Conversations | Chan Wai Lap on Art, Memory and Communal Spaces

Why It Matters

Lap’s fusion of personal memory with public spaces redefines communal art, attracting institutional support and shaping future cultural policy.

Key Takeaways

• Chan Wai Lap transitioned from graphic design to collective art practice.
• Early works use school uniforms to explore memory and social pressure.
• Swimming pools become central motif for public space and personal liberation.
• International residencies expanded his practice to installations and participatory art.
• UBS commissions highlight his work’s relevance to contemporary communal experiences.

Summary

The fourth day of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 opened with a panel titled “Chan Wai Lap on art, memory and communal spaces,” presented in partnership with UBS. Moderator Louisa Ho introduced the artist, UBS collection manager Elen Choy, and Takahashi Mizuki of the Center for Heritage, Arts and Textiles, setting the stage for a discussion of Lap’s evolution from a graphic‑design graduate to a leading figure in Hong Kong’s contemporary art scene.

Lap recounted his early years in the “Dirty Paper” collective, where he turned school‑uniform sketches into a commentary on academic pressure and personal identity. The uniform series resonated widely, prompting public commissions such as the interactive Mimi Momo pool at Art Basel. A pivotal moment came when he learned to swim, using the pool as a metaphor for public ritual, escape, and self‑reflection, which later informed large‑scale installations that blend private and communal experiences.

The conversation highlighted Lap’s international residencies—in New York, Berlin, Istanbul—where he studied local pool regulations, counted tiles, and incorporated those observations into participatory works. UBS’s art‑collection manager explained the bank’s strategy of acquiring artists who reflect contemporary social conditions, noting Lap’s ability to translate personal memory into universally accessible public art. Mizuki emphasized how such projects align with heritage‑building goals, offering youth a space to confront stress through creative engagement.

Lap’s practice illustrates a growing trend where artists leverage everyday public spaces to address collective anxieties and cultural identity. UBS’s commission signals strong institutional backing for socially engaged art, while the Center’s involvement underscores the potential for heritage institutions to foster dialogue. For collectors, curators, and policymakers, Lap’s work offers a blueprint for integrating personal narrative with communal experience in the post‑pandemic cultural landscape.

Original Description

Presented in partnership with UBS

Chan Wai Lap, Artist, Hong Kong

Elaine Choi, Art Collection Manager, APAC, UBS, Hong Kong

Takahashi Mizuki, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT), Hong Kong

Moderator: Louiza Ho, Associate Curator, Tai Kwun, Hong Kong

The panel explored the evolution of Chan Wai Lap’s artistic practice, from his early interest in Hong Kong school uniforms and memories of his high school years, to his longstanding engagement with swimming pools as both motif and social space. The discussion examined Chan’s view of memory as a social construct, and how communal facilities shape collective and personal experience, revealing the tensions and overlap between public and private realms. At the fair, Chan Wai Lap’s interactive installation, Mimimomo Pool, was open to the public in the UBS Art Studio. 

Chan Wai Lap’s creative practice primarily involves paintings, drawings, and art installations, which are often inspired by his personal experience, memories, and everyday happenings. In recent years, Chan has documented public swimming pools, investigating the concept of power dynamics – between public and private, self and others, and the interrelationship of these notions.  

Elaine Choi is UBS Art Collection Manager for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Hong Kong. Since joining UBS in 2017, she has overseen the acquisition, activation, and display of the UBS Art Collection across the firm’s headquarters, branches, and activation spaces in APAC. She leads multiple artist commission projects and serves as the collection’s spokesperson, sharing UBS’s collecting strategies and fostering public engagement with contemporary art.  

Takahashi Mizuki completed her MA in History of Art at Waseda University, Tokyo and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prior to her current role at the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile in Hong Kong, Takahashi served as a founding curatorial member at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo and as senior curator at the Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito. She is the co-curator of the Japan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale. 

Louiza Ho is the associate curator at Tai Kwun Contemporary, where her practice explores curatorial approaches at the intersection of visual arts and live art. Her recent collaborative and experimental projects include BOOKED: Hong Kong Art Book Fair (2018–2024), as well as initiatives such as 55 Squared (2020–2023), Artist Walk (2021–2022), Art After Hours (2021, 2025), and Artist’s Night (2024, 2026). Recent curated exhibitions include ‘Maria Hassabi: I’ll Be Your Mirror’ (2023), ‘Alicja Kwade: Waiting Pavilions’ (2024), and ‘Alicja Kwade: Pretopia’ (2025).

Stage furniture by Porro and B&B Italia, courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano