Collective voice in arts

Art across genres

Collective arts can also be interdisciplinary. Taking to diverse artistic languages spanning different genres of art could deliver a more powerful and provocative punch, reinforcing a message or simply amplifying an artistic feat without much gravitas.

The Drive In Ultra: Lovfinity Vivienne Tam x Leon Lai Fashion Concert by renowned fashion designer Vivienne Tam Yin-yok and stellar singer Leon Lai at Central Harbourfront Event Space in December is a case in point.

When music meets fashion design, the collective spark can be mind-blowing. It's beneath the surface -music to the ears and candy to the eyes - but pumps out wellness, vitality and positivity. "I want to celebrate the past, present and the future with creativity and innovations, delivering the positive energy of Lovfinity (love + infinity)," says Tam.

The impeccable marriage of music and fashion complemented each other aesthetically and aurally, says Tam. "It definitely created a more powerful impact for both of our works, relaying the shared concepts (that we're keen to express) with a more holistic experience to the audience."

Collaborative work that absorbs the most envelope-pushing components from various fields gives birth to free-wheeling and unbridled artistic possibilities. Technology has become integral to Tam's design, and an infallible crutch for her design to hit a crescendo. "I'm always looking for different creative ways in presenting my fashion, something extraordinary, such as having a female NASA astronaut to announce the show begin for my SS2017 'Houston' Collection, or walking onto the runway with the Wuba mascot from animated blockbuster Monster Hunt 2 at my show finale at New York Fashion Week. And I love crossovers, embracing all the creativities and possibilities of merging the minds from different disciplines," says Tam.

Pantone Room, a custom-designed space displaying a curated selection of fine art, functional furniture and conceptual works from Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, also illustrates how different art genres can collectively make their fair share of contributions to perpetuate a common thread. Carpeted with golden fallen leaves, adorned with wooden walls, panels and partitions, and complete with antique tables and vintage upholstered chairs, as well as contemporary paintings injecting a colorful touch to the palette, the whole room emanates a soothing zest that belongs exclusively to autumn. Behind the curation is Victoria Tang-Owen, founder and creative director of Victoria Tang Studio and Thirty30 Creative, who hand-picked the art pieces with the color of autumn nectar, Pantone 130 C, in mind. Those different art forms, with nuanced texture and color schemes, blend together, collectively transporting the viewers on an autumn-imbued journey.

"The theme is centered on the idea of an autumn walk and experiencing nature's bounties. On a walk in autumn, you will see a mixture of colors, nature in various forms. In the same vein, the room is filled with furniture, paintings and sculptures," says Tang-Owen. "I tried to inject richness into variety, mixing the old and the new, with an element of surprise."

Tang-Owen is no stranger to collaborative art creation. Last year, she was commissioned by The Upper House to create a bespoke Christmas tree. "I challenged the traditional use of a Chinese screen as a room divider to create a deconstructed tree that is inclusive and embracing. The delicate organza is embellished with motifs of pine, pinecones and golden baubles in Pan Jin Xiu, a 2,000-year-old craft exclusively used for the Emperor's Dragon Robe," she recounts.