Two alumni of the School of Creative Media (SCM) at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) were honoured at the 17th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards by Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC).

Mr Gaybird Leung Kei-cheuk was named Artist of the Year (Media Arts), and Mr Howard Cheng Chi-lai won the Award for Young Artist (Media Arts).

A graduate of the SCM’s Master of Philosophy in Creative Media programme in 2011, Mr Leung is a composer and media artist. His innovative musical works have been performed at international art festivals, and his electronic music style differs significantly from traditional works because he integrates technology and interactive elements into his music.

 

He said he felt very privileged to win the award. “It’s an affirmation of my work in media arts over the years,” he said, adding that he has also been active in creating audio installations which have been presented worldwide, and he hopes to develop more creative and innovative works in collaboration with other artists.

Mr Leung encouraged students to study at SCM if they aspired to be media artists, pointing out that SCM’s courses helped him understand how to present technology in art form. This is important for him now because he needs to apply technologies such as coding to his musical works.

After earning his undergraduate degree in Creative Media from SCM in 2009, Mr Cheng set up a design company that offered more interactive experiences with multiple sensory elements.

He thanked HKADC for the award. “I want to pay tribute to all local artists who persist in working in the art field as it is a very tough industry in Hong Kong,” he said.

 

As a local artist, Mr Cheng said that even though he felt tense at times, his stress fed his creativity. During the creative process, he said he feels like he is talking to his soul, which he finds healing.

To Mr Cheng, a critical mind, a multi-level vision and skilled hands are indispensable to the creative media and art industries. He believes critical thinking to be the most important and that SCM’s emphasis on curiosity and flexibility when creating art has built a solid foundation for his art career.

When asked about their best memories during their CityU studies, Mr Leung and Mr Cheng both mentioned Professor Hector Rodriguez. Mr Leung said he was “loyal” to Professor Rodriguez because his teaching was so inspiring, prompting Mr Leung to take all Professor Rodriguez’s courses. Mr Cheng thanked Professor Rodriguez for encouraging him to explore all kinds of art media, an experience that profoundly influenced his artwork.

Both award winners admit that working in the art industry is very challenging, Mr Cheng encourages CityU students to maintain their passion. “Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it’s important that you do it because no one else will,” he said.