IN THIS throwaway world, the takeaway carton has its place.
But rarely has that place been in an award-winning work of art.
Fine Art student Sin Yi Law has graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a unique project featuring as its title piece a depiction of Hong Kong’s Victoria harbour made entirely from takeaway containers.
The 24-year-old Hong Kong student graduated from the School of Art, Design And Architecture after her four year BA Hons Fine Art course.
Her work, called Special Cantonese Style uses traditional Chinese paper-cutting techniques combined with a computer-assisted drawing and laser-cutting technology to cut out the image of Victoria Harbour in the lids of takeaway boxes.
Her aim was to marry the traditional with the modern in an exploration of the authenticity of the Chinese takeaway culture.
She said: “I read an article which suggested that the only place Chinese and English people meet is over the counter of a takeaway – the takeaway becomes the place where the two cultures integrate.
“I often think English people are expecting to receive a little bit of Chinese culture when they enter a takeaway, but the reality is that the food served in these places is not authentic at all.
“I wanted to project the traditional image of the harbour onto the takeaway lids because it shows the distinction between the real and the fake.”
Sin Yi originally travelled to England five years ago to study, beginning her foundation year by hosting Chinese workshops in schools, museums and community centres. She intends to travel back to her homeland after graduation to pursue a career in art, although she admits this may be a difficult feat.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Hong Kong, but I think it will be quite tough.
“The art world there is very small and there is not very much space for artists. There aren’t many museums and galleries and in the UK the Government gives lots of support for artists, so it’s quite different.
“But I am quite interested in the politics of Hong Kong because it is a very special place, so I may become a political artist! I don’t think this is the end of my studies – I love working with kids so I may do a PGCE later in life, but at the moment my priority is art.”
