Lau King

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Lau King ("LK") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

LK : I was graduated from Schools of Creative Media in City University of Hong Kong in 2012. I discover my interest in photography since having my first mobile phone with my youth. I was using its 200 mega pixels to shoot and record my daily life. And then my curiosity of the world and passion of photography drives me further towards my photography career and dream. Now photography becomes my medium of expression of my aesthetics and philosophy of the world.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

LK : My photography is like a self-discovery journey. It is my personal expression towards the world. The beauty and the God creation of the world motivate my passion in photography. Wherever I go, I am sensitive to the surrounding and atmosphere of a place. I capture what attracts my soul attention.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

LK : I follow my inner guidance to become a photographer and artist.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

LK : Get out of your comfort zone. Dare to explore the world. Be courage to chase your dream. Follow your heart and excitement. Do not limit yourself in creation. Think big and do big. Never underestimate your potential and power. What you think what you become.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

LK : A good photographer could shoot good photos in any circumstance by his/her skills and profession. A great photographer could transcend the photos into a more spiritual and in depth meaning, delivering wisdom, emotions and message to audience.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

LK : Other than the aesthetics and composition, the emotions, message and story behind the photos also mark the evaluation and admiration of a good work.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

LK : The value of a good artwork is how the creator would like to communicate with audience and how the audience receive the message and the connected emotions affection from the work. People invest in a good artwork can elevate the overall taste and beauty of the interior environment, or it is solely based on their personal preference and connection between the artist's work.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

LK : The dream project is exhibiting across different countries and cooperating with art consultancy, hotels and interior companies over the world. The dream is gradually realising. Just need to take time.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

LK : Let curiosity leads to discover the beauty in universal law and our beautiful earth. Stay true to yourself and your style.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

LK : My favorite is Photography Master Ho Fan, who has a strong sense of reality and sensitivity to light. He can form the most beautiful composition of the light and the position of the character, and then capture the decisive and cinematic moment of life. Also Gabriele Croppi from Italy, who has used black and white in photography with high contrast in light and shadow to the extreme, with adding architecture, social and cultural elements in the work, which is visually elegant and giving audience so little fun.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

LK : My favourite artwork is one called "Fish on Clouds", it is portraying a carp swimming in the water but at the same time flying above the clouds. It likes a signature of myself, swimming the inner world and flying in the outer world at the same time, enjoying the ultimate freedom in this 3D world.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

LK : Learn from other but do not compare with others. That is what I learn along the way. I used to compare with others subconsciously, by doing so it will only hurting yourself by lowering your self-esteem and the drive to keep creating and move forwards . Everyone starts from a different point, no need to compare or jealous with other people success, stay focus on your path and doing what you love and what make you special and unique in this industry.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

LK : If I haven't become a photographer and artist, I think I would have entered to an international advertising agency to pursuit creative career. Yet, being an artist grants me greater freedom in creating what I love and want.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

LK : Art acts as a spiritual healing to the world and solace to design. Sometimes it is also design to beautify your house, making an interior place full of taste and character. Sometimes, it is a spirit affects other spirits in the world.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

LK : My parent, my friends and I contribute the success of reaching these heights. Honestly, I was born from a humble family with little support on my hobbies, education and career from them. At first they don't know what I am doing, with their trust and high level of freedom, I am able to pursuit the thing I love on my own. It is a hard road honestly. It is very mentally and physically lonely in this path as people around are difficult to understand what you are doing until you walk the way out. Friends might could have verbally supported you but ultimately you have to walk the path yourself even the path is unknown and misty sometimes. I faced a lot obstacles and challenge during the path. Many dark times to reach the end of the tunnel. I would thank for myself for my persevere and resiliency on my goal. It is a self-discovery journey questioning your own self , your surrounding society and the system around the world.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

LK : The drive to influence people and change the world to be a better place helped me overcome all the obstacles and hardship.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

LK : I need to overcome a lot of fear, self-doubt and material limitation. Fear of walking to the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of trusting inner guidance. Self-doubt for own ability, own knowledge, self-esteem, self-identity and acceptance of others. Limitation of money, man-power, cognition, self-power and other's help.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

LK : A good photographer and artist should know their style hence the market of their works. Other than exhibition and private collection, cooperating with various art consultancy and interior companies are interesting and exciting to work with. Presentation should be with their unique style giving client memorable and distinctive towards your work.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

LK : I am still discussing for a commission project for a new build hotel, the project is about the cultural and heritage of a place with my new commissioned work. I am definitely excited about it.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

LK : My ultimate goal is to spread my work over the world, influence the consciousness of people with my personal philosophy towards the world embedded in my works.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

LK : They would probably like to look forward to more of my freshness perspective on the reality and cooperation with various international brands. To create positive influence to the world.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

LK : A great photography could help conveying the message to public and create beauty and harmony to the world.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

LK : Every love, affection, comment and purchase of my work gave me the most satisfaction.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

LK : I am still discussing for a commission project for a new build hotel, but the project is probably delayed by the pandemic. The starting date is still unsure now.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

LK : Love life, enjoy life. Everything is about vibration and frequency. What you believe, what you become.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

LK : I mainly use Canon DSLR, iPhone Digital Camera For software VSCO and Photoshop are my favourite.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

LK : My style of work has my unique use of colors from my intuition, creating an emotional ambient.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

LK : The use of the colors, materials and the message behind.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

LK : Self-discovery and self-learning since from the youth. Those subjects in school isn't interested for me, and then I start to follow my intuition and self-taught through books and internet.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

LK : I would want to meet and talk with Vincent Van Gogh to ask him what he really feel and see during his painting. And tell how much love and praise he got for his paintings. I hope he would feel much more appreciated as he deserved.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

LK : I think the hardest part is the persevere of your dream and goal while everybody is so into their comfort zone and follow the route set by the society system. Along the journey I do get many discourage and disagreement by the people around me. As long as you hold an iron will to the truth you process, nothing can stop you achieving what you set your mind to. I would say I deserve all the awards and recognition. Without this, it is hard to gain trust and recognition from people. When people start listen to you, you could exert your influence to the audience.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

LK : My favourite color is blue. Place is nature with mountain and sea. Fond of many food and cuisine e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Italian, French and Cambodian. Favourite thing is things with fragrance like perfume, candle, incense sticks, also glasses and crystal. I like things with unique, shiny and transparent. I like Tom Dixon and BoConcept.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

LK : I have been to a lot of places, and the most impressive thing is that when I was hiking the Himalayas in Nepal, I accidentally deviated from the designated trekking route. Luckily, we met a kind Nepalese woman who was going to pick tea. She would like to guide us back on track with making a hoarse voice. We could not hear any clear words from her even she tried hard to communicate with us. Soon we realized she was dumb. Then she indicated us to follow her and take us back to the correct hiking route. Fortunately, we met this kind-hearted woman, otherwise we might not find a place to stay that day.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

LK : I used to be shy, silence with low self-esteem when I was a little child and youth. And I always feel emotional and easily absorb other's emotions. Ii makes me feel like I was different from other in a sense I could not tell why. I just can not fit in in any groups. What I like and do is differ from my friends. I used to have a lot of time in solitude, to think and retreat.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

LK : I definitely hold a positive view towards our future. Now the pandemic is a great reflection time for human on the social and environmental issue. The earth is recovering. We still have time create a better world for our future generation. In thousand years from now, earth will become gradually evolve to a place suitable for human to live in a love, peace, compassion and harmony.