(A programme of Francophonie Festival 2025)

Organisers: Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base), Alliance Francaise de HK, Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau

2024/25 The Arts Talents Internship Matching Programme is supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

Speaker: Kei LAM (French comics artist and illustrator)
Guest Speaker: Stella SO (Hong Kong comics artist and illustrator)

Dates: 23.03.2025 (SUN)
Time: 15:00-17:00
Venue: Eric Hotung Studio (LB/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai)
Conducted in English and in Cantonese

Quota: 50
Free Admission

The Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) and the Alliance Francaise de HK, Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau have invited Kei Lam, a French illustrator, to share her creative insights with local creators and readers. Kei Lam born in Hong Kong and moved to Fance at the age of six. She now lives in Montreuil, France. Influenced by her father, who is a painter, she developed strong interestin drawing from a young age. Before being a artist, she worked as an urban planning engineer. After several years in that profession, she decided to change her career path and began working as an illustrator. Her works have won multiple awards. Her first book, Banana Girl, won the UNICEF Youth Literature Prize. Her second book, Les Saveurs du béton (The Flavors of Concrete), received an award at the Angoulême Comics Festival in 2022, as well as the Porte Dorée Literary Prize.

We are pleased to invite Stella So, a Hong Kong illustrator and comics, as the guest speaker for this event. Stella graduated with a Bachelor degree of Arts in Visual Communication (Design) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Stella won the animation category gold award in the 8th ifva Awards in Hong Kong with her animation Very Fantastic. Presenting nine-square grid and Hong Kong old district, the animation builds up a nostalgic feeling and a hope towards Hong Kong culture. It has been also showcased at several international film festivals. Her works includes Old Girl comics series, The Stories At The Foot of Victoria Peak, and City of Powder – Disappearing Hong Kong. 

During the sharing session, Kei will discuss the differences in urban planning and culture between Hong Kong and France, and how these differences have influenced her artistic creations. Kei has a strong interest in Hong Kong’s architecture and will share her insights on drawing architecture with Stella.

This event provides a valuable opportunity to understand how Kei and Stella depict Hong Kong culture from different perspectives.

About Kei LAM

Kei Lam is a comics artist and illustrator. The daughter of a Hong Kong painter, she moved to France at the age of six. She now lives in Montreuil, France. 

A graduate of the École des Ingénieurs de la Ville de Paris, she later shifted career paths and began studying illustration in Paris in 2015. Her first book, Banana Girl, won the UNICEF Youth Literature Prize. Her second book, Les Saveurs du béton (The Flavors of Concrete), received an award at the Angoulême Comics Festival in 2022, as well as the Porte Dorée Literary Prize.

Website: keilam.fr | Instagram: @keilamfr

About Stella SO

Graduated with a Bachelor degree of Arts in Visual Communication (Design) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Stella won the animation category gold award in the 8th ifva Awards in Hong Kong with her animation Very Fantastic. Presenting nine-square grid and Hong Kong old district, the animation builds up a nostalgic feeling and a hope towards Hong Kong culture. It has been also showcased at several international film festivals. 

Recently, So has been working on the Old Girl comics series, depicting slices of everyday life. Her publications include Very Fantastic – Incredible Pre-War Tenement Buildings, City of Powder – Disappearing Hong Kong, Old Girl Home, Old Girl Mind, Old Girl: I Am A Village Girl!, If The World Is A Hundred People School, Stories of the Hungry Ghost Festival, etc.

Facebook: Stella, So Man Yee | Instagram: @stellasoart

About 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 more than four decades ago, the HKAC brings art to the people of Hong Kong – by presenting programmes for visual arts, performing arts, moving images and media arts, comics and animation. Other areas also cover arts education, conferences, festivals, public art and community projects, all done with the vision and mission of engaging and inspiring creativity in the Hong Kong community.

In 2000, HKAC founded its educational 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.

Let’s continue to embrace ‘Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All’, and share the inspiration.

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

About Comix Home Base

Comics and animation are important local pop culture and artistic creations. Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been dedicated to planning and organising diverse and unique activities to promote the arts and culture of comics and animation to the local community and abroad.

Since 2006, HKAC curated Comix Home Base project (CHB), and has been working closely with comics artists, animators, industry practitioners and various government departments to promote local works. Over 800 ani-com-related events are hosted, such as exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances, publications, screenings, public arts, etc.

In recent years, Comix Home Base has continued to proactively orchestrate cross-media collaborations and look for crossovers between comics and different media like public art, movie, dance, intangible cultural heritage, martial arts etc., expanding the creative space for comix. Outside Hong Kong, the footprints of Comix Home Base can be found overseas in France, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Korea, Russia, Indonesia and Portugal etc. This has facilitated the involvement of numerous Hong Kong comics artists in international collaboration projects. Also, local comics have been successfully published in different foreign versions in European countries and the United States, increasing the international recognition of local comics and animation artists.

Comix Home Base is fully committed to creating a platform for the flourishing art of Hong Kong anime and comics and to elevating comics that are ’made in Hong Kong’ to the global stage with stakeholders.

Official website: www.comixhomebase.com.hk | Facebook: hkacchb | Instagram: @comixhomebase