Artist Background
I am a practising artist based on Gadigal land, creating artwork that blends soft, imaginative visuals with a sense of wonder, comfort, and playfulness. I have a background in graphic design and illustration. My art style is expressive in mood, colour, and narrative, with storytelling at its heart. Deeply inspired by my Malaysian-Chinese heritage, I celebrate Southeast Asia’s vibrant diversity and cultural richness throughout my work.
My artistic journey includes collaborations with leading commercial brands and public art initiatives, spanning packaging design, digital campaigns, and community murals. I am also an active participant in local and interstate zine and illustration fairs, where I connect with fellow creatives and engage closely with local communities.
- Pei
My Connection to Chinatown
I grew up in Queensland at a time when the local Chinatown didn’t play a prominent role in everyday life or within the local Asian community. When my dad moved to Sydney for work, our family made frequent trips to visit him. My sister and I have so many fond memories of exploring Paddy’s Market, sampling all sorts of delicious food at the food courts, and visiting the Morning Glory shop in Chinatown.
Now, after more than ten years of living in Sydney, my connection with Chinatown has deepened through new memories and relationships. I’ve been fortunate to meet many members of the local community—especially through art markets, group exhibitions, and creating public art pieces for the area. Some of my favourite memories include my very first group show with Soul of Chinatown at Banchō Bar, joining the Sydney Lunar New Year markets as a stallholder each year, and seeing my artwork light up at the Neon Playground 2.0 festival last year.
About the Project
When Sharon and I first started this project, we knew we wanted to create something that truly honoured past generations and celebrated the Lai family’s lineage. Through consultations with the family, photos and special food items were selected to best capture their family history.
With the artwork located in such an iconic spot in Chinatown, we drew inspiration from the Ceremonial Gates and the character of the local shopfronts—the colours, shapes, and atmosphere helped set the tone and direction of the artwork. We played to our strengths, with Sharon focusing on the portraits and me on the food illustrations.
Even though this was our first time collaborating, we quickly discovered that our art styles complemented each other very well. We held studio drop-in sessions to brainstorm together and kept each other updated through messages, emails, and file sharing as the project took shape. One of the challenges was determining the key visual for each panel and figuring out how to tie everything together so it felt cohesive. We wanted the family portraits and food items to be the heroes of the artwork. By using borders inspired by the Chinatown Ceremonial Gates and a shared colour palette across all the panels, we found a way to highlight these hero elements and tell the family’s story in a meaningful and cohesive way.
Another challenge was the scale of the artwork. Because it was separated into different-shaped panels spread across a single wall, we had to work closely with our printer to ensure each panel was precisely aligned with the measurements taken on-site. The end result creates a seamless experience for passersby to enjoy the artwork without interrupting the building’s existing character.
As creatives, we often become absorbed in our own ways of working and can develop tunnel vision about what to do next. This project, however, was a truly collaborative experience. It was incredibly rewarding to create something meaningful for the Chinatown community together.
Artist
Pei Kwang
Pei Kwang is a Sydney-based artist whose practice moves between contemporary art and cultural memory, often drawing on diasporic identity. Through layered textures and considered forms, her work invites reflection on belonging, heritage, and transformation.
Artist
Sharon Billinge
Sharon Billinge is a Sydney-based mural artist known for transforming public spaces through vibrant, community-driven works. Her large-scale murals blend storytelling and place-making, celebrating local histories while reimagining the urban landscape.
