Hong Kong has numerous spots of street art around the city. It’s what makes Hong Kong colorful and photogenic, where all our sassy friends come out to take their shots for their social platforms such as instagram. As much as we love these artwork, we also cannot ignore the voices that claim them as vandalism. So where do we cross the line? How do we determine art and graffiti? In our current climate, it might not be so clear cut. 

As the world becomes more diverse and creative, the actual reality is somewhere in between. People who create street art see themselves as artists, and they are expressing themselves on the canvas - blank walls on the street. And the grammar of graffiti – its media and techniques – is the basis of some of the most imaginative, beautiful and poignant street art out there, all with the blessing of property owners and communities.

While street art can be interesting and eye-catching, the risk of being illegal is always there. Without the permission from the authorities, any beautiful art is technically prohibited. The balance between encouraging creative expression and protecting buildings from vandalism, is extremely fine. How do we manage to achieve just the right blend of light and shade? 

At FIF, this is why we think art education is important. Art is art because an audience recognizes it as art. The reason to love street art is that people take part in it. It’s a show to be enjoyed by audiences. FIF wants our audiences to be able to see art, participate in art and enjoy art. As Hong Kong is an expanding art hub, we want to become the bridge between the people and creativity in this city. We focus on social conscience, commentary, criticism, humor, talent and thoughtfulness through our FIF events and projects. 

For more details, look out for our Events page.