Chow Chun Fai is a painter from China. Photography © Courtesy of the artist and Eli Klein Gallery

1.In your opinion what is the role of a museum?

The role of a museum is more than what is happening inside the museum building. Besides exhibitions, the public should be inspired and engaged by the museum. Creativity should be encouraged by the role of museum.

2.What are your favorite museums in the world? Why?

I had many inspiring experience in different museums. As an artist the first thing I do when I travel is to visit museums. One of them is the 21st century Museum of Contemporary Art Kanazawa. The museum building is in a low circular shape. Audience can access from different entries.

When you walked through the museum you can see the transparency of the building, for instance 10 minutes fresh air in the snow. I remember that built my very first snowman there.

3.How important are social networks in your business? And which platform do you prefer and why.

I have my own website. Most of my works are studio-based so I found the social networks are not the best showcase. But as promotion usually I share my exhibition on Facebook.

4.In particular, due to the coronavirus emergency, how have you changed your business on social networks?

Everyone is now isolated. I have cancelled some trips. I have been working on my own for years as an artist so I adapted quite quickly.

5.To create greater engagement among museums, artists and professionals, do you have any advice for cultural projects such as #MuseumWeek?

Everyone is now exploring possibilities online under the difficult circumstances of COVID-19. I would expect more about these online possibilities in a continuous sense when the COVID-19 would be over sooner or later.

Interview by Fabio Pariante, journalist

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Chow Chun Fai on social networks: Website – Facebook

Chow Chun Fai (Hong Kong, 1980) is a painter from China, graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Department of Fine Arts (BA and MFA). Thanks to the series “Hong Kong Taxi” and “Hong Kong Street,” Fai shows the city landscape from the perspective of a Hong Konger.

With the series “Painting on movies”, the artist paints cutscenes and their matching subtitles from classic Hong Kong movies from the New Wave cinema movement and most recently International films. In this way Fai tells local culture of Hong Kong, especially the emergence of social tension causated by the sociopolitical upheaval in Hong Kong since 1997. This project reveals the struggle and the anxiety of the city.

In 2012 he ran in the Hong Kong Legislative Council elections for the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication constituency. Most recently his work has been featured in the exhibitions: Chow Chun Fai (Eli Klein Gallery New York 2018), Everything Comes With an Expiry Date (Klein Sun Gallery New York 2016), Venice Meeting Point (Venice Biennale 2015), Hong Kong Eye (Saatchi Gallery London 2012), the Liverpool Biennial (Liverpool 2012). Chow is a the recipient of the Grand Prize of the Hong Kong Arts Centre 30th Anniversary Awards, and the Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

Chow Chun Fai lives in Hong Kong and currently teaches Painting at the Chinese University of the city.