On the occasion of Pride Month, Return from the Powder Room: Kary Kwok Solo Exhibition, curated by Aaditya Sathish, presents three large format photographs in the lobby as well as a set of images in the food hall, reflecting on identity, sexuality, and visibility.

The term powder room is a euphemism for the female lavatory. It derives from the act of “powdering one’s nose”, a modestly feminine reference for ladies using the loo. Drag and party cultures have embraced the term and endowed it with a myriad connotations. Imperceptibly, the fringes start taking on a life of their own: mystique infuses the air; cheeks blush with rouge; glances are exchanged, from corner to corner. 

Exhibited for the first time since the 1990s, Kwok’s self portraits feature the artist as a maid holding a pile of rice, in a family portrait with a baby shrouded in the Union Jack flag, and, an orderly gentleman, reminiscent of a forgotten patriarch or a hotel doorman. Created in conjunction with the British Black Arts Movement, his characters, deadpan, made-up, and as unapologetically queer as a B-Movie Queen, offer a darkly humorous take on bourgeoise family values.

Venue address: LG/F Foodhall & G/F Lobby, Eaton Hong Hong, 380 Nathan Road