【Hong Kong Arts Centre】

KAFKA BY CHI-TAK LI

New Book Launch Event

[HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  CROSSOVER NOTEBOOK]

14 July 2021 OFFICIAL LAUNCH

Kafka Comics Originals Exhibition

4 to 30 August 2021 | Jockey Club Atrium, G/F to 3/F, HKAC | Free admission

 "Grey is like my connection with Kafka."— Chi-tak Li. 

With a mindful selection of short stories by renowned author Franz Kafka, Li's new book features 10 stories in his iconic comics style, including Vulture — I can never win it over, Passers — talking to strangers, Trees — reality vs illusion, Road — find your own way, Wolves — we are all wolves, Shy —Awww..., Rain — again and again, Love — I am surrounded by lances and sharp knives, War — war, war, war!, and Power — who owns it, who is the boss.

Movies, TV series, and plays were commonly adapted from Kafka's literary works, whereas Li interprets Kafka's works in a different way with his simple and delicate black and white line drawings. A mysterious world that is as blurred as grey, ambiguous, and powerless. Drawing Kafka's literature has always been one of Li's wishes, he has devoted himself to this book since 10 years ago. The new comic book is designed in pocket size, one panel on one page, and deepened the story page by page. In coincidence with the collaboration of Hong Kong Arts Centre and Moleskine, Li was invited to design a limited edition Moleskine notebook with his unique drawings on cover, paper band and postcard in the theme of ‘Kafka’.

In collaboration with Moleskine, Hong Kong Arts Centre further promotes arts and culture to bring a limited edition notebook to Hong Kong. To celebrate its 45th anniversary, the first launch of this collaboration is just the beginning. It features the renowned Hong Kong comics artist, Chi-tak Li, with his classic drawings that will surely delight you every day.

Hong Kong Arts Centre and Moleskine both act as a platform of culture and creativity to encourage all kinds of arts. Moleskine notebook has been used by artists. They treasure every page of it, as each page is made with silky acid-free paper, also conserves the importance of hand-writing/-drawing records. Return to basic—using pen and paper—to record your continuing inspiration and innovative ideas anytime and anywhere.

With the supports from Moleskine and Today Publications, Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) organises a series of events, including original comics exhibition, prize game to win limited edition notebook, and book signing session. Comics, art and Moleskine notebook lovers can get to know the essence of creation through the collaboration of Kafka and Moleskine, under the rendition by Chi-tak Li.

HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook and comic book Kafka will be officially launched on 14 July 2021 at HKAC Art Shop and online store (hkacartshop.store).

【 New Book Launch Event 】
HKAC︱MOLESKINE︱CHI-TAK LI　CROSSOVER  NOTEBOOK  + KAFKA BY CHI-TAK LI
Limited Edition Notebook ‧ Comics Originals Exhibition ‧ Book Signing Session ‧ Prize Game

Presenter: Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base)
Special Thanks: Moleskine, Today Publications

Kafka Comics Originals Exhibition
Date: 04.08. – 30.08.2021 
Time: 09:00 - 23:00
Venue: Jockey Club Atrium, G/F to 3/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre
Free admission

Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) exclusively presents the comics originals exhibition of book design originals and selected comics original pages from HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook and Chi-tak Li’s latest comics Kafka. Step into the enchanting world of Kafka and explore the inquisitive spirits of Li through his exquisite works.

Book Signing Session @Hong Kong Book Fair 2021

Date and Time:
16.07.2021 (Fri) 18:30 - 20:30
18.07.2021 (Sun) 16:00 – 18:00
Venue: Today Publications Booth (booth no.: 1A-C8-12), Hong Kong Book Fair, HKECE (1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai)

HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook and comic book Kafka will also be launched on 14 July at the booth of Today Publications in Hong Kong Book Fair 2021, and the comics artist Chi-tak Li is going to show up in the book signing session on 16 and 18 July. Please stay tuned for the details announcement by Today Publications.

Prize Game — Trace & Jot
Date: 04.08. – 30.08.2021
Time: 09:00 - 23:00 
Venue: Jockey Club Atrium, G/F to 3/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre 
Free of charge 

‘Grey’ could be a connection between Chi-tak Li and Kafka, as their works are obscure and leave room for imagination—besides of this, what else do they have in common? You are invited to dig out the other possibilities through the prize game— Trace & Jot in the exhibition period, to trace back the keys to be a creative master!

Hidden keywords could be found from the thematic decos at the exhibition space. Visitors are required to trace out maximum three best described keywords of ‘the connection between Chi-tak Li and Kafka’, then jot down the keywords with creative explanations on the provided notebook onsite for submitting. The most creative TWO submissions will be selected by the comics artist Chi-tak Li and be prized a HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI　Crossover Notebook with Li’s autograph !

Book Set Special Offer

Date: 14.07 – 30.08.2021

During the book launch period, a special discount is offered for purchase in set of HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook and comic book Kafka at HKAC Art Shop and online store (hkacartshop.store).

Book Set A  $418

■  HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook (Scarlet Red Cover)  1pc

■   Comic Book Kafka   1pc

Book Set B   $418

■   HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook (Sapphire Blue Cover)  1pc

■   Comic Book Kafka   1pc

Book Set C   $686

■   HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook (Scarlet Red Cover)  1pc

■   HKAC | MOLESKINE | CHI-TAK LI  Crossover Notebook (Sapphire Blue Cover)  1pc

■   Comic Book Kafka   1pc

More Details: https://hkac.org.hk/calendar_detail/?u=xwzKRgE4X1c

Facebook: hkacchb | Instagram: @comixhomebase

Image Download: http://ftp.hkac.org.hk/Program/HKACxMOLESKINExCHI-TAK_LI/

About the Comics Artist

利志達Chi-tak LI

Website: lichitak.com
Facebook: lichitakoffice

Chi-tak Li began his career in the comics industry in 1982. After working for a corporate comics publisher in Hong Kong for a month, he decided to start his own venture as a freelancer. Following on from the release of The Wisely series, he self-published Tong Men Shao Nian, a prominent title which rocketed him to fame in 1987. He has since developed a distinctive art style, creating his own visual world with eerily experimental works that broke genre rules. 

Li’s transmedia creations transcend the boundary of comics and expand into movies, experimental theatres, literature, pop music and sculptures. His idiosyncratic style has attracted the attention and commissions from local and international brands.  Li is also well-known in the international comics scene. His comics has been published in places like Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mainland China, France and Italy since the 90s.

In 2016, the Hong Kong Arts Centre had jointly curated Li’s solo exhibition with the Angoulême International Comics Festival in France as one of the Festival’s thematic exhibitions. His French comics The Beast, a collaborative project with the famous Belgian writer Jean Dufaux, was released at the same time. This solo exhibition had given birth to another international cooperation opportunity. Li was invited by the Louvre Museum to create a new comics Moon of the Moon. The French version was released in November 2019 in Europe and the Hong Kong Chinese version by the local publisher Today Publications in March 2020. His recent romance comics Yum Sui was published in 2021, and his new comic book Kafka is to be published to pay a homage to Franz Kafka's literary classics in the same year.

About Hong Kong Arts Centre

Hong Kong Arts Centre - Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All

Since 1977, the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been a platform for nurturing and supporting artists, and infusing art into everyday life. Its unique arts and educational programmes aim to make the arts accessible for all.

The HKAC believes in the transformational power of art for people from all walks of life. Established for more than four decades, the HKAC endeavours to bring arts to the people of Hong Kong – by presenting programmes for visual arts, performing arts, moving images and media arts, comics and animation. Our other areas also cover arts education, conferences, festivals, public art and community projects. All with the vision and mission of engaging and inspiring creativity in the Hong Kong community.

In 2000, HKAC founded its education arm, Hong Kong Art School (HKAS). The HKAS provides award-bearing programmes to nurture artists and art practitioners, as well as short enrichment courses for the general public.

The HKAC aspires to engage everyone in the community to become an active participant in the arts - as an enthusiast, an artist or a patron.

In 2022, the HKAC will celebrate its 45th anniversary. Let’s continue to embrace ‘Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All’, and share the inspiration.

Dedicated to promoting comics and animation arts and culture since 2006, HKAC has presented a diverse array of comics and animation-related programmes in different parts of the world, e.g. the Mainland China, France, Japan, Finland, to list a few. From 2013 to 2018, HKAC was also the operator of the Comix Home Base (CHB) which was the first and leading arts community for comics, animation and related media in Hong Kong. The CHB breathed new life into Hong Kong’s comics and animation scene by fostering the city’s comics and animation culture. In recent years, HKAC has been proactive in promoting Hong Kong comics to the international market.

Official website: hkac.org.hk | Facebook: Hong Kong Arts Centre | hkacchb | Instagram: @hongkongartscentre | @comixhomebase

About Moleskine

The Moleskine notebook is the heir and successor to the legendary notebook used by artists and thinkers over the past two centuries: among them Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin.

A simple black rectangle that held the sketches, notes, stories and ideas that would one day become famous paintings or the pages of beloved books.

From the creative minds of the past to the makers of the future: today’s Moleskine objects are blank canvases that invite you to continue the story.