Faces To Figures - Malaysian artist Charles Cham
experiments with the “duality of life” in his double-face images. Opening: Nov 27, 6:30pm. Through Dec 18. Karin Weber Gallery, 20 Aberdeen St., Central, 2544-5004, www.karinwebergallery.com.

Ongoing

Asia Art Archive Fundraising
Auction 2008 Preview
The annual auction features over 60 works by outstanding Asian artists, such as Zhang Xiaogang, to raise funds for the Asian contemporary art scene. Nov 21-23, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui and Nov 24-28, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 31/F, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, www.aaa.org.hk/fundraiser2008.

Attention Spam
In-your-face urban works from five British artists. Read more in Art Box, below. Through Dec 10. Schoeni Art Gallery, 21-31 Old
Bailey St., Central, 2869-8802.

Beauty, Virtu and falling Jasmin
Argentinean artist Grillo Demo expresses his interpretation of beauty by painting over vintage images. Through Nov 30. The Cat Street Gallery, 222 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2291-0006, www.thecatstreetgallery.com.

HK PICKS
Imaging Hong Kong: Contemporary Photography Exhibition
Hong Kong’s celebrated homegrown photographers exhibit over 150 shots of the city since the 1950s, from social documentaries to photojournalism to mixed and new media. Through Dec 30. Hong Kong Central Library Exhibition Gallery 1-5, 66 Causeway Rd., Causeway Bay, www.edge-gallery.com.

Fragments
Chinese artist Gao Zengli experiments with images of personalities like Mao and Pu-yi. Through Nov 28. Art Beatus Gallery, G/F, 35 Graham St., Central, www.artbeatus.com.

Life is Beautiful
Strongly influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat and pop culture, Indonesian artist Bob Sick Yudhita combines acrylic, collage and mixed media in his works. Through Nov 30. Sin Sin Annex, 53 Sai St., Sheung Wan, www.sinsinfineart.com.

My Heart Laid Bare
Paris-based Chinese artist Zhou Yi creates a multimedia installation based on the tales of Boccaccio’s “Decameron.” Through Jan 10. Ooi Botos Gallery, 5 Gresson St., Wan Chai. 2527-9733, www.ooibotos.com.

Mythmas
Photographs by Seib Pascot celebrating and questioning our needs for heroes, monsters and goddesses. Through Dec 2. Wittgenstein Editions, 41 Gage St., Central.

HK PICKS
Painting Yankwai Wong
The multi-talented artist uses layers of colors, forms and shapes to depict landscapes. Through Jan 7. University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, 94 Bonham Rd., Pok Fu Lam, www.hku.hk/hkumag.

Seeing Beauty
A series of eight images of Marilyn Monroe captured by veteran photojournalist Eve Arnold. Through Nov 31, Gallery of Modern Art, Shop L115-116, New World Centre, 18-24 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui and Through Dec 31, Numero 135, 135-137 Wong Nai Chung Rd., Happy Valley.

Slow Life
Local artist Yokky Wong Mei-han attempts to display a slower pace of life with her ceramic works. Through Nov 29. YY9 Gallery. G/F, 83-85 Sing Woo Rd., Happy Valley, 2574-3370, www.2bsquare.com.

Symphony of Color
Vietnamese artist Dao Hai Phong uses intense colors and simple brushstrokes to create dynamic landscapes. Through Nov 28. Arch Angel Art, 58 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2851-6882.

HK PICKS
To Have or To Be
A contemporary Korean art exhibition featuring ten artists mixing new and traditional ideas. Through Dec 4. Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, 7A Kennedy Rd., Central.

Young Blood
A showcase of Hong Kong’s up-and-coming talent, recently graduated from the Chinese University, the Baptist School of Visual Arts and the Hong Kong Arts Centre. Through Nov 30. Blue Lotus Gallery, Unit 24, 5/F, Block A, Wah Luen Industrial Building,
15-21 Wong Chuk Yeung St., Fo Tan, www.bluelotus-gallery.com.

Closing

Crisscross Fables
Chinese artist Li Xinping’s works investigate Chinese and Western art history and philosophy. Through Nov 23. Osage SoHo, 45 Caine Rd., Lower Ground Shop 1, Corner Old Bailey St., Central, www.osagegallery.com.

We Wuv Warhol
A showcase of 22 works by Andy Warhol, from his Ad series to famous portraits of Kimiko Powers, Ted Kennedy and Mao. Through Nov 23. W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon.

Bulletin Board

Asia Adult Expo
The first-ever adult-entertainment expo in Asia, featuring models, live shows and toys. Dec 5-7. The Venetian, Macau. Details: aae.verticalexpo.com.

Cooking for Life
Seeking volunteers to improve the lives of underprivileged children through fun and educational cooking classes. Details: www.cookingforlife.org.hk or 2895-6867.

Hong Kong Pedal Kart Grand Prix 2008
Organized by the Hong Kong Human Powered Vehicle Association, the 24-hour race brings together over 1,500 participants and volunteers to raise funds for the Association of Round Table in Hong Kong Charitable Foundation. Nov 22, 2pm. Victoria Park.

English-in-Action
Volunteer native English speakers needed to meet with non-native speakers to practice English in a relaxed atmosphere. Details: www.esuhk.org or 2186-8449 (Venni Tam).

Lecture by Tadao Ando
The Japanese master of architecture gives a public lecture followed by a book-signing session. Nov 24, 7pm. T2 Meng Wah Complex, University of Hong Kong. Details: fac.arch.hku.hk.

The Vagina Monologues
Are you looking to empower women? Do you enjoy theater? If your answer is “yes,” the VDAY charity performances of The Vagina Monologues 2009 are looking for you. Details: danielleis@hotmail.com.

Art Box

Attention, Spammers
Some call it urban art, most call it vandalism. Now that British street artist Banksy’s wall stencils are the stuff of household legend, and graffiti works are making appearances in galleries the world over, isn’t it time for us to appreciate the controversy, rather than call the fuzz?

Vesna Parchet and Word to Mother are two street artists who are showing us the subtleties and sophistication behind what many see as a mindless rage of emotions. They’re among five urban artists from the London-based satellite project “Adapta,” which is collaborating with Hong Kong’s Schoeni Art Gallery.

Parchet is the only female artist in the group, and her subjects range from the female body to mechanic motifs—the latter being a metaphor and satire of today’s highly technophile world. Having spent her childhood in Japan and most of her youth in Europe, Parchet is heavily inspired by Japanese manga and abstract expressionism. But the artist isn’t self-conscious about her work: “I don’t call it anything,” says Parchet. “You just do it.” And if not for the slight hint of dripping paint, Parchet’s work would certainly pass for fine art.

“I don’t consider myself a graffiti artist,“ says Word to Mother, whose tongue-in-cheek pseudonym marks a breakaway from his early graffiti phase. Rather than a smack in the face, WTM’s style is so approachable that it seems almost at odds with the rest of the graffiti world. When it comes to street art—where the objects that it’s painted on matters just as much, if not more, than what is being painted—WTM is making a statement with his heavy use of wood and metal. “I love old crap,” says WTM. “ I paint on found objects—which have a life of their own—and I let the objects do the talking.”

And it’s the idea of painting in a highly developed metropolitan city, where Big Brother is always watching, that makes it even more challenging and remarkable. “The illegal element is definitely something that attracts me,” says WTM. “It becomes something special when people see it in places they don’t expect to,” adds Parchet. After all, hasn’t art always been about breaking the rules?

Winnie Chau

Catch London street art at “Attention Spam.” Through Dec 10. Schoeni Art Gallery, 21-31 Old Bailey St., Central, 2869-8802, www.schoeni.com.hk.

Art Shopping
There’s more to Stanley than shopping, sightseeing and beach bumming. Kicking off this weekend, “Stanley ArtMart” presents a local art show and sale, as well as a number of street performances, on the fourth weekend of every month. Its opening exhibition features toy-figure designs by six local contemporary artists, including Siu Hak, Yeung Hok-tak and Graphicairlines, from Nov 23 to Dec 28. Each creator brings a different style to the table: some just plain cute, others reflecting deeper subjects such as political satire and the collective memories of old Hong Kong culture. Every fourth Sat-Sun of the month, 11am-5pm. Stanley Plaza, Stanley, 2306-1117, www.thelinkreit.com.