Check out the the "Australese Surfboard Auction"

Phil Hayes has been making and exhibiting art for more than 20 years now. He has exhibited in well over 150 group shows and this exhibition in Hong Kong will be his 10th solo exhibition. His work is held in public and private collections all over the world from Japan to USA, even in Lithuania.

Australian born and bred, Phil worked as a teacher and then lecturer in fine art before moving into the surf industry where he became an artist, then head designer for Surf Company Rip Curl. After 5 years as the head designer for Rip Curl he moved to the company Quiksilver. At Quiksilver he was head designer for many years and has recently made the move to live in Hong Kong and work in the Quiksilver global sourcing oce where he is the Product and Sourcing Director.

The move to Hong Kong is clearly seen in the new body of work. Indeed the works are all about the move from Australia to Hong Kong and the cultural and iconic dierences between the two countries. “This is why I have titled the show Australese - a mix of Australia, Hongkongese and Chinese” Phil says.

Intricate Chinese designs are seen placed with a classic old Australian car or some Australian wild life - the juxtaposition of these images creates a tension of sorts but also the end result is quite beautiful.

Some paintings are a mass of seemingly unrelated images - the dog (an icon of Phil’s he has used for around 20 years) can be seen looking up at one of the workers who is surrounded by aboriginal dot painting, a soup can and motorcycle blend into the background, while a surfer stands looking longingly at the whole scene - almost willing Hong Kong city to give him a decent wave to ride.

Some of the works feature portraits of local Chinese - these are workers in the Quiksilver factories. “So often I go into these factories and see 1000's of workers in the portrait series I am aiming to tell a little about them as individuals, you will see there are a series of questions and answers all related to the particular individual, also you will note that the individuals Chinese year i.e. tiger, snake etc is featured in the painting."

Exhibition “Australese”
7th August 2009 to 11th September 2009 - Vernissage on 7th August 6pm – 9m

Phil Hayes從事藝術工作20多年，他曾參與超過150個團體展覽，而這次於 ufoArtgallery展出將會是Phil第10個個人展覽。

土生土長於澳洲，Phil 1983年畢業於澳洲Ballarat大學藝術系，然後他又到塔斯馬尼亞大學和皇家墨爾本理工大學，分別研究藝術/設計與Computer Graphics。 曾經擔任藝術學科教師及講師，其後分別到衝浪運動用品公司Rip Curl及Quiksilver當首席設計師多年。Phil最近由澳洲移居到香港，在Quiksilver環球資源中心擔任總監。

由Phil的新作品可感受到澳洲和香港兩地的文化差異，正如Phil所講， 『展覽名為Australese，結合澳洲、香港以及中國的文化』， 將中式設計，加上澳洲古董車、懷舊圖案，成為有張力、美感和動態的圖畫。

有時Phil會將一些不相關的圖案，例如小狗、澳洲土著的繪畫藝術、罐頭湯和電單車成為背景，加上一個衝浪者，表達出Phil在香港這個大城市中也有衝浪的嚮往，對海上衝浪的熱愛。

另外有些作品是中國人的肖像圖，靈感源自Quiksilver大陸工廠的1000多名工人，你會在作品中看見一副肖像加上連串問題與答案，以及一個中國生肖圖案，從而表達出每個工人背後的小故事。

Phil 活躍於設計工業和藝術領域多年，他參加了眾多的展覽和表演，並在澳洲贏得了一些突出的獎項，例如1991 年 的N.A.V.A. Pat Corrigan Artist Grant Scheme， 1992 年的Ilford Photographic Award 以及 2001 年 的 Surf Coast Shire Calendar Art Competition。他的作品被收藏在多個地方，從澳洲到亞洲許多城市，甚至巴西，立陶宛， 比利時和南非。

Phil Hayes’s “Australese” 展期由2009年8月7日至9月11日，於ufoArtgallery展出。
地址：中環嘉咸街39號地下。