HONG KONG — Michael Lau, a pioneering figure in designer toys and contemporary Hong Kong art, returns to the city’s street-culture scene next month with “Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!,” a vibrant exhibition running Aug. 13-23 at the Carhartt WIP flagship store in Causeway Bay. The show, produced in collaboration with the global workwear and streetwear brand, presents a world where blooms become characters, blending fine art, fashion, and collectible culture.
From Gardener to Garden: A 20-Year Evolution
Lau catapulted to international recognition in the late 1990s with his “Gardener” figure series, a collection of stylized characters rooted in street fashion and Hong Kong youth culture. Those pieces helped define the designer-toy movement and established Lau as an artist who refuses to stay inside a single category. His practice now spans sculpture, painting, illustration, and collaborations with major brands.
“Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!” represents the next chapter in that evolving universe. Rather than human figures, Lau now populates his world with flowers given oversized eyes and expressive personalities. The effect is immediate and accessible, but the work carries deeper emotional layers.
Flowers with Faces: Characters Rooted in Emotion
Each bloom in Lau’s recent paintings functions as a small portrait. One flower appears curious; another seems romantic, uncertain, or playful. The eyes, Lau says, are crucial — they transform a botanical subject into a sentient being with attitude and relationships.
“The flowers become characters with emotions, attitudes and relationships,” according to exhibition notes. This approach continues Lau’s longtime fascination with building fictional worlds, replacing the human cast of “Gardener” with a natural one.
A Pandemic-Born Bloom
The flower series emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when Lau spent more time at home and found himself drawn to the plants around him. At a time of restriction and uncertainty, the flowers offered color and optimism.
Yet the works are not purely cheerful. Beneath the bright palette lies an exploration of happiness, love, and uncertainty — small reflections of human experience. The garden becomes a metaphor for the world, populated not by anonymous plants but by characters with distinct personalities.
Why Carhartt WIP? A Natural Union
The choice of venue is deliberate. Carhartt WIP’s flagship store at 13 Pak Sha Road in Causeway Bay is not a conventional museum; it is a space rooted in workwear, skateboarding, and youth culture — the same terrain Lau has occupied for decades.
“The partnership feels less like an art exhibition inside a fashion store and more like a meeting of two complementary cultures,” exhibition organizers said. The collaboration also includes a Hong Kong-exclusive capsule collection, extending the show beyond paintings and sculptures into fashion and collectibles.
Visitor’s Guide: What to Watch For
The exhibition is compact; visitors should allocate 30 to 60 minutes.
- Start with the overall visual impact: Bright colors and exaggerated forms are designed to catch the eye.
- Look at individual expressions: Eyes and postures reveal each flower’s personality.
- Scan for cultural references: Lau layers elements from fashion, toys, sports, and street culture into the work.
The show runs only 11 days, giving it a pop-up character. Collectors should note that popular items from the capsule collection may sell quickly.
The Bigger Picture
Lau’s importance extends beyond individual objects. The “Gardener” series demonstrated that collectible figures could occupy a space between art, design, and popular culture — an idea that has since become central to contemporary creative culture.
“Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!” continues that philosophy in a new form. The works are paintings, characters, cultural references, and potential collectibles simultaneously. They can be enjoyed as colorful images, read as emotional portraits, or understood within the larger history of Hong Kong’s street and designer-toy culture.
For visitors to Causeway Bay this August, the exhibition offers a concise introduction to one of the city’s most distinctive creative voices — and a reminder that even the simplest idea, given time and attention, can grow into a world.