Hippie at Heart: Meet Hong Kong’s Sin Sin Man

When it comes to dancing to the beat of your own drum, nobody does it harder than visionary artist, jeweller and hotel owner Sin Sin Man

Being a “free spirit” means allowing your mind to fly. Stop trying to be a policeman by constantly following all the rules, and stop thinking too much about the things that haven’t happened yet. I like to see how far and how high I can fly, with no expectations. My attitude is to live with curiosity – I’m always willing to take a risk, I still love to learn and I continue to explore life.

When I launched Sin Sin Fine Art in 2003, I found the perfect platform for me to be a conductor and curate shows freely. I want to stimulate and inspire the audience, to open their eyes and to let them explore new experiences through my eyes. I don’t compare my work to anyone’s, because I believe in what I do. I don’t follow trends, because I have enough to share. And whether it’s music, food or art, sharing |creates community.

I started to build my hospitality project Villa Sin Sin in Bali in 1998. It wasn’t my dream, but at that point in my life, it was meant to be. I knew I wanted to buy a place but couldn’t find anything I liked, so my friends said, “Why don’t you build your own villa?” The timing was perfect for me, personally and financially, so it was a magical moment when it all came together.

I see Villa Sin Sin as my biggest installation yet. It helps me to create a balance between Hong Kong and Bali, the yin and yang, the contrast, the space and the emptiness. The property allows guests to empty their minds and immerse themselves in the present.

I absolutely love Indonesia. It has more 17,000 islands, which I find incredibly mysterious, because you can never see enough. The people are always smiling and welcoming and, of course, the nature is unlike anything else in the world. I’m always blown away by their culture, history and immaculate craftmanship.

I’m not religious, but I am deeply inspired by the devotion and discipline of Hinduism. For instance, the daily offering and the way they respect god and nature’s existence is totally beautiful.

For the past three years I’ve been heavily focussed on my solo exhibition Back to School (2023), celebrating 20 years of Sin Sin Fine Art. Whether it’s paper, canvas, wood or metal, I’ve managed to transform the materials into playful and, in turn, mysterious works of art, all of which are insightful.

MAIN PHOTO CREDIT: Andrea Bjorsell