Meet Artist Ghost Mountain Field

Including his intriguing pseudonym, Hong Kong-born artist Ghost Mountain Field has lots of stories to tell, ranging from his inspiration to a typical day in his studio – we’re delighted to unveil his creative process in our latest blog.

Represented by Red Chamber Gallery, Ghost Mountain Field’s works merges pop culture references, such as actors and movie scenery, with the detailed and delicate strokes of his unique painting technique. If you’re looking for a show-stopping piece to hang at home, read on to find out more about his work.

Can you tell us how you came up with your pseudonym, Ghost Mountain Field?

Apparently, my Chinese name is a complicated one and was often-mispronounced, so I took a part of each of the Chinese characters in my Chinese name and formed a pseudonym; “Ghost”, “Mountain” and “Field”.

Because my creative process and artworks are inspired by the themes of human existence and memories, the name “Ghost” also makes sense as it is an in-between existence. Additionally, I also use a lot of natural elements, like plants, in my work. So, that explains “Mountain” and “Field”.

What is the inspiration behind your work, and why do you think you gravitate towards it?

My work is very much inspired by pop culture and the reasons behind it. When I was young, my parents worked really long hours, I was bullied in schools and I didn’t have many friends, so movies and popular music become my only escape and the way I connected with the world. This history has become my cultural heritage, my frame of reference. I am also inspired by Tadanori Yokoo, a Japanese graphic designer who made me realise that, like in his own works, good graphic design is an art form itself.

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As time has gone on, my age has enriched my experience and I find that I draw inspiration from everything and everywhere

Which artist/s have had the greatest impact on you and why?

There are a lot of different artists that have influenced me at different times, BUT, if I had to name one, it would be Marc Quinn. I came across an article with an image of Marc Quinn’s ‘Blood Head’ and knew immediately that I had to see it, it was so strong that I travelled to the Saatchi Gallery in London to see it in real life. I was going through a period when I was preoccupied with the subject of identity, life and death, and so on. His work just opened up a new horizon to my understanding of art making.

Can you tell us a bit about your practice?

As I’ve mentioned, I use a lot of references to popular culture. I tend to express my works through painting and drawing, but I would also consider them to be collages. My main interest is the contrast between contemporary life and my inherent cultural background.

I primarily use oil paint and pencil for my studio work, and acrylic paint and other materials for mural pieces because it allows me to have more control over the results. However, I have become more open-minded to the idea of happy “artistic accidents”.

Sometimes it takes me a week or two to finish a piece; but the idea and draft could take anything from one day to a few years, depending on if I find the missing pieces of puzzle…

What does a typical day in the studio look like?

Actually, I try not to go into my studio all the time, unless I have something to do. The urge to create something when I am there is so strong, that I feel confused if I go in unprepared.

But when I am in the studio, first thing I do is to turn on the radio, because silence makes me uncomfortable. Then each time I’ll spend around 6 to 8 hours creating.

How would you complete the sentence “The most rewarding and the most challenging aspects of being an artist today are…?”

The most challenging or frustrating part is the process of extracting what’s in my mind and expressing it onto paper or canvas.

But the most rewarding part is being able to express myself creatively. In my old “normal” job, I had a lot of creative thoughts but weren’t able to bring them to life. I was still pretty happy, but now I feel very blessed that I am able to make art.

Huge thanks to Ghost Mountain Field for such great insights into his creative process and inspiration. If you’ve enjoyed this interview, click here to browse his works on our online marketplace. Alternatively, why not browse all pop-art works here.

Featured art from first to last:
Ghost Mountain Field, Two Sparrow, 2019, oil and acrylic on canvas
Ghost Mountain Field, Live A Little While Waiting for The Love of Your Life, 2019, oil on canvas
Ghost Mountain Field, 1 Bamboo, 2019, colour pencil on paper
Ghost Mountain Field, As Wishes, 2019, oil and acrylic on canvas
Ghost Mountain Field, Two Horses, 2019, Pencil on paper
Ghost Mountain Field, Let’s Get Fit, Let’s Go Swimming, 2019, oil and acrylic on canvas
Ghost Mountain Field, Untitled Poster Girl 2, 2019, oil and acrylic on canvas