - 止 and 戈 combine to make 武
"止戈為武" - Martial Arts means to walk the path of combat
"止戈為武" - Martial Arts means to stop combat
Historically, wars and combat were often seen as inevitable. However, as Yvonne believes, while acquiring martial skills is important, cultivating the correct mindset and virtues is equally, if not more, crucial. With the right mindset, martial skills should be used to control and end combat, rather than provoke or escalate violence. This reflects the ultimate meaning of "止戈為武" (to stop the weapon is true martial arts).
As the curator of the exhibit, Yin & Yang of Martial Arts, Yvonne Kwok encourages viewers to understand the nature of martial arts through the dichotomous aspects inherent in its holistic practice and wisdom. The Yin and Yang symbol represents two opposing forces; black and white must interact and complement each other to achieve ultimate balance.
For this exhibition, Yvonne’s father wrote twelve Chinese idioms in traditional Chinese calligraphy, while Yvonne painted the characters that carry opposing meanings within each idiom. Through engaging with the idioms and characters, Yvonne hopes viewers will be inspired by the artwork and apply the concepts of Yin and Yang and the idioms to their own training, learning, thinking, and living.
止戈為武
YIN & YANG OF MARTIAL ARTS
All paintings are 24” x 24”, acrylic on cancas
The Kwok family; also showing an example of how the artwork are displayed.
融和/ Harmony, 48” x 48”, acrylic on canvas
融和 (Harmony) is the final piece of the Yin & Yang of Martial Arts exhibit. Harmony represents the concept of blending peacefully, even when some elements are perceived as unrelated or irrelevant. Drawing from Yvonne Kwok’s background in Chinese calligraphy, Western abstract painting, and graphic design, Harmony serves as a medium through which she merges her passion for all three artistic practices.
For Yvonne, art is about creating from the heart and thinking outside the box. Harmony embodies her challenge to viewers to approach a "painting" from a new perspective. The dots and parallel lines in the piece symbolize individuals in the world—though independent and unique, they coexist and come together to create something beautiful and meaningful. The blues and greens represent the land and ocean, reflecting humanity’s pursuit of peace and harmony in the world. At the same time, the piece serves as a reminder that it is equally important to cultivate harmony within oneself.
