An Encounter on the Wall with You from France
She is everywhere. In restaurants, cafés or gyms in Wanchai, Central or Sheung Wan’s Soho area, you may have run into her - Elsa Jeandedieu. You may even have, like many locals and visitors, taken a photo with her.
Is Elsa a super woman with countless manifestations? Certainly, you are not really taking a photo with Elsa the person, but her murals.
Elsa was born in Southern France. Set to pursue a career in New York after studying art in France, Elsa followed her brother and came to Hong Kong in 2008. She was fascinated by the small and vibrant city and decided to take root Hong Kong. Elsa does not speak Cantonese, but her murals break the the invisible barriers between people.
Yet she had a tough time at the beginning. From the Mediterranean coast of Europe to a financial centre full of skyscrapers in the East, Elsa missed the French way of life at first – the sky became a small band of blue between buildings, getting a cup of coffee was an arduous task, the creative atmosphere was a world away from that of Paris... However, it is precisely the gap in cultural development that has allowed Elsa to find a unique place for herself in Hong Kong.
The city’s nature also captivates Elsa. She has fallen in love with distance running and has won numerous medals over the years. The nature has also become her inspirations in art.
Over the 16 years, she witnessed the thickening of the atmosphere of art in the city. She started her own studio in 2015. She holds her first solo art exhibition in Hong Kong last year. With paintbrushes and paint, Elsa tells the story of how a warm breeze from the Mediterranean Sea drifts mile after mile to the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong.