Founder, M.Y. Sculpture; artist, sculptor, photographer

Hongkonger May Yeung has worked as a research assistant for contemporary academic Jao Tsung-i and as a an analyst at Goldman Sachs. They seem worlds apart from the arts, but as she puts it: “these experiences allowed me to further appreciate the beauty of art and led me to return to the roots of my training as a sculptor.”

She established M.Y. Sculpture in 2006, specializing in pop art installations. Her work has been exhibited across Chicago, where she attended university and was based for a decade. After moving back to Hong Kong three years ago, she’s made a splash in the art scene, exhibiting at Le French May and the Residence of the Dutch Consul General, to name a few.

Yeung says she faces challenges in the city — namely the fact that sculptors are often neglected, due to lack of exhibition space. “Nonetheless, these challenges are blessings in disguise,” she surmises. “I started stepping out of my studio and experimenting with various materials, from cloth scraps to plastic bottle caps.”

Meanwhile, she has also won a multitude of awards for her work. “I initiated a dialogue with the community through my artwork, making me falling in love with Hong Kong more and more every day,” she says. “I view Hong Kong as my home, and am determined to make it a better city through art.”

Her first job? Internship at the office of US senator Jay Rockefeller.

Her role model? Sculptor Robert Smithson — “known for his land art that examines the transforming relationships between humans and landscapes.”

See the full list of The Loop HK’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2019.

Check out the highlights from the awards ceremony held on Feb 19, 2019.