Street-art meets knit-art as French May meets D2 Place

Collaborating with French May Arts Festival for the sixth year, LAWSGROUP’s D2 Place at Lai Chi Kok presents “From Street to Knit”, a curated group show in partnership with street art gallery L’Epicerie Fine HK and three street artists from France and Hong Kong.

The exhibition showcases 15 original works of art that include an impressive array of 2D street-art on paper and digital sketches, as well as 3D sculptured street-art created by two French artists, Binokl and Le Cyklop, alongside Hong Kong artist Bao Ho.

With more than four decades of heritage and knitting craftsmanship, Laws Knitters created original knit art based on the artists’ images in both 2D canvas and 3D sculpture forms.

Knit textiles as an art form

Officiating at the opening ceremony of “From Street to Knit”, Alexandre Giorgini, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, is pleased to see French May stepping into its 30th year as a bridge to promote French arts in Hong Kong with LAWSGROUP as a key partner. On this year’s theme “Art Unboxed”, he stresses that art should be unboxed and should not be limited to museums, but also be present in streets and malls.

Echoing his views, Bosco Law, Deputy Chairman and CEO of LAWSGROUP, says, “Apart from promoting cultural exchange between Hong Kong and France, this innovative exhibition redefines art trends by presenting art in the form of knit textiles using LAWSGROUP’s expertise, craftsmanship and heritage in textile knitting, bringing freshness and insights into the art scene.”

Hong Kong street artist Bao Ho has been drawing since she was a kid and has worked as a graphic designer before travelling to Milan where she met a local artist who introduced her to the world of street art. A cat lover, she portrays cats in graphic designs and depicts scenes of Hong Kong everyday life.
She is pleasantly surprised to see her original 2D artworks transformed into 3D knit art. “The knit art is astonishingly beautiful and has made colours more vibrant, adding layers, volumes and textures,” she says. “I would say that they look even better than my original artwork.”

Designed and made in Hong Kong

Transforming art into knit art is accomplished by Laws Knitters, established by LAWSGROUP. Laws Knitters has been working with international brands such as Vivienne Tam and Hong Kong’s M+ Museum with custom-made knitted tote bags and products. “Our aim is to pass down the local knit art craftsmanship, promote reindustrialization in Hong Kong and support designers and individual brands,’ Law notes.

Coming up next will be the opening of Laws Knitters Studio, scheduled for July. The Studio will offer a multi-purpose space to craft custom-made knit products, from “Made in Hong Kong” clothings to bags, plush toys and accessories, in addition to events, exhibitions and workshops.

Another major attraction to look out for, Law adds, is the Yarn Bombing@SSP campaign during which Cheung Yee Street outside D2 Place and some other streets in the neighborhood will be decorated with colorful knit art in the form of adorable and Instagrammable knitted vegetables.