Ting, 27, was the runner-up in the 2016 Mr. Hong Kong pageant and his acting talent has found a home at Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, where he will star in dramas in 2022. Memories of freedom And Get a flat brought him a lot of recognition – and 106,000 Instagram followers.
It wasn’t always easy – for him, being a star means being a son, brother and lover in his private life, while at the same time exposing himself to criticism of his public persona.
He had previously come under criticism for his excessive use of beauty filters in a reality show on TVB.
“I’ve received hundreds and thousands of comments – 90 percent of them were negative,” says Ting. “It hurts a little at first, but I recover quickly because I know who I am and what I want to do. If you believe in yourself, no one can judge you.”
Painting was a cathartic way to deal with the negativity, he says.
It seems appropriate to have a conversation about internet trolls while sitting in front of Ting’s piece needlewhich shows two tongues pressed together with a needle clamped between them.
The painting, he says, illustrates how sharp and piercing – and even dangerous – words can be when used incorrectly.
Other works have a more sentimental character. Pinky PromiseTing reflects on the innocence of the childlike gesture when two people interlock their little fingers and make a promise to each other.
In The summer I turned 17, Ting remembers his carefree teenage years in Toronto – his family moved to Canada from Hong Kong when he was 14 – ice skating, hanging out at the beach and working in an ice cream parlor.
“I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted. I could walk around the beach, eat ice cream and take photos,” he recalls.
Nevertheless, he has no regrets about returning to Hong Kong in 2016 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
“I am goal-oriented,” he says, a trait that is reflected in The lastwhich shows a person bending down to pick up a flower. It is a reminder not to lose sight of the wonders around us, even when we are pursuing other goals.
“I don’t want to have any regrets either… I don’t want to tell my grandchildren that (their) grandpa had the chance to do something.”
The strong support of his parents made it easier for Ting to realize his dream of becoming famous.
“My parents gave me a lot of love and freedom, which was great because I was at a good university and had a promising future ahead of me. And then suddenly I told them: ‘I’m not going to study anymore, I’m going to work as a celebrity.'”
Fortunately, his venture paid off.
“When raising their children, they sometimes become too protective and keep them under their wing even as they get older,” he says.
“This sheltered environment allows children to grow, but at the same time limits their self-discovery and development.” He illustrates this in Teddy and the chairwhich shows a stuffed animal under a chair – is it being protected or is it trapped?
The exhibition’s clearest message, however, is love, and Ting expresses it best in a series of three paintings that use honey as a metaphor for love.
“Sticky and sweet, Honey is a good representation of love, but (how) it can also slip away. It’s a reminder not to take it for granted,” says the actor.
“Who are you?”, 13A New Street Art Gallery, Ground Floor, 13a New Street, Sheung Wan, Tel: 9192 7013. 12pm-7pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Ends 31 August.
Headlines were written using artificial intelligence.
