Mak Hin-yeung, Antonio

born 1951 Philippines

died 1994 Hong Kong

Born in the Philippines and moved to Hong Kong when he was one month old, Antonio Mak Hin-Yeung is situated uniquely in Hong Kong's art history for his reflection of a broader cultural and historical context. His work challenges traditional narratives of art with a satirical touch and engages with the complexities of life and reality by exploring the interaction between opposites and the coexistence of contradictions. Mak is most notable for his sculptures and his technical mastery of materials, in particular bronze. Employing bronze-casting methods with wax moulds, his sculptures are often small in size. Made with layers of bronze sheets, this method has enabled him to create works that are texturally rich while evoking a sense of frailty of human existence.

Mak studied painting at Goldsmith’s College, University of London, UK in 1971-1975. From 1975-1977, Mak undertook studies in sculptures at Slade School of Art, University of London and worked under supervision at the Bronze Foundry of The Royal College of Art in London. He also won the UK Delegacy Prize in 1975. In the late 1980s, Mak travelled to US for intensive training in the latest technical methodologies of bronze casting at the Johnson Foundry in New York.

During his lifetime, Mak held six solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and UK and participated in various group exhibitions in UK, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. After his premature passing in 1994 at the age of 43, his retrospectives held in major institutions and museums in Hong Kong, including The Art of Antonio Mak: A Retrospective, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 1995; Looking for Antonio Mak, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 2008; Standart: The Collected Drawings of Antonio Mak Hin-Yeung, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, 2019.

Alisan Fine Arts featured Mak's sculptures and drawings at Kabinett sector at Art Basel Hong Kong in 2024, highlighting his artistic achievements and significance.

His works are in the collections of Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada; Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan; Hong Kong Museum of Art; M+, Hong Kong.

BIOGRAPHY
1951 Born in the Philippines
Moved to Hong Kong when one month old
1971-75 Studied painting at Goldsmith's College, School of Art, University of London and graduated with 1st Honours
1975 Winner of The Delegacy Prize, UK
1975-77 Studied sculpture at the Slade School of Art, University of London, UK
Worked under supervision at the Bronze Foundry of The Royal College of Art, London, UK
1977 Taught at Portsmouth Polytechnic, UK, before returning to Hong Kong
1979-1981 Taught drawing at Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1980s Befriended a group of artists in Taipei, Taiwan
1982 Co-founder of Hong Kong Sculptors Association, Hong Kong
1982-1983 Taught in the Department of Fine Arts, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1985 Designed trophy for Annual Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong, the trophy was used for 6 years until 1990 Art director of movie “Tong Chee Yi Ni Nan”, Hong Kong
Travelled to USA for further training in bronze casting; most of works were cast at the foundry of Johnson Atelier Technical Institute of Sculpture, New Jersey, USA
1985-1990 Established Rooftop studio at Hong Kong Fringe Club, Hong Kong
1989 Constructed the Goddess of Democracy with a group of artists, Hong Kong
1994 Passed away in Hong Kong at the age of 43

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024

Kabinett, Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

2019

Standart: The Collected Drawings of Antonio Mak Hin-Yeung, Book launch and pop-up exhibition, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2011

A Limited Collection of Antonio Mak Sculptures, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2008-2009

Looking for Antonio Mak, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1996

The Grand Opening Exhibition: A Tribute o Antonio Mak, China Oil Painting Gallery, Hong Kong

1995

The Art of Antonio Mak: A Retrospective, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1992

Recent Works by Antonio Mak, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1984-86

97 Restaurant, Hong Kong

1978, 80, 82

Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1975

Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024

Hong Kong's Forgotten Masters, Ping Pong Gintoneria, Hong Kong

2015

Container and Contained, Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

2010

Echo-Classic: Hong Kong Sculpture Biennial, Hong Kong Art School, Hong Kong

2009

Selected Hong Kong Artists, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Arts & Antiques Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

1993

Portraits of Life: A Joint Exhibition of Antonio Mak and Almond Chu, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Art & Space: From Sculpture to Installation, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

1992

City Vibrance: Recent Works in Western Media by Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1991

The Book as an Object of Art, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1990s

Group Exhibitions of Quart Society, an artists-run space in Mid-level, Hong Kong

1989

The Sculpture Walk, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong

1988

Mobile At Show, Multiple outdoor locations, Hong Kong
Ten Years of Hong Kong Sculpture: 10th Anniversary Programme of Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Group Exhibition of Works by Hong Kong Artists, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Hong Kong
Exhibition of Hong Kong Modern Art, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

1987

Out of Context, 15 Kennedy Road, Hong Kong

1984

Contemporary Open-Air Sculpture Exhibition, Hong Kong Coliseum, Hong Kong

1983

Inaugural Exhibition of Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

1982-1987

Exhibitions of Hong Kong Sculptors Association, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1982

Figures of Earth: exhibition of works in day by Mak Hin-Yeung & Mak Yee-Fun, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Towards a Fuller Life, ICAC, Hong Kong
Contemporary Hong Kong Art, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Philippines

1981

Hong Kong Contemporaries, Guangdong, China

1975

London Art Students, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK

1974

The Young Contemporaries, Camden Art Centre, London, UK

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
M+, Hong Kong