This December, SC Gallery is delighted to present “Melancholy” featuring three artists, Oscar Chan Yik Long, Joshua Hon and Rico Lau, each of them represents part of the shared framework of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Heaven embraces all creations, earth is a symbolism of natural law, and humanity bridges the two through action and emotion. The artists came together as a perfect balance while exploring the repression and melancholy emerging from the changing world.

Joshua’s works often produce a dark atmosphere, contrasted by the lights or emptiness within. In representation of Heaven, Joshua has chosen to depict the iconic goddesses familiar in Hong Kong. Begins with Elisabeth II, the queen’s appearance might be unfitting, but for Joshua the beloved queen has always been the deity of elites, a symbol of civilisation. Tin Hau, the famous for her blessing the safety of the fisherman, is worshiped by East Asians. Justitia is the irreplaceable representation of fairness and justice. And Saint Maria, who has been admired for her fraternal existence. They are all famous deities of Hong Kong, but in Joshua’s paintings they appear to be oppressed. His work subtly reveals the quiet erosion of the local feminine presence, portraying a subtle violence as feminine ideals fade from public awareness.

Oscar, on the other hand, focuses on Earth. He delves deeply into mortality and the profound impact of death on human consciousness. This fascination is clearly reflected in his paintings, where skeletons consistently serve as the central figures. By weaving in deities linked to natural elements (wind, fire, thunder and lightning) from Chinese mythology, the skeletons become transformed into a grim reaper, embodying an unsettling presence that inculcate fear in the living. These natural elements are commonly found in modern society, They appears not solely as a natural disaster, but also often the result of human actions and their consequences.

Rico’s art completes the triad by examining humanity—the emotional and psychological fallout when death is realized. His works merge images of daily life with the human body, employing abnormal bodily forms in his drawings to reveal the layers of despair, anxiety, and internalized tension that reside within individuals. Through the pictorial associations of dysfunctional forms, these works serve as significations of the nuanced impact of the current societal pressures, deconstructing the existential status of individuals. His works comment on how people are often reduced, devalued, or constrained by the finitude of human existence, highlighting the quiet struggles of humanity between Heaven and Earth.