Hoho Kuo

Year of birth: 1988
Where do you live: Shanghai, China
Your education: Stage Art Design Department of the Central Academy of Drama and the Directing Department of the Beijing Film Academy
Describe your art in three words: Powerful strokes, rich colors, expressive freehand style
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How has your father’s influence as an artist shaped your artistic journey and your approach to visual arts?

My father is an artist who hasn’t found much success. Although he has received many professional awards, he hasn’t pursued a career in the art world consistently. However, this is fortunate for me because he had more time to talk with me, be there for me, and support my growth. With his rich life experience and knowledge, he’d always spark these amazing ideas in me. For example, he would say, “ The patterns on the tiles resemble a human face! The wind, clouds, and light can transform into unexpected shapes.” Like many Chinese artists of his generation, he was heavily influenced by the Peredvizhniki of the late 19th century. He loved creating artwork with solid, powerful core forms, then blending it with the style of Impressionists like Monet – and this approach really shaped my early foundations in painting.

You have a background in both stage design and directing. How do these disciplines influence your visual art practice, particularly in handling space and light?

If I think of stage design as the long shot and film as the close shot,then my flat canvas gains a deeper awareness of three-dimensional space and inner emotions. Light is the foundation of all art.Working on professional lighting for film projects has shifted my understanding of light from a passive to an active role.These experiences deepened my understanding of spatial hierarchy and the balance of compromises.

Could you describe the techniques or materials you used in creating the “Freehand Brushwork of Xiuding Fragments” series?

Located at the southern foot of Qingliangshan Mountain in Anyang, Henan Province, stands the Tang Dynasty Pagoda of Xiuding Temple, renowned as China’s first decorated pagoda. This masterpiece of Eastern aesthetics gained renewed attention after being featured as a scene in “Black Myth: Wukong,” the winner of TGA’s Best Action Game. The entire pagoda is adorned with molded glazed floral bricks, carved with magnificent scenes of deities and celestial beings.In my creation process, I used acrylic paints with a freehand brushwork approach. I simplified the complex patterns of the decorative bricks, leaving traditional Chinese blank spaces at the four corners. The base was laid with gold leaf, then glaze with metallic paint to create a contemporary decorative contrast. The focus is on the dynamic and radiant essence of the horses, apsaras, and foreigner as they interact with different lighting.

Eastern aesthetics and architecture play a significant role in your art. How do you balance traditional elements with your unique contemporary perspective?

In my exploration series of Eastern aesthetics and Chinese traditional architecture,I avoided grand narratives. Instead, I chose to present cultural symbols and elements that personally resonated with me through a contemporary perspective. This made me see my cultural roots in a new light and strengthened my cultural identity. It also gives me a real sense of my position in the world from a broader perspective. That’s why I keep working on this series.

As someone who works across multiple roles—director, painter, art director—how do you integrate these different experiences into your art?

I’m someone who likes to find connections between different things.Whether it’s as a director, art director, or painter, they all belong to the field of visual arts.For me, bringing a film crew together to make a great film is just like combining elements on a canvas to create a good painting. Both require careful decisions about what to keep and what to leave out.My solid art foundation since childhood is one of the main reasons I can switch between these roles so easily.

What role do you think art can play in preserving or reinterpreting cultural heritage for future generations?

I think it serves as a contemporary perspective. It’s really about providing a way to interpret and understand things for our time.

What advice would you give to young artists who wish to explore themes of cultural heritage in their work?

More and more people are showing interest in Chinese ancient architecture and Buddhist culture. You can even see quite a few people sketching on-site, just like in art museums where they copy the works of the masters.It’s similar to the timeline of world art history, stretching from ancient Greece to modern art.I believe it’s essential for us to understand our visual roots and heritage, rather than blindly following what’s trending without any foundation. In my view, contemporary art is about expressing personal feelings, not about following a particular style or format.