Kai is a Hong Kong-born artist and creative visionary. She blends intuition and cultural curiosity to shape her work across art, writing, design, and social media. Fluent in multiple languages, Kai explores diverse creative realms, including food, fashion, and East Asian pop culture, while studying culture and society abroad. Kai is also the creator of the popular Everyday Toast project, illustrating over 400 toasts from around the world, connecting food culture with art and community.
You started by capturing Hong Kong’s food culture in your illustrations—what draws you to these culinary stories, and how do they shape your identity as an artist?
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Working in Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry showed me the challenges small independent cafes and restaurants face, from high rent to ingredient costs, requiring passion and dedication. Culinary spaces became important community hubs where I grew up and connected with others. This experience shaped my identity as an artist by highlighting the need to support these places emotionally and financially. It also inspired me to think about building a healthy ecosystem that encourages creativity and innovation, not only in food but across all creative fields.
Having exhibited in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Los Angeles—from little tea party to #toast 500—how has each city influenced your artistic vision and growth?
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My exhibitions reflect relationships and creative growth across cities. Tokyo’s 2023 show explored collaboration in food, art, and fashion, connecting me with diverse people. In Los Angeles, I celebrated college with risograph prints mixing digital characters and retro Japanese influences. In Hong Kong, #toast 500 was my digital art made tangible, facing local skepticism but receiving strong support. These experiences strengthened my confidence to pursue art commercially, highlighting the blend of digital and physical forms in my evolving journey.
You juggle roles as illustrator, model, designer, and author. How do these different forms of creative expression feed into each other?
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Creative roles like illustrator, model, designer, and author interconnect, inspiring new ideas and collaborations. Embracing multiple roles fosters growth, curiosity, and challenges beyond traditional career limits. The term “slasher” helped accept this fluid identity, allowing authentic fulfillment without being confined to one role. Roles describe tasks but don’t limit potential.
Your recent publications—cookiedevilz and #toast 500—also extend to exhibitions. How did the storytelling in print differ from the immersive experience on gallery walls?
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Print offers a tangible way to share intimate stories and challenge singular narratives, like stereotypes about Hong Kong, fostering clarity and understanding. Exhibitions provide immersive, visual storytelling that evokes inspiration and personal interpretation. Both forms reflect the creator’s perspective but differ in reception—print invites direct communication and global conversations beyond physical spaces, while gallery art creates emotional, spatial experiences. Ultimately, both aim to build community through distinct yet complementary storytelling approaches.
Through art, talks, and collaborations, you’ve built bridges between creative communities across cultures. What ambitions do you have for your role in cultural storytelling and future teamwork?
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Through art and collaboration, I aim to build a thriving, local art ecosystem in Hong Kong that supports independent artists and fosters creativity. Pursuing a sociology master’s in London, I want to combine academic insight with creative leadership to inspire change and encourage cross-industry teamwork. My goal is to be a role model, nurturing confidence and collaboration, while guiding projects thoughtfully as a creative director and producer, bringing out the best in myself and others.
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