Feminist YouTuber Mak Ying-tung on challenging Damien Hirst, braving an open mic, and addressing serious issues in her signature ‘fun and crazy’ way
- Mak Ying-tung says her art doesn’t have to be taken seriously, despite the fact it reads as a social experiment or commentary
- In her latest video series, the Hong Kong artist conveys humour both through the awkwardness of the encounter and her delivery – she aspires to stand-up comedy
Hong Kong artist Mak Ying-tung’s latest YouTube series, Single Life, may at first appear to be a form of break-up therapy, but the idea was born more of a desire to be productive during a self-imposed coronavirus lockdown.
“One day I napped for way too long, woke up and had the urge to create something. I recently ended a relationship, and thought this was a great time to get back out there,” says the 30-year-old artist, who goes by the name Mak Ying Tung 2 in the art world because a fortune-teller once told her the “2” would bring her fame and fortune.
She called up a primary-school classmate whom she hadn’t spoken to in at least 10 years, and decided to ask him out and film the whole date.
“I was really nervous when I called initially,” recalls Mak, “but more excited and curious about what the outcome would be.”
The awkwardness of the situation makes her video both compelling and humorous; this is conveyed not only through their spontaneous conversation, but also through her delivery – essentially a performance.
