A cultural icon who covered the streets of Hong Kong with his graffiti for over 35 years, Tsang Tsou Choi (1921-2007) used a brush and ink to proclaim himself The King of Kowloon—the heir to an imaginary birthright that fueled a lifetime of artistic output. With his signature style, Tsang wrote himself into the collective memory of a generation caught between British and Chinese rule. He left behind an oeuvre that includes countless outdoor projects (the majority now extant only in photographs), myriad works on paper, board and cloth, as well as painted objects. In 1997, Tsang’s inclusion in the celebrated traveling exhibition Cities on the Move gave him international exposure within the art world, visibility reinforced by his inclusion in the 2003 Venice Biennale.
This milestone publication documents Tsang’s influential practice and enduring legacy, revealing an urban artist, consummate outsider and self-styled emperor whose story is much broader than the island he called home.
With over 100 reproductions, a forward by Hans-Ulrich Obrist, critical essays by Hou Hanru, Ou Ning and others, interviews and an annotated timeline of the artist’s life, The King of Kowloon is the first comprehensive survey of Tsang’s complex and fascinating artistic output.