About the project

The exterior marquee facing Des Voeux Road Central is jointly created by the two artists: Lee Wai-chun and Lee Chi-ching. On one hand, Lee Wai-chun adopted her unique style of Shoujo manga, bringing to us the images of people and their stories in every single corner of Central. On the other hand, Lee Chi-ching adopted a pale-coloured sketchy style in illustrating the street scene of Central as well as the expression of people. Even with different artistic styles, the figures and the two trams echo each other well and lively present the everyday scenes of Central. Can you identify which figures were drawn by Lee Wai-chun and which are the work of Lee Chi-ching?
The Central Market will undergo conservation and revitalisation in hopes of improving the air quality in the district and providing an additional leisure cum entertaining place rarely found in this busy district. It will become a new hang-out area for white collar workers in the daytime and locals and tourists in the evenings and on the weekends.

The Urban Renewal Authority and Public Art Hong Kong are collaborating with three acclaimed local comic artists: Lee Wai-chun, Lee Chi-ching and Wong Chiu-tat, to renew the exterior marquee of the Central Market. The collaboration introduces an array of beguiling comic elements in diverse styles onto the marquee, resonating with a harmonious and relaxing atmosphere in the hustle and bustle of city life.

About the artist

Lee Wai-chun

Theresa, Lee Wai-chun, one of the most popular comics artists in Hong Kong since 1960s. Lee’s signature work Miss 13 Dot, first published in 1966 and distributed in different regions in East Asia, has been the city’s premier title in girls’ comics. Miss 13 Dot, the independent, modern and trendy heroine, has broken the stereotype of the female and represented a new feminine ideal at the time.

By introducing digital elements, Lee’s creations have successfully won the heart of the younger generations. Throughout the decades, Lee’s passion and devoted efforts have always been comics and art promotion.

In the 1980’s, Lee put major efforts in creating children’s comics, educational content as well as advertising materials. In 2008, her fringe illustration work Miss 13 Dots, Loving Paris, was invited and published by the French Tourism Board for promoting local tourism. Recently, Lee is proactively engaging with Hong Kong local comics programmes and platforms, bringing a new vision of the 21st century to the readers.

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Lee Chi-ching

Lee Chi-ching, an honorary advisor of the Hong Kong Comics & Animation Federation and member of the Hong Kong Contemporary Artists Association, began his career in drawing and art in 1981, creating comics, illustrations, Chinese ink paintings and Western paintings. His creation Three Kingdoms garnered acclamations and popularity, making him the first Hong Kong artist to make a mark on the Japanese manga scene. In 2007, Lee’s Sun Zi’s Tactics won the Gold Award at the International Manga Award in Japan and launched a number of solo exhibitions in Japan, Hong Kong etc.

Lee has devoted great efforts in arts creations for various organisations and the community. From 2009-present, he helped with the Budget consultation comics for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the 60th anniversary stamp and calendar design for the Hong Kong Housing Society, trams painting and postcard design for the Hong Kong Tourism Board, traffic safety comics for the Hong Kong Transport Department, dynamic cartoons for the Hong Kong Narcotics Division, etc.

Lee has created over one hundred publications, including Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Zi’s Tactics, The Legend of the Condor Heroes, and more historical comics with martial arts element. Recently, he is publishing his refreshing illustration book namely The Skys were Blue in Those Years.