Photos: British artist draws Hong Kong crowds with his 'graffiti spaghetti'

At the event, 10 children joined him to scrawl their own creations on his spaceship

Published: November 20, 2023 14:03 Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor and with inputs from AFP

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Hong Kong: A Hong Kong transport hub was taken over Sunday by googly eyed aliens, extraterrestrial jellyfish and a cast of eccentric characters - all part of a live performance by British artist Sam Cox, better known as Mr Doodle. Image Credit: AFP

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The 29-year-old calls his style "graffiti spaghetti" - a series of interlocking patterns, whimsical characters and surreal narratives that often chronicle the adventures of Mr Doodle in "Doodle Land". Image Credit: AFP

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His show in Hong Kong attracted hundreds of fans and curious onlookers, his canvas a two-metre-wide silver spaceship for him "to fly back home" installed at an MTR station in Central district. Image Credit: AFP

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"I really enjoy the live performances in front of people, because I love to be able to hear people get inside the process," Cox told AFP in an interview. Image Credit: AFP

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"I don't always know where it is going, and everyone is just there together and enjoying the process." Cox - who cites the late American pop artist Keith Haring as an influence - gamely adopts his alter ego, dressing in a doodled suit during his public events, which on Sunday included a crowd of children. Image Credit: AFP

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"(My daughters)... were so excited when they knew Mr Doodle was coming," Mimi Tjen told AFP, as her husband alternated between hoisting their nine- and 11-year-old daughters on his shoulders to get a better view. Image Credit: AFP

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As many children's first drawings are often doodles, "they understand that language," said Cox. At Sunday's event, 10 children joined him to scrawl their own creations on his spaceship - some imitating the Mr Doodle style, while others opted for mountains and stars. Image Credit: AFP

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"I like to create artwork that doesn't take itself too seriously... a lot of people expect art and artists to act a certain way," Cox told AFP. Image Credit: AFP

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"I try to listen to myself and think about what's the most ultimate version of myself I can be." His pieces carry price tags ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, according to Pearl Lam, Cox's global representation. Image Credit: AFP

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Lam said she typically signs more traditional creators who tend to prefer their exhibition spaces austere. Image Credit: AFP

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But for "Mr Doodle in Space" - a solo exhibition launched Thursday - her staff wallpapered her gallery in Cox's signature imagery, enveloping his canvases with an eye-popping pandemonium of scribbles. Image Credit: AFP

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Lam said Cox's social media following and full embodiment of the character is bringing a younger generation to art. "In this modern commercial world, you need some relaxation and joy... that's what Mr Doodle gives." Image Credit: AFP

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