Wan Chai is known for its rich historical background and landmark buildings.

But little do people know it is also the cradle of Hong Kong’s animation and comics industry where many local comics artists started their careers.

It is one of Hong Kong’s oldest districts and is the theme for artist Jerry Cho’s Wan Chai 72 mural.

The comics-themed creation on the wall of Southorn Playground’s spectator stand, is one of many commissioned for the Comixtream in the City - Wan Chai project.

“Fishing was a once a major industry in Hong Kong. In the early days, coolies started work in the morning at Southorn Playground,” the artist said.

“The elderly can use the artwork as a platform to tell stories to younger people.”

The venue has been a gathering spot for decades, with residents engaging in sports or relaxing on the spectator stand.

They have been transformed into cats for comics artist Mandycat’s Southorn Ah Meow mural on the exterior wall of the playground.

“You can see cats on the spectator stands. They are chatting, eating ice cream and drinking instead of watching the football match,” she said.

“This is what I imagined from my observations whenever I pass by Southorn Playgound.”

Public platform

The two artists are among eight who have collaborated to use their cartoon characters and creative ideas to transform Wan Chai into an open air art gallery for the project.

People can see beloved local cartoon character McDull playing cheerfully on the outer wall of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, a tram travelling across the entrance of the Revenue Tower and a fisherman on a lamp post banner near Comix Home Base.

The project is co-organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and Comix Home Base.

Funded by the Government’s CreateSmart Initiative, it also includes a series of workshops to boost awareness about public art.

Walking memories

For one of the workshops, Hide & Seek Tour Co-founder Tak Chan leads walking tours in the district.

He said: “Along the tramline is a journey through different periods of Hong Kong’s development.

“Changes over the past 100 years are very relevant to these historical buildings.”

Participants start at Southorn Playground and walk to historical landmark The Pawn. They also go to Mallory Street where the Comix Home Base is housed in a pre-war Grade II historic building.

At the end of the tour, they can create their own art. Participant Jenny Mok drew the iconic Blue House.

“My drawing illustrates an idea to extend the Blue House. There are open spaces, parks and trees surrounding it. I want to show that residential areas and public open spaces can co-exist,” she said.

Vibrant hub

The Hong Kong Arts Centre hopes the project can help promote the district as an animation and comics landmark.

“Through this project, a lot of visitors will have a glimpse of Wan Chai’s history,” the centre’s Executive Director Connie Lam said.

“We really hope that more people understand Hong Kong is not only about shopping. We have a lot of things you can find. We want to use Wan Chai as a platform to showcase the beauties of Hong Kong.

“Right now we have the Comixtream project so we have quite a number of mural paintings along the streets in Wan Chai.

“So it really lifts up the atmosphere in Wan Chai. The beautiful paintings and posters of Comixtream light up my heart. And I think this will do the same (for) the rest of the people.”

The centre has also launched a new comics and public arts project at the airport.

Artworks are displayed at the Arrivals Hall and on platforms for automated people movers to treat locals and visitors to depictions of comics characters and colourful scenes.