Hong Kong teen uses art to spread joy, advocate for social issues
Renaissance College student Kan King-lun talks about the process of designing characters for his former kindergarten’s personal learning goals.
Kan King-lun reads to young students at Small World Christian Kindergarten. Photo: HandoutWhen students walked into the open day at Small World Christian Kindergarten in Hong Kong’s Mid-Levels, they were greeted by teachers, staff and a special guest: 16-year-old Kan King-lun.
King-lun, a Renaissance College student who attended Small World when he was younger, had returned to showcase a special project he made for the students: a series of 10 animal characters that embody the kindergarten’s personal learning goals.
King-lun has been an artist for more than a decade, and he likes using his work to support local communities and the causes he believes in. He was excited to do the Small World project because of his ties to the school.
“This is such a tight community, and a lot of alumni are still in contact. It’s the kind of community that creates such a close bond,” he said.
“Even after graduating and leaving, we still have this shared sense of belonging to the school.”
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Community effort
In April of 2023, the principal of Small World approached King-lun with the idea of creating characters for the students.
“Each of these characters represents one trait, a personal learning goal created by the school,” King-lun said. “[Students] are taught to embody these traits through the characters and other elements of the story.”
King-lun spent a couple of weeks at the school later in the year, communicating with the principal, teachers, parents and, of course, students.
“That influenced the creation when it came to designing the characters, creating the names and traits,” he explained.
“It was very hands-on. We’ve had a lot of experience creating this together.”
King-lun’s 10 characters include Charlie the Chameleon, whose character represents being adaptable; Daisy the Dolphin, representing respect; Leo the Lion, who represents being ethical; and the artist’s favourite, Cooper the Cat, who embodies the trait of empathy.
Last month’s open day marked the official launch of these characters. Students were gifted keychains with the character artwork and had a chance to chat with King-lun.
“I feel not only accomplishment but a sense of gratitude,” King-lun said.
Small World students will get to appreciate King-lun’s artwork for years to come because the characters will be incorporated into the school’s curriculum through stories and other means.
“It’s kindergarten, so these concepts are quite simple. You have to make it intuitive and easy to understand,” he said.
“The exposure they have to these concepts, with the posters and plushies, is a constant reminder of the internationally-minded, globally competent citizens that they should be.”
Spreading joy through art
King-lun started dabbling in art when he was a toddler.
Art has since become a passion he uses to connect with the world and advocate for causes such as climate change and societal and socio-economic issues.
He has partnered with various NGOs to create more visibility for their causes through art. When King-lun was eight years old, he collaborated with Greenpeace to write and illustrate a children’s book that taught kids about pollution and plastic waste.
The charity recently asked King-lun, an ambassador for Greenpeace for Hong Kong and Taiwan, to be a judge for a reusable cup design competition.
Next, King-lun will head a project with Hong Kong Tramplus that will allow students at his school to form teams and create designs for the city’s trams. Winners could see their designs used in real life.
Going forward, King-lun will continue to spread his love for art through partnerships and collaborations.
“I feel like every time I get an opportunity, it would be a waste not to use it to its fullest because I’m lucky enough to be in this circumstance where I can do this thing to benefit the community,” he said. “Why not do it?”
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