ARtist Biographies

Sacha Yasumoto is hard to pin down to a single identity. A Cheshire native who spent much of her adult life in Japan before settling in Hong Kong, Yasumoto calls many places home. A chance conversation with her son in 2018 lead her to the underground world of urban exploring and from that time on she was hooked. Now you can find her frequenting tumbling mansions and crumbling industrial buildings, camera in hand as frequently as she once spent time in a boardroom or an office chair.

Yasumoto’s photographs evoke the memories that linger in the spaces she explores. She craves the thrills of uncovering poignant beauty amidst decay and invite the viewer to contemplate their brevity of life, the passage of time and their place in the journey.

Yasumoto is an advocate for the arts. Her background in design has given her a fantastic eye for composition and detail. She is a leading force behind the Yasumoto Scholarship Foundation, a director of the Australian Museum of Design and an accomplished public speaker, covering venues from TEDX to Soho house and the HKILF. Her first solo photography exhibition was at the Asia Society in 2022 and her first book Loved then Abandoned was published at the same time. Yasumoto is also instrumental creating the mysterious Dangerous Dinners. She is a founding member of Grey Walls Gallery.

Sacha Yasumoto can frequently be found (trespassing) in places of dubious structural integrity around the world.

Rachel Smith likes to play with light and with paint - oh and fabric too. Actually she likes to play with a lot of things which is why, her social media persona portrays her as a hot mess. But she’s a hot mess like an overflowing container of fresh cheung fan is a hot mess, slathered in sauce and perfect for a snack. She isn’t cheung fan though, she’s a person, with rages and emotions conflicts and desires just like anyone else. Now that she has written this artist’s biography, she’s also a little hungry.  

When Smith’s body started to betray her after her lifespan cycled past 480  months, she picked up her brush and drew a portrait of her rage, slightly singeing herself in the process. Speaking with other ladies in the same predicament, she gathered stories of their own struggles against their meat suits and painted them into life. There are few things as invisible as a middle aged woman, so she painted them big so they are hard to miss. 

To alleviate feelings of frustration, Smith likes to cut paper. Which is acceptable in any society and a totally natural thing to do no matter what anyone says. Regardless, her work is unique, bold and damn good - even if she does say so herself. Carpe Diem.  

Simon Shingleton is a British born, Hong Kong based artist. Shingleton is particularly interested in the human form and our intertwined identity with past and future selves. When he creates his images, he is reaching beyond the observable physical manifestation of a single person and depicting the potential of the person as well. 

Shingleton creates using permanent media, holding a shape in his mind while he sketches, avoiding the temptation to erase. He feels this makes him accountable to the present, allowing his hand to be guided by the instinct and emotion of the moment and the forms before him. Using this method, Shingleton can approach his figures with honesty and intention. 

Shingleton is primarily self taught and currently works full time in the finance industry. His artwork allows room for him to express beyond the confines of his all too regular working life. He engages in the local art community and regularly attends life drawing sessions around Hong Kong. He is the father of four rambunctious children and they and his adored wife often feature in his work.