Artist Spotlight: Inside the Vivid World of Hong Kong-Based Artist Zoie Lam
Life is full of colors. While challenges might make us see dark and gray, there are a lot of beautiful things in life that show just how bright and vivid it can be.
This is what the work of Zoie Lam, a Hong Kong-based artist, aims to do. With her imaginary world, Zlism, Zoie has been putting out vibrant, sometimes playful, art that does not only delight with a multitude of colors but also encourages people to keep on going, overcome their hurdles, and to tell them that they are not alone in their battles.
As an artist and painter, Zoie’s work is not only bound to canvases. Using her experience as a fashion designer, she established her own fashion label, ZL by Zlism, a brand that’s rooted in the same philosophy as Zlism. She has also collaborated with multiple brands, creating murals and merchandise with labels such as New Balance, Aesop, Crocs, and many more, bringing her vivid world to a wider audience.
Following her collaboration with Starbucks for their new Community Store in Hong Kong, The Beat Asia spoke to Zoie Lam to get to know more about her and her art, the ins and outs of being an artist and a fashion designer, and her future plans, among others.
Read our exclusive Artist Spotlight interview and step inside the vivid world of Zoie Lam!
Hi Zoie! Can you tell us about yourself, and what ignited your passion for the arts?
Hello, my name is Zoie Lam. I am an artist and a fashion designer from Hong Kong. I have been engaged in fashion design for 12 years, and then I transitioned to art, becoming a full-time artist.
How would you describe your art style, and what is your most favorite art medium? Why?
I would describe my style as modern art, which incorporates various elements and expressions. I present my artistic world in my own way. I prefer to create things that do not exist in the outside world and do not want my content to be defined, as the things I face in daily life are constantly changing, so my content is also in flux.
You describe Zlism as an imaginary world where people with a positive mind live. Can you tell us more about it, and what inspired you to create this world?
After I started establishing Zlism, I gradually realized that it [reflected] my inner world and my life. I found that when different people face various challenges, they encounter different hills and experiences. While going through these experiences and hills, there are always ups and downs. I hope that through my world, I can encourage different friends and individuals to find their inner worlds and gradually overcome their different challenges and issues, thereby encouraging each other.
Most of your work involves a lot of color and evokes much positivity. What message are you hoping to impart with these kinds of artworks?
Since colors make me feel happy, I incorporate a lot of different colors into my creations. When I choose colors, I do so purely based on what I feel like using at that moment. While creating these works, I am also encouraging myself, as the journey of creation is not easy. Many times, I feel lonely, but I want to tell others who are also pursuing their dreams that although the journey may be solitary, you are not alone. There are others, including myself, who are also pursuing what they want and their dreams. I hope to encourage others while encouraging myself.
You've done lots of collaborations with various brands, including New Balance and Aesop. How do you make sure you adhere to the brand's identity or requests without losing your own style?
When collaborating with other brands, I hope to retain some of my style and ideas. I aim to find a balance in color selection and pattern styles. This is not easy, but it is possible to gradually find that balance.
Speaking of collaborations, you've recently done a mural at Starbucks' new Community Store in Hong Kong. Could you tell us how it came to be and what your inspiration is for this work?
First, thank you, Starbucks, for inviting me to take on this meaningful project at Starbucks Hong Kong’s first Community Store. This creation is special as it incorporates ideas from two students nominated by Junior Achievement Hong Kong. They had a talent for artistic storytelling, shown in how they transformed lines of doodle art into vibrant parts of a mural painting.
As I conceptualized the mural, I was inspired by the students’ thoughts and opinions as well as the underlying philosophy of the Starbucks brand, its commitment to strengthening local community connections and positively contributing to the communities they serve.
The mural is a youthful interpretation of stories inspired by Starbucks' bean-to-cup journey while celebrating local culture. On the first floor, my signature characters bring to life the beauty of nature, zooming into the process of selecting high quality beans at the coffee farms. On the second floor, the characters are featured enjoying coffee amidst iconic Hong Kong landmarks, symbolizing the need for welcoming, inclusive spaces where people from all walks of life can come together over coffee.
Let's talk about your fashion brand. How did ZL by Zlism start?
My fashion brand started in the spring and summer of 2015. At that time, I felt a strong desire to do something for myself since I had been engaged in fashion design for 12 years. Thus, in 2015, I launched my fashion brand.
In what ways does ZL by Zlism reflect the artistic identity you’ve established through your wall paintings?
For me, the creation of my fashion brand is rooted in the same philosophy, which is the original intention. I often ask myself why I wanted to start this endeavor and what my initial thoughts were when I began. The story behind this philosophy is also about expressing my inner thoughts through fashion and murals. I am very grateful that I can achieve the effect I want to express in both.
What are the key differences and similarities in your creative process when working on a large-scale mural versus designing a fashion collection versus when you're creating something personal, just for yourself?
The similarity lies in my desire to express something through these mediums. For me, clothes and murals are both canvases. Although clothing is three-dimensional and murals are two-dimensional, I use both to achieve the effects and messages I want to express. Therefore, to me, they are the same.
What do you think are the most challenging and most rewarding things about being an artist?
I believe the most challenging thing as an artist is how to break through oneself. After creating works at each stage, when you want to create something new, you often compare your old works with new ideas. Breaking through oneself is often the hardest. I think the most valuable thing about being an artist is being able to create works that I love and that others also appreciate. If other viewers can find resonance and emotion in my works, it brings me great joy.
Do you have any future collabs or exhibitions that we should look forward to?
I have been working hard on my creations and currently have other collaborations in progress. However, what I look forward to most is holding a personal exhibition in the future, which would be the one I am most satisfied with. At this stage, I am still not fully happy with my work, and I hope to confidently announce to everyone that my exhibition is coming soon. This is something I am very much looking forward to.
If you could give one piece of advice to artists who are just beginning to showcase their art to the world, what would it be?
My advice is for them to continue to maintain their original intention and passion. In this vast world and age of abundant information, it is very easy for us to be influenced by others and gradually become different from our original selves. I hope everyone can stay true to their inner selves and persist in their beliefs and ideas, expressing them through art. Let’s all keep pushing forward. Thank you!
To know more about Zoie Lam and her works, follow her on Instagram.
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