Art Exhibition

A Wrinkle in Time, Alisan Fine Arts

Author/ Katie Dowson
7 September 2025

A Wrinkle in Time, award-winning artist Cherie Cheuk’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, opened at Alisan Fine Arts on 18 June 2025. The showcase features works from across four different series of the artist’s catalogue: Gathering of Ten Fragrances, Transcending Boundaries, Ballad of the Seasons, and Mutual Reflections. Throughout four groups of artworks that are “steeped in Song Dynasty painting traditions,” Cheuk seeks to reevaluate the historical Chinese practice of ink painting through a modern lens.

Based in Central, Alisan Fine Arts is the longest-standing contemporary art gallery in Hong Kong. Championing artists from the Chinese diaspora since its founding, the venue on Lyndhurst Terrace offers the perfect viewing experience, with its mixture of good lighting and tasteful design providing a sense of reflective calm.

Born in Hong Kong in 1989, Cherie Cheuk was first acquainted with Gongbi, a style of intricate traditional ink painting from China, while studying at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Cheuk realised that the medium lined up perfectly with her own artistic temperament. Her artworks heavily feature nostalgic symbolism and imagery from personal experiences, with art historian Doris Sung observing that they are “a quiet introspection between human and nature, and subtly commenting on the issues of our contemporary Anthropocene world.” Cheuk still lives and works in Hong Kong, with her creative work being part of collections for the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMOA), China CITIC Bank, and several local private collectors.

Gathering of Ten Fragrances began as a large scroll installation commissioned by HKMOA. The series was based on ten botany-inspired ink paintings previously created by Cheuk, which are also shown in this exhibition. After the piece had finished exhibiting at the museum, Cheuk wanted to prolong its lifespan by transforming it into an impressive multipanelled folding screen. Each panel is an artwork in itself, combining a mixture of iconic cultural touchstones and biological imagery which should resonate with anyone personally familiar with Hong Kong. The piece’s use of morisco-patterned glass is also incredibly reminiscent of the windows found in Hong Kong’s older buildings.

The Transcending Boundaries series considers sentimentality in a different form, using well-known retro pop culture references, such as Super Mario, Pac-Man, and the Rubik’s Cube. Using masterful brushstrokes in her trademark gongbi style and influenced by the aesthetics of Japan’s Ukiyo-e art movement, Cheuk has conjured enchanting dreamscapes. The paintings are surreal, yet at the same time, every element feels like it belongs, enticing the viewer to play a game of “Where’s Wally”, with even Wally’s dog Woof actually making an appearance in one piece. Clever use of perspective adds physical depth as well as a sense of movement and direction. She describes the series as “a spirited journey where the contemporary isn’t linear time, but our chosen dialogue with history.”

Ballad of the Seasons, a collection of collage-style assembled works, was inspired by texts on climate from the Yuan Dynasty period and Cheuk’s own investigation into a crucial feature of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, the 29 Solar Terms. The heart of each time of year is embodied across the series in an assortment of seasonally appropriate traditional and modern visuals. These are both playful and noticeably reminiscent of the artist’s memories within urban surroundings. The arranged slices of each artwork are positioned with skilful colour coordination. Patterned glass appears again throughout this series, nestled between paintings on silk and further reinforcing the theme of memory.

The final series in this exhibition of Cheuk’s work, Mutual Reflections, is composed of pairings of the new and the old, to reveal how “today’s mundane items will become tomorrow’s cultural relics.” Traditional ink paintings feature alongside capsule toys, and unusual framing methods create a fun atmosphere. The use of space within these artworks is impeccable, drawing the eye from one side to the other and allowing full immersion.

About the Gallery

Co-founded in the 1980s by Alice King, Alisan Fine Arts is Hong Kong’s longest-standing contemporary gallery, celebrated for its promotion of Chinese contemporary art and New Ink art. The gallery has consistently championed artists from the Greater China region and Chinese diaspora, making an impact on cross-cultural dialogues and global appreciation of diverse artistic expressions. With locations in Hong Kong’s Central and Aberdeen districts, as well as New York, Alisan Fine Arts is committed to expanding its vision by fostering an innovative creative platform and supporting the next generation of Chinese contemporary artists worldwide.

A Wrinkle in Time, a Cherie Cheuk Exhibition, is on at Alisan Fine Arts until 20 September 2025, www.alisan.com.hk.

About the Author

Katie Lee Dowson

Katie Lee Dowson is an artist and graphic designer based in Hong Kong. Her personal projects have explored a wide range of themes and subjects in formats ranging from analog illustration to digital collage. Currently, she is experimenting with artworks that focus on identity, mental health and folklore: @katieleestudios.