Hong Kong artist who paints local people then reveals the art in public goes viral on IG
From taxi drivers to tai chi ladies, Joannah Hon’s Instagram videos of her revealing her paintings to her public subjects have gone viral
In her short videos, which are often paired with classic Cantonese songs, Joannah Hon Pui-yan reveals her oversized oil paintings of local cultural icons on the streets of Hong Kong.
She began posting content on her Instagram account @jobeyhon in June 2025, and it has already gained 18,000 followers.
Her most viral video, in which she reveals a painting in the middle of a wet market in Hong Kong, currently has 1.5 million views and more than 79,000 likes.
“I just feel like artists are always inside. It’s the nature of being in this profession. You’re always alone, but it’s pretty rare that people actually go and show where the inspiration came from,” Hon tells the Post.
The idea to reveal the contents of her paintings in public stems from a desire to share her work and connect with others online. “I think that’s why people like my art, because it’s just so easy to understand and it’s relatable.”