The Hong Kong artist tapped by Fendi, inspired by Virgil Abloh: Oscar Wang’s new Timeless Pavilion installations show the culture-crossing creative’s instincts for sharing and caring
- The founder of Open Work Studio has collaborated with Fendi on a new version of their Peekaboo bag, and American artist Daniel Arsham on a teapot set
- Formerly a masters student at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, he cites the cross-cultural creativity of the late Louis Vuitton creative director of menswear Virgil Abloh
What does being a creative mean in 2024? For Hong Kong-born, London-raised, Shanghai-based multi-hyphenate Oscar Wang, it’s about collaboration. Togetherness. Family.
“I’m just a creative for humanity,” Wang laughs. “I care a lot about family. I care a lot about people. I think the Chinese people are very strong in terms of family bonding. We have this mindset of taking care of each other – this is just one of those rare traits I think humans are slowly forgetting about.”
As Wang well knows, it takes a lot more than talent or expertise in just one area to stay relevant these days. The 33-year-old multimedia artist and founder of Open Work Studio has collaborated with the likes of Fendi on a new version of their famed Peekaboo bag, and renowned American artist Daniel Arsham on a teapot set. Like legendary music producer Pharrell Williams, who now oversees menswear at Louis Vuitton, or pop star Rihanna, who is now better known as the head of her Fenty fashion and beauty lines, Wang has put his name on the map across multiple industries, from design to fashion. But for him, becoming a master of all trades has more to do with looking back than getting ahead.
“Sometimes I want to use my art form and my creations to give a gentle reminder over time that that’s what makes us different,” says Wang. “We come from thousands of years of existence. From food to culture to literature, there’s just so much cool stuff we need to dig into and restudy and re-present to the market.”
Despite a low-key profile, Wang’s creative endeavours speak volumes. With roots in Asia and over 10 years of experience in the UK honing his craft, Wang launched his career with a master’s degree in spatial design from the Chelsea College of Art and Design. Well-connected in both East and West, he has made a name for himself in the luxury sphere in bringing cultural intuition to commercial projects. “Living in Shanghai, I have a very clear understanding of each culture,” he says.
As we sit inside one of Wang’s latest projects – Timeless Pavilion – presented in Hong Kong, I am immersed in what he is talking about. Unveiled just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, the project takes an architectural mainstay of daily life in the city and reimagines it as a trendy, modern space inside Central’s prominent Landmark building.
“Pavilions exist all throughout Hong Kong,” Wang says of the historic-looking structures – many only recent additions to our trails and parks – which serve as a gathering point for Hongkongers of all ages, from all walks of life. “At the end of the day, I just want people to gather. The offline experience is very crucial for me, my design and my practice. I need people to gather, because that’s what makes us human.”