Hong Kong actor Simon Yam on his artistic side and why nature is his biggest muse
The Hong Kong film and TV superstar shares what inspires him to paint and how his art is interconnected ahead of his photography exhibition
Veteran actor Simon Yam Tat-wah has spent five decades in front of the camera, appearing in more than 240 films and 90 television series from Hong Kong to Hollywood. In the early 2010s, he also started venturing into film direction and production.
Now, at 70, he has found yet another medium to channel his creative vision: art.
Ahead of his photography exhibition at Hong Kong’s Fringe Club in December, Yam is eager to talk about his artistic practices, which began in the 1980s and expanded during the pandemic.
His latest passion lies in painting, using mostly acrylic and oil but also watercolours.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by visuals,” he says. “I’m a very curious and observant person, but when I was growing up, I didn’t have the time and resources to learn to paint or study the fine arts.”
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From actor to visual artist, Simon Yam is showing Hong Kong his true colours
He says creativity, which he believes to be at his core, is “essential to human beings”, and this is why he wanted “to use painting and new technologies to re-enact and create”, adding that “the ability to create makes life more fulfilling”.