Karen Chi Kwan Yiu [China]

www.karenyiu.com

As a make-up artist Karen has developed an amazing collection called ‘Body embroidery’ with hand sewn embroidery placed directly into the make-up.

How did you discover the art of bodypainting?

The first time i discover body painting  can date back to 2001 and 2002, i just finish my degree in Social work and work as social worker for the youth unemployment field, at the same time i did a part time course in makeup with Makeup forever academy, i took a course with a tutor from Paris, that was time first time i saw people put paint on a body, so fascinating, that make me start my interest in body art or the art from Europe, and made me decided to continue my study in the makeup field.

Therefore i apply The London College of Fashion specialist makeup design, and leave Hong Kong to have further study, at first i thought European people should be more open to body art and I can really learn how to paint on the whole body, however in our college not every students was interested with body art, i learnt some techniques in body painting, but through out the course i didn't have a chance to paint on a body, since most students refused to take off their clothes for painting, so we can only learn to paint on the arms, legs or the back....


Until 2005 the year I graduated I went to a makeup store to get some material and saw the leaflet of the World Body Painting Festival in Austria. I felt so excited, I really wanted to join this event, and my tutor Fiona told me why don't you join the competition? So yes I did it, I made it to Austria, and saw the greatest work I had ever seen, as a new painter i was so touched by all the work there. Alex told me I was the first Chinese painter for the festival, and that was my first time to paint a model's whole body.

I felt the difference last year when joining the festival(2007), I didn't go in 2006, but through out the year working in Hong Kong I didn't stop doing body art, I still work with lots of photographers with body paint, and introduced it to the fashion industry, with the continued practice, drawing, thinking, and working, my brush is so close with me. When working with my design in 2007 it was so much easier than 2005, the image was in my brain, I can see the image and draft in my brain, i don't need to draw the whole pic on the paper or practice on a model before I just do it on the day.

When i first back to Hong Kong, people always ask me, why you do body art, do you think this is difficult to make money? Do you think Hong Kong/ Asian people will accept it? I told them I don't care, I am an Artist, I am working with my art work, not money making work, I can make money by doing some simple smoky eyes make up, natural wedding make up, but I need art to make my brain to survive. I don't want to end up as a commercial makeup artist. Therefore I changed my title on my card as Makeup designer not makeup artist.


2 years working in Hong Kong, people start to change, everybody now like body art, photographers know me by my work, they like to work with my body art, and I hope to do something different in the future.

When people see my work, they can see Chinese influence, the drawing skill was influenced by Chinese painting. I was educated in London, i have a more modern way of thinking, really East meet the West. When I'm  creating my work I always look at some Chinese painting or handicraft for reference, 5000 year of art it have loads undiscovered elements, there is some point only Chinese can understand, Chinese is a unique writing system, so difficult to learn, if you want to discover Chinese culture you need to understand Chinese first, so i have a very good position. I hope to link up our history with the body art, i want to make a difference.