Boy Kong is a self-taught painter, illustrator, muralist and collage artist. He draws inspiration from a wide range of influences, such as the Japanese tradition of Ukiyo-e, surrealism and animal folklore. He went in a different direction for this year’s Florida Contemporary exhibition at the Baker Museum. Chief Curator Courtney McNeil explained.
“He decided to make all new work inspired by the flowers of Florida, and what he wanted to do was show how a single subject could be approached from a wide variety of media,” noted McNeil.
His installation includes painting, sculpture, ceramics and a hand-carved woodblock. Each has an intentionally unfinished appearance.
“He wants you to be aware of the artist's hand in these works,” said McNeil.
Toward that end, hash marks and background lines are visible through the pigment in his large-scale painting. Wood filler is exposed in his sculptures.
“He didn't want the surfaces to be too perfect,” McNeil observed. “He wanted you to look at them and think about the fact that a person had to make them."
Another variation on this theme is a painting on paper ensconced within a hand-carved frame that aligns perfectly with the torn edges of the paper.
“So again, you can see the artist's hand in these visible carving marks, as well as in the gestural brushwork on the painted part itself.”
Kong had a reason for keeping the artist’s hand so visible in his work.
“He's really hoping that people will see this work and that it will spark their own creativity and inspire them to create something in whatever medium, in whatever state of perfection or imperfection it results in,” said McNeil. “That would still be a valid and meaningful contribution.”
Florida Contemporary closes June 28.
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In addition to employing a variety of media, Kong has intentionally utilized dramatically varied scale, materiality and color palette, challenging himself to explore a broader range of craftsmanship within a single body of work. From monumental, finely detailed paintings to oiled wood sculptures that utilize natural wood grain and applied wood filler as sculptural elements, these works encourage the viewer to engage in a journey of playful discovery.
“One moment they may feel like they’re stumbling upon a new life, discovering each microscopic detail, and another they’ll feel as if nature has overwhelmed them with its magnitude, presence and wonder,” wrote Kong in his artist statement.
A native of Orlando, Kong was featured in the Orlando Museum of Art’s 2024 exhibition the Florida Prize in Contemporary Art, and his murals have been commissioned by public and private entities including Google, Nike and University of Central Florida, in countries including the United States, Germany, Denmark and Australia.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
