Stepping into Afa Annfa’s studio, the one thing that stands out the most is her collection of dolls. Bearing goofy oversized heads, they appear adorable at first but a closer look yields an entirely different impression – a sense of sadness, which seems to linger just beneath their cheery demeanors, belies their cute appearance. Similar subtleties are found in the Hong Kong-based artist’s own works. Taking a close look – past the muted pastel colors, the young female characters wearing school uniforms, and the seemingly angelic entities fluttering about – the false sense of charm in her work quickly fades away and is instead replaced by an unsettling sense of melancholy.

Prior to becoming a full-time illustrator, Afa Annfa worked as an art director for an advertising firm and was also an established model and actor. But her interest in illustration didn’t arise out of thin air; it can be traced back to her childhood days. Afa’s father was an interior designer and her older sister was passionate about art; growing up in such a creative environment, picking up drawing was only natural to her. Despite not having had any formal art education, she was already drawing cartoon characters on her own in middle school. She sees her lack of formal training as giving her art a sense of purity and innocence. “I usually just practice by myself,” Afa says. “And I tend to draw with my feelings and instincts.” Recently, we caught up with Afa and talked to her about harnessing creativity, the underlying themes in her work, and what being a “slasher” means to her.

Neocha: Can you share with us how you approach some of your illustrations and paintings? How do you find inspiration?

Afa: When I’m fully invested and focused on creating something, I easily find myself zoning everything else out. For example, my biological clock might be completely reversed; I won’t eat healthily, nor will I find the time to exercise. But after every intense period of work, I’ll gift myself with a long vacation. I’ll read comics and travel. I feel like these vacations are mandatory and that these breaks contribute to my growth as an artist. When I start working again, I’ll use whatever I might’ve read or seen in my travels as creative concepts; that’s what my workflow is generally like, a system of input and output. When it comes to inspiration, I’m not someone that needs to search high and low. I have plenty of inspiration; most of it comes from books I’ve recently read or media that I’ve consumed. All of these elements are blended together with the message I want to convey. That’s how my inspiration comes about.

Neocha: Your illustrations are often cute in appearance, but below the surface, there are many layered concepts. Can you tell us about some of the concepts behind your The Silent Family series?

Afa: This is my first fully completed series. Many characters inhabit this world, but they’re all different forms of myself. The little girl in a school uniform is another version of me, one that’s filled with insecurities. The little monster represents my dark side; it’s a manifestation of my weaknesses, jealousies, and so on. This can also be thought of as a commentary on society. It’s a battle between my darkness and myself. The girl might lift the headscarf of the devil to see what’s within, they might fight with one each other, or they might try to embrace and accept one another. This work was an exploration of self and is quite meaningful and positive in a way. When you can bravely face your own darkness without wanting to run away, you’ll understand yourself more. It’s a big step forward.

Neocha: In your new work Erotic Ghost Tales, some little monsters also make appearances. Can you tell a bit more about the concepts behind it?

Afa: I experimented with using paper cut-outs for this new series at my exhibition in 2016. I explore a deeper subject. I wanted to explore desire and sexuality from a female perspective. In our society, it’s considered normal for men to openly discuss sex. But this acceptance doesn’t extend to women who want to talk about sex; people are more critical of this. So for women constrained by our societal construct, they choose to not openly discuss sexuality. This is what I hoped to convey through my work. The monsters I draw have subtle meanings. For example, the three lines behind the geisha and the red ribbon in her hair are all meant to be symbolic. The little monsters that surround her represent yearnings and desires that are finally revealing themselves.

Neocha: As both an illustrator and a model, how would you describe the life of a “slasher” (Slasher is a Cantonese slang that describes a multifaceted person working in different fields)? If you were to dabble in another field of work, what would it be?

Afa: I never planned to go down this path. Many choices in life are unexpected, and we just move with the currents. But I’m quite lucky; many people were willing to give me opportunities all along the way. My decision to study design was influenced by my father. After graduating, I naturally began working in an advertising firm. Being a model wasn’t planned. A modelling agency invited me to audition, so I went in with a mentality of wanting to try something new and possibly earn a little extra money. After being a model for a few years, my income from this became quite steady and it allowed me to quit my job at the ad agency so I could spend more time drawing. It was all unplanned, and I was very fortunate. At times, I felt directionless, but every step forward brought me closer to where I am today. Being a slasher satisfies my desires of wanting to try out and experience different things. If I were to pursue another line of work, I hope to be an author – I would love to write stories that can accompany my illustrations.

Website: afaannfa.com
Behance: ~/AfaAnnfa
Facebook: ~/AfaAnnfa
Instagram: @afa_annfa

Contributor & Photographer: Ye Zi