Design City: Talent Spotlight in Hong Kong 
Interview with .KS.1

TAXI >> Who is .KS.1 and how did you get started? .KS.1 >> ks(wor.ks.1.ow) has been a street artist in Hong Kong since 2000. The "my little spokesman" project can be seen across Hong Kong, spreading his message to all people who pay attention on the street. He is also involved in illustration work and design. Recently, he has established an online photo magazine, http://the-ideo.org,‘the-ideo.’ He is yet to be a professional photographer, though; he'd still love to take some bad shots. TAXI >> In your opinion, what do you think of the current design scene in Hong Kong? .KS.1 >> Nowadays, Hong Kong has a lot of different styles in its design scene. But most designer's styles are easy to recognize, because Hong Kong has a unusual climate, clients always want references, not original ones. It makes most creative people discouraged. TAXI >> Your "Little Spokesman Project" which carries a catchy motto, " Play Hard, Work Slow" has combed the streets of Hong Kong. What made you decide to embark on this project? And how do you play hard? .KS.1 >> The underlying message of this; I want to mock. As people say in slang, "Play Hard, Work Hard". I see many people saying that but not many people are able to do that. People like to play much more than work. Sometimes when you really WORK hard but can't create something nice, try turning your mood to PLAY. TAXI >> How would you describe your own personal style which sets you apart from the other Hong Kong designers? .KS.1 >> I really don’t know what my personal style is now, I’m still trying out different ways and I hope I can ascertain my own style. And I just put my work in a public space...not apart from the other Hong Kong designers or artists, it makes me closer to them. TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in Hong Kong's design industry, and how do you think you can contribute as an individual? .KS.1 >> Hong Kong lacks chances. You can do whatever you want individually, but you can also bring out some new ideas in a group. So I don't think I can always contribute as an individual, I only have one brain.

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 Design City: Talent Spotlight in Hong Kong 
Interview with ChinaStylus

TAXI >> It would be great if you could give us an introduction to ChinaStylus. How did it get started and who works the magic for ChinaStylus? ChinaStylus >> China Stylus is an integrated, full service creative studio that was created – like so many companies – through a frustration of being in a restrictive and draining corporate environment. We started the studio small 6 years ago and have steadily grown in size and reputation, while always remaining true to our original objective and NOT becoming what we’d already left. The magic in the studio is worked by every single one of the China Stylus team – the artists, designers, managers, collaborators, friends, family, our two cats and our very old, wheezy but friendly little dog. TAXI >> “We like to push the limits of what we do creatively, but we also understand that we are in the commercial business”. How often does this conflict of interest hinder the progression of a project and how would ChinaStylus overcome it? ChinaStylus >> We called our first book “Creativity vs Commerce” and that’s really become our whole philosophy. It’s all about balance. I believe that we can bring creativity to any project, but of course sometimes the balance isn’t ideal. Having said that, the better paying work that may not allow us to flex our creative muscles really helps to subsidize some of the more creative, low – or no – income projects. So the balance is one we try to achieve overall as a studio – of course we want to be creative, but we also have to be realistic and pay the rent. TAXI >> How would you describe the current design scene in Hong Kong? ChinaStylus >> Growing, evolving and ready to stand up and be taken note of. There is some incredible creative talent in this town and its time that clients and consumers stopped looking overseas for quality creatives – we have it right here on our door step. Our new magazine project that we’re producing with partners Red Dog Studio is called GALLERI and the whole point of the publication is to draw attention to these people – illustrators, photographers, artists, sculptors… It’s time the creative scene in Hong Kong stood up for itself! TAXI >> This year, ChinaStylus was commissioned to create the retail branding for Italian Motorcycle brand ‘Berik’, for the launch of their first store in Hong Kong. Could you tell us more on what it was like to work with them and what was the creative approach ChinaStylus took for this project? ChinaStylus >> It was a great project. The best part was being involved right from the beginning so that we could really explore the possibilities in parallel with the shop’s interior designers. The result was so much more than it could have been – rather than just getting us to create some graphics for the walls or whatever, we were able to create a fully interactive multi-media installation that took the whole brief so much further. For us that was great because we were really able to think across the board and try things that we’ve not done before – and that also made it a great learning experience. TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in Hong Kong’s design industry, and how do you think you can contribute as a creative company? ChinaStylus >> Faith. That’s all that’s missing. As I said – there is plenty of great creative talent in this town, yet clients, larger agencies and even to an extent the local consumers just do not believe that “Made in Hong Kong” can be as good as New York or London or whatever. That’s bullshit. Hong Kong is as good as most and better than many cities in the world – all we need is for our own people to realize it. Our Galleri Magazine project is a DIRECT attempt to help this happen. Its time consuming and expensive – but its worth it… The bigger and better the whole scene, the better for all involved in it.

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 Design City: Talent Spotlight in Hong Kong 
Interview with *COM

TAXI >> Hidden behind the mysterious mask, who exactly is *COM and what kind of person is he? *COM >> Actually I’m not trying to be mysterious, I’m just shy and find it difficult to talk about myself and what I do… I don’t particularly over value myself or the work that I do – I’m just a guy that enjoys the creative process and have developed my own simple style that I enjoy playing around with. I like getting my hands dirty. I’m just a kid really. TAXI >> You’re the founding member and driving force behind ST/ART collective. What was the driving force which made you decide to start this? *COM >> There’s strength and support in numbers. By forming a collective it means we can all help and encourage each other to do what we love doing. And it pushes us all to be better and to improve. A collective face also demonstrates the variety of styles that exist and perhaps therefore makes people take us a little more seriously and truly appreciate what we’re trying to do. TAXI >> How would you describe the current design scene in Hong Kong? *COM >> Varied and changing. Just like any other city in the world. There’s the great and there’s the average. There are people who push things further and there are people who ride those waves. There are triumphs and frustrations. TAXI >> Besides the ST/ART collective, what are some of the projects which you are currently working on? *COM >> The thing I’m most excited about and happy to be working on right now is the HIGH & DRY project. It’s a huge multi media exhibition / awareness campaign designed to try and save Central Hong Kong’s oldest neighborhood street market – which the government in its wisdom have decided to replace with tower blocks and a theme park style “nostalgia” street. It’s being organized by www.worldcitycommittee.com and I’m really happy to have been invited to contribute and help out. As my home and studio is in the heart of the area that the government proposes to destroy, it’s an issue very close to my heart and I really think that we have a chance to make a difference through some positive action. Please check it out and support the cause! TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in Hong Kong’s design industry, and how do you think you can contribute as a creative individual? *COM >> The only thing that’s ever lacking in any creative community is a real and wide appreciation for the work being created. There’s never a shortage of people creating, but the audience is often limited. All we can do about that is to keep on trying. Keep on putting on shows, exhibitions, events… Keep on spreading the word via the streets, websites, and magazines, whatever… Just try and make ourselves heard and never stop believing that there is a valuable and positive point in what we’re trying to do.

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 Design City: Talent Spotlight in Hong Kong 
Interview with ESP Visuals

TAXI >> Fill us in, what’s the story behind ESP Visuals, how did you guys get started? ESP Visuals >> ESPVisuals (Extra Sensory Perception) started in Hong Kong around 1998 when my friends and I formed a casual crew of friends with very similar interests in art, music and life in general, whilst attending Shatin college. As the years passed and we all attended University in the UK in various places, ESPV grew into a real art collective of around 5 or six people and began, firstly in art and making music which grew into street art, graffiti, graphic design, animation and film between 1999-2007. Today ESPV is split with artists Dkoda, Irie and Selph working out of London and PHilfy in Hong Kong. The crew is still going strong with new websites, blogs, film and animation launched in 2006-07 and some new Crazy Label, / ESPVisuals toys to be released worldwide later this year.. TAXI >> Four men spearheading this company, how do you guys resolve conflicts or varying opinions when working on projects? ESP Visuals >> No doubt, working with your closest friends is indeed one of the most amazing, fun and challenging experiences we’ve had. We have had our fair share of disagreements and arguments but thankfully, our similar interests and focus on where we want ESP to go has always kept us grounded and on track. We always agree on matters as a crew and the management of ESP has only gotten better in recent years. If you work with people who love what you love the work you do is more then just ‘work’ its personal and this means your more emotionally attached to what you do which can be challenging, but also very rewarding when it all comes together. TAXI >> In your opinion, how would you describe the current design scene in Hong Kong? ESP Visuals >> It really depends on what you are comparing HK to.. New York? London? Shanghai? Hong Kong has come along way in terms of being on ‘the map’ for amazing design of all kinds internationally, but I feel that in comparison to places like London and NYC, it still has some way to go. Daring to push the boundaries and really be all it can be. For me is not happening in the scene as much as it could, and, for various reasons, such as being a part of China, there can be limitations to everything one might wish to design either commercially or personally. However, as the younger generation is continually influenced by freedom, democracy, expression and even new technologies and concepts in the design world – be it fine art or graphic design or streetart – things will/are slowly improving and there are some very impressive designers and artwork out there today, which is great to see! TAXI >> With such versatile and fine work produced, why are you guys so secretive in revealing your true faces? Or is there a reason behind wearing the mouth-masks? ESP Visuals >> For quite some time the majority of ESP members were heavily active in bombing, tagging and streetart in Tokyo, London and Hong Kong. Because this such art is considered illegal and a form of vandalism, we were very careful as to how we appeared in the press and media – as many friends we have known have been caught by the police in both Hong Kong and London, simply due to members of the public informing the police where the artists live, to receive a reward for being an informant – which to be honest happens a lot in various cities around the world. Simply put, we don’t trust people. Now days, ESP is more active in film, animation, graphics and legal projects, toys and collaborations with other artists and collectives, we do not feel we need to hide as much, although we are still very wary and don’t like using our real names. TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in Hong Kong’s design industry, and how do you think you can contribute as a creative studio? ESP Visuals >> Although I speak on behalf of ESP, personally I feel, what Hong Kong really needs most is to believe, and push really hard to pursue its own domestic styles, character and beliefs in the design industry. Not copying other international methods and styles and to simply believe in itself that HK can be on the international map more so, by following what the local Hong Kong-ers are expressing in the design world right now – to allow freedom of speech and expression to flourish more, provide more platforms for young and up-coming artists to express and show their work – no matter what the style, and simply put – to live more open mindedly. We would like to thank China Stylus and TAXI Design Network for this amazing opportunity.

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 Design City: Talent Spotlight in Hong Kong 
Interview with Graphic Airlines

TAXI >> Do tell, who makes up Graphic Airlines and how did you guys get started? Graphic Airlines >> Tat started Graphic Airlines from a web site from 2002. He was looking for a space to express his own design and drawing apart from his boring office design work. Vi started to do some doodles and clay dolls which Tat influenced, so Vi joined Graphic Airlines from 2004. From 2005, Graphic Airlines started to stick some hand drawing stickers on the street. They found their new creative life on the street. TAXI >> Graphic Airlines recently undertook a project, which involved bunny illustrations on train carriages. What was that project all about? Graphic Airlines >> The bunny illustration on train carriages project was held by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) is a program called “Art Unlimited”. We are one of the contributing artists to show our work. The title of our illustration is “Factory 852, Don’t Think Just Work!” It presents Hong Kong like a factory. This factory is routine, boring, makes pollutions, long working hours, and people, shops, products are all the same, and then everyone is going to the shopping mall. The most important thing in here is to work and make money. But most of the money is spent on their property and their time is spent for their boss. Trying not to lose ourselves in this city. TAXI >> How would you describe the current design scene in Hong Kong? Graphic Airlines >> There are many people involved in this scene but it’s a small creative space. Too many stick to the trend and many works are just copied. Not many designers enjoy their work, because of the long working hours and limited creative freedom. TAXI >> You guys have taken part in numerous exhibitions, any favorites or memorable ones to share? Graphic Airlines >> Our favorite exhibition still does not exist; we think that it will be our own exhibition in the future. Our most memorable is not an exhibition; it’s the first release of our book “Trash Talk” last year. It is about our past 4 years of artworks, although some of the artworks are still raw and unpolished. TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in Hong Kong’s design industry, and how do you think you can contribute as a creative studio? Graphic Airlines >> Being a creative studio in Hong Kong is not an easy thing, because Hong Kong’s rental expenses are too high. I need a bigger space for creating big stuff. Besides, Hong Kong needs a naturally-born flea market.

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TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN CITY publishes the essential photography subjects of a city. As they say, architecture landmarks denote the progressing development of a country. Design in each and every city speaks in different languages and dances to different cultures. A lot of cities are growing in the design realm but no one would know about this development but the travelers and the locals themselves. Only. The exciting quirks and electrifying eccentricity of Everyday Product, Design Schools, Designers, Resources, Hotels/Buildings, Design Studios/Personalities, Local Galleries, Museums, etc, are found in both secret and obvious places of the city.

We miss out on these simple things during travel or simply during our busy lifestyle in our own city. So the next time you travel, think of TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN CITY.

Design in Progress: Hong Kong. How Design a City is Hong Kong? We find out...

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