For the first time, the WHATZ International Contemporary Art Fair is to Hong Kong —and The Art People Gallery (TAPG) will be part of this debut edition. From September 26-28, the Conrad Hong Kong will be transformed into a unique art platform where 44 hotels rooms become intimate gallery spaces under the theme “Living with Art”.
Opened in Malaysia back in 2015 and now with a strong presence in Hong Kong, TAPG has built a reputation for supporting both emerging and established voices across Asia, this participation in WHATZ will bring together fresh collaborations and new works alongside familiar names from their roster.
A central highlight of TAPG’s presentation at WHATZ 2025 is the introduction of three new collaborating artists, whose practices expand the gallery’s vision of connecting cultural narratives across Asia, from experimental material approaches to contemporary takes on cultural heritage.
Anroo, a Jakarta-born, Bali-based artist, moves fluidly between painting, macramé, and mixed media, often working with eco-friendly materials such as cotton, rope, and bamboo. Her practice is as much about sustainability as it is about form, offering intricate abstractions that speak to both material innovation and environmental consciousness.
Jeffrey Yeh, an Academy of Art University graduate now based in Taipei, reimagines mythical Chinese creatures such as Pixiu and Qilin through a distinctly contemporary lens. His work blends Eastern tradition with Western influences, producing playful yet thoughtful reinterpretations that speak to cultural fusion and cross-generational storytelling.
Karry Hon, a Hong Kong-based artist, works primarily with punch-needling and embroidery, transforming textiles into intricate narratives. Her practice blurs the line between craft and contemporary art, weaving together themes of memory, identity and cultural heritage. By embedding personal and domestic references into her works, Hon creates pieces that feel both intimate and universally resonant, offering viewers a tactile connection to the stories she tells.
Alongside its new additions, TAPG is also presenting a selection of artists already central to its program, each bringing a distinct voice to the fair.
Afi Sulaiman stands out with her stands out with her Pawsitive Affirmations series, playful mixed-media canvases where cats become a vehicle for humor, tenderness, and self-reflection. Lisa Wong Sook Kuan paints lush, surreal scenes that merge tropical vegetation, everyday objects, and whimsical figures, turning the familiar into something fantastical.
Margaret Lau offers meticulously detailed recreations of snack packaging, transforming consumer goods into nostalgic icons of memory and culture. Azizi Latif reimagines portraits of cultural figures using an innovative quilling technique, layering folded strips of paper into portraits that ripple with movement and texture.
Other artists featured in the booth include Emy Thiran, whose abstract landscapes carry a quiet lyricism, and Hadil ElFaramawy, whose expressive canvases draw on her multicultural background to explore belonging and place.
