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"Celebration of Patterns" aka “Beautiful Patterns” by Ellie Kayu Ng (Hong Kong) – Oil on canvas / 2019 – SEEFOOD ROOM (Hong Kong) #WomenInArt #WomensArt #WomenArtists #art #artText #artwork #EllieKayuNg #BlueskyArt #SelfPortrait #WomanArtist #PortraitofaWoman #SEEFOODROOM #HongKongArt #AsianArtist
In this self-portrait, Hong Kong artist Ellie Kayu Ng sits on a wooden chair, turned slightly to the side yet facing forward with a steady gaze. Her skin, painted in warm light beige tones, glows softly against the richly detailed setting. She wears a long-sleeved, high-necked dress of vibrant green, covered in dense floral motifs of blue, white, and yellow, with ruched smocking across the bodice that ripples the fabric into rhythmic folds. Her dark hair is brushed back, revealing large earrings that glint at the edges of her face. One arm rests casually along the chair back, the other drops to her lap, hand relaxed. Behind her stretches a striking textile in hot pink, patterned with repeating botanical forms bordered in deep red, cream, and purple. The dialogue between her patterned garment and the tapestry creates an almost optical effect: body, clothing, and backdrop intertwine, yet her expression ensures she remains the subject, not the decoration. When Ng painted "Celebration of Patterns" in 2019, she had just graduated with a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Far from home in Hong Kong, she turned to self-portraiture as a way to explore identity, aspiration, and vulnerability. She often depicts herself in garments she does not own, using fashion as a tool to “try on” alternate selves and examine how clothing shapes social identity. This painting, also circulated under the title "Beautiful Patterns," captures that early stage of experimentation: the lush dress both empowers and threatens to camouflage her, while the pink tapestry frames her in a setting that feels both celebratory and overwhelming. During this period she began gaining recognition, winning a Creative Quarterly award in 2019 and soon after receiving scholarships and residencies that confirmed the Asian artist's promise. Ng’s career has since grown steadily, with grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation and exhibitions in New York, Hong Kong, and beyond.
September 30, 2025 at 7:23 PM