HONG KONG \u2014 Artist Michael Lau is bringing his signature floral characters back to the city\u2019s street-culture scene in \u201cFlowers, Flowers Everywhere!,\u201d a 11-day exhibition co-presented with Carhartt WIP that opens Aug. 13, 2026, at the brand\u2019s Causeway Bay flagship store.<\/p>\n
The showcase marks Lau\u2019s latest exploration of the boundary between fine art, designer toys, fashion and popular culture. Known internationally for his \u201cGardener\u201d figure series from the late 1990s, Lau has spent the past two decades building a visual universe where streetwear aesthetics meet collectible sculpture. This exhibition extends that world into a new medium: flowers reimagined as characters with personalities.<\/p>\n
Lau first captured global attention in the late 1990s with his \u201cGardener\u201d series \u2014 stylized figures inspired by himself, his friends and Hong Kong street culture. That collection helped define the designer-toy movement and cemented Lau as one of its most influential figures. His practice later expanded into sculpture, painting, illustration, fashion and brand collaborations, refusing to stay within any single category.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlowers, Flowers Everywhere!\u201d embodies that cross-disciplinary approach. Lau treats fine art, commercial design and pop culture as materials for a shared creative playground, rather than separate worlds.<\/p>\n
At the exhibition\u2019s core is a simple concept: turning flowers into people. Lau\u2019s paintings depict blooms with oversized eyes and expressive faces. Each flower carries emotions \u2014 curiosity, romance, uncertainty, playfulness \u2014 transforming botanical imagery into something strangely human.<\/p>\n
The series originated during the pandemic, when Lau spent more time at home and became absorbed by the flowers around him. Amid restrictions and uncertainty, the blooms offered color and optimism. But beneath the cheerful surface, the works function as small portraits of human experience. The garden becomes a metaphor for relationships, connection and the search for meaning.<\/p>\n
Longtime followers of Lau\u2019s career will recognize this as a natural evolution. The original \u201cGardener\u201d series created a fictional universe populated by street-fashion-inspired characters. Now, those characters have been replaced by flowers, yet the same narrative impulse remains.<\/p>\n
A standout earlier piece, \u201cThe Flowery Surprise,\u201d reimagined Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s The Last Supper<\/em> with flowers replacing the traditional figures \u2014 a humorous, contemporary twist typical of Lau\u2019s work.<\/p>\n Choosing Carhartt WIP\u2019s Causeway Bay flagship as the venue is intentional. The brand operates at the intersection of workwear, skateboarding, streetwear and youth culture \u2014 overlapping directly with Lau\u2019s creative territory. Rather than placing an art exhibition inside a conventional gallery, the partnership reads as a meeting of two complementary cultures.<\/p>\n The collaboration also includes a Hong Kong-exclusive capsule collection<\/strong>, blending the exhibition\u2019s imagery with streetwear staples. For Lau, the object has always mattered: his career helped blur the lines between artwork, toy, fashion item and collectible.<\/p>\n Visitors should first take in the overall visual impact of bright colors and exaggerated forms. Then look closer at individual flowers \u2014 their eyes and expressions reveal personalities. Finally, scan for cultural references: Lau frequently weaves in nods to fashion, toys, sports, music and street culture.<\/p>\n The exhibition runs from Aug. 13 to 23, 2026, at the Carhartt WIP flagship, 13 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay. It is compact \u2014 30 to 60 minutes suffices for the art, though collectors may linger over the fashion collaboration. Because the show lasts only 11 days, it carries a limited-edition pop-up character.<\/p>\n Lau\u2019s \u201cGardener\u201d figures demonstrated that collectible toys could occupy a space between art, design and popular culture \u2014 an idea now central to contemporary creative culture. \u201cFlowers, Flowers Everywhere!\u201d continues that philosophy in a different form. The works are paintings, characters, cultural references and potential collectibles all at once.<\/p>\n Behind the cheerful title lies an ongoing exploration of identity, emotion and the visual language of Hong Kong street culture. For anyone interested in contemporary art, streetwear or designer toys, this exhibition offers a concise snapshot of one of the city\u2019s most distinctive creative voices \u2014 in full bloom.<\/p>\nWhy Carhartt WIP?<\/h2>\n
What to See at the Exhibition<\/h2>\n
Why This Exhibition Matters<\/h2>\n