Mr. Samues Leung
gallerist
Finding a
Work-Life Balance with
“Slow Living” [在都市中慢活]
Written by Sunny Chan
Mr Samues Leung is both an artist (while not self-proclaimed) and an industrious art dealer and manager, running his own gallery in North Point, HK. He has been working in the gallery industry of Hong Kong for 10 years since 2003 and organized numerous exhibitions and events in liaison with different malls and fairs, corporates and consulates. Finding the balance between art and business, he enjoys his work tremendously and lives his life to the fullest. Samues is currently pursuing a Master degree in Fine Arts and the idea of “Slow Living” is something that interests a workaholic like him recently.
ABOUT
As an established gallerist, how do you combine “art” and business, two seemingly incompatible elements, in your work?
Luckily I am actually an analogue person, I am not keen on technology. And I avoid too much electronic information such as FB, web browsing, etc. However, I keep buying books for my interests. As an MFA student now, I spend more time reading, researching, making and remaking my “art”.
And I concentrate on learning ONE kind of art in one country, such as Singapore for water-color, Taiwan for installations, and Kyoto for wabi-sabi during my study leave. If you focus on one thing at a time, you can enjoy the benefits of “slow living” without slowing down your efficiency. Some people are actually wasting more time “multitasking”.
Despite a hectic schedule in the fast-paced commercial world, how do you apply the concept “slow living” in your own life?
This could be a topic for a hundred thousand words! In short, I would advise them to start working in a field that truly interests you, and get as much work experience and familiar with the field as possible before starting your own business.
Most importantly, ask yourself 10 times why you want to start business to clarify the true motive behind (whether you really want to be an entrepreneur, a one-man bank, a freelancer or just to avoid working under a boss). The fact is, 99% of the population is good as employers, only 1% is good for business, and 0.1% for entrepreneurs. So, always know what you want, what you are doing and what you could be.
What advice would you give to youngsters who dream of starting a business in an area of their interests?
I see no contradiction. Art not for sales is art; otherwise it is artwork. For art, I can do what I love without any commercial considerations. But when I am buying and selling artwork, it is a different story. I have to fit in my clients’ needs regardless I love them or not, and be budget-wise. An artist has to be very clear about whether they are doing art or artwork.
That is why contemporary Korean art becomes very popular. Artists there are less hypocritical and really know what they are doing. Unlike in HK, many artists claim they are “professional” and pretend they don’t need money. They are reluctant to develop artwork as products in the market, but actually it is!
A balance between the “business” of working and the “art” of living
I spend a lot of time visiting museums, art fairs and exhibitions in different countries (at least 5-10 a year) for art sourcing. Travelling to foreign countries at the same time satisfy my desires for travelling, eating and sight-seeing. It is very balanced!