Unprecedented attendance at Sotheby's Old Master Q: What the @#$% is Going On? exhibition

HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong announces unprecedented attendance at the largest-ever selling exhibition by beloved illustrator Alphonso Wong Kar-hei (well- known by his pen name, Wong Chak), visionary behind the legendary Hong Kong comic Old Master Q. Nearly 5,000 visitors have been recorded in the first 10 days and all the works on offer have been sold.

This overwhelmingly-popular exhibition features 128 original comic illustrations, dated between the 1960s and the 1980s and ranging from four- and six-panel comic strips to cover artworks. Generations of Chinese communities around the world have treasured Wong’s charming and inspirational depictions of daily life in Hong Kong society as portrayed by a constellation of colourful characters. Highlighting the foibles and follies of Old Master Q, Big Potato, Mr Chin and Miss Chan, Old Master Q: What the @#$% is Going On celebrates and brings to life this timeless, iconic series which has become an enduring mainstay of Chinese collective memory.

In the lighthearted, humorous spirit of Old Master Q, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery also offers exhibition visitors the chance to star in their own personalised black-and-white Old Master Q comic strips — a unique keepsake created using interactive digital technology.

This one-of-a-kind ensemble of works represents a truly rare opportunity to glimpse the creative process behind a prized cultural touchstone. It is a singular moment to be seized by new and established fans of Old Master Q alike. The exhibition runs through 29 August 2014.