Eleanor McColl
Eleanor McColl is a multi-disciplinary artist, based in Hong Kong. She studied Fine Art at U.W.E Bristol, in England and came to Hong Kong in 1999 to pursue her career as an artist and art educator. Eleanor ran her own art school (Chameleon Workshop) for 10 years before closing it to focus on her own art practice 6 years ago.
McColl's work is rooted in place with a focus on the urban environment. Her work draws the eye to the often unnoticed details of the city, casting the "shadows on the wall" of the modern human condition: often solitary, hardworking and hardwearing. Through manipulation of focus, her work explores the delicate points of contact in the otherwise ceaseless blur of the everyday anonymous citizen.
Drawn to the dramatic palate of dilapidation, refurbishment and renewal, her cityscapes explore the interface between Hong Kong's unique verticality and it's impact on its people.
“I am interested in capturing those small but arresting details which catch my eye as walk through the city. It could be a flash of colour from a dangling piece of washing, or a mop resting against a rusty peeling door. I find the contrast of blurring and sharp focus fascinating, so I typically use soft-focus techniques which obscure the surrounding scene to reveal pockets of fine detail".