Michael Lau
Encyclopedia
Michael Lau is an artist from Hong Kong
who is known for his illustration
and designer toy
figures. Lau is widely credited as the founder of the urban vinyl style within the designer toy movement. His work has had a significant effect on toy manufacturers, as well as street culture
, including artists and musicians, throughoutthe world. His style is particularly influential to Asia
n and American
hip-hop and skateboarding
culture. Lau has won several awards for his work, including four from the Hong Kong-based Philippe Charriol Foundation.
Lau started his career by displaying his art in small galleries in Hong Kong, where Lau worked as a window display designer, before searching for employment in the advertising
industry. In 1997, Lau was hired to illustrate the cover art for the Anodize electronic music
album. In 1998, he began the Gardener comic strip
in East Touch
magazine
for which he is best known for. The characters featured in this comic strip were the basis for his first series of vinyl
collectible
figures. In 1999, his work became popular enough to attract the attention of the Sony
corporation, who exclusively distributed a selection of his Gardener pieces in Asia. Lau signed a contract with Sony which lasted until 2003. During this time, Lau continued to work steadily, creating illustrations and vinyl figures in a graffiti
-influenced style.
Graduated from Design First Institute in Hong Kong in 1992. While some of his art was on display in Lau worked with the Hong Kong hip-hop group LMF
, creating a series of figures based on them. He has created other series of urban vinyl figures, such as Crazychildren and Lamdog, in addition to stand-alone pieces. His work is highly collectible
and is predominantly collected by adults; his figures are almost exclusively available from designer toys retailers.
In 2004, he opened his own gallery, called michael, in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
who is known for his illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
and designer toy
Designer toys
Designer toys is a term used to describe toys and other collectibles that are produced in limited editions and created by artists and designers. Designer toys are made of variety of materials; ABS plastic and vinyl are most common, although wood, metal, and resin are occasionally used. The term...
figures. Lau is widely credited as the founder of the urban vinyl style within the designer toy movement. His work has had a significant effect on toy manufacturers, as well as street culture
Street culture
Street culture may refer to:* Street market* Children's street culture* Street carnival* Street identity* Cafe culture*Several topics pertaining to outdoors youth subculture or counterculture of urban centers. These can include street art, street dance, street sports and hip-hop culture....
, including artists and musicians, throughout
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip-hop and skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
culture. Lau has won several awards for his work, including four from the Hong Kong-based Philippe Charriol Foundation.
Lau started his career by displaying his art in small galleries in Hong Kong, where Lau worked as a window display designer, before searching for employment in the advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
industry. In 1997, Lau was hired to illustrate the cover art for the Anodize electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
album. In 1998, he began the Gardener comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
in East Touch
East Touch
East Touch is a weekly Chinese language magazine written in Cantonese style in Hong Kong. It is published every Tuesday by East Touch Publishing Limited, part of Global China Group Holdings Limited.-Content:...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
for which he is best known for. The characters featured in this comic strip were the basis for his first series of vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
collectible
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
figures. In 1999, his work became popular enough to attract the attention of the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
corporation, who exclusively distributed a selection of his Gardener pieces in Asia. Lau signed a contract with Sony which lasted until 2003. During this time, Lau continued to work steadily, creating illustrations and vinyl figures in a graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
-influenced style.
Graduated from Design First Institute in Hong Kong in 1992. While some of his art was on display in Lau worked with the Hong Kong hip-hop group LMF
Lazy Mutha Fucka
LMF also known as Lazy Mutha Fucka or Lazy Muthafucka, is a Cantonese hip-hop group in Hong Kong. The group, signed by Warner Music, was founded in 1993, disbanded in 2003 and regrouped in 2009...
, creating a series of figures based on them. He has created other series of urban vinyl figures, such as Crazychildren and Lamdog, in addition to stand-alone pieces. His work is highly collectible
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
and is predominantly collected by adults; his figures are almost exclusively available from designer toys retailers.
In 2004, he opened his own gallery, called michael, in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.