While she finds it challenging, Chiu enjoys exploring the level of intensity and fluidity required to blend both watercolour and acrylic into one succinct visual language – the way a bilingual may feel when they try to retain fluency in two languages. “When I work with watercolour it's like speaking Cantonese or Chinese, it's very natural to me. But I feel very lucky that I got a chance to explore and expand my [visual] languages into acrylic.”

Through her work, A Journey Across the Land and Sea, Chiu demonstrates a perspective that is firmly rooted in being an artist in Hong Kong. “For me it's like finding a middle ground between east and west; [sticking to] my roots and new exploration,” she explains. “I’m so happy that I can translate my eastern roots into something more universal.”

Hong Kong is one of the biggest influences on Chiu’s art, whether literally depicted or more subconsciously. “Living in an international city, I get to be a cultural translator on a daily basis,” she explains. “I like how exciting it can be, because every day I select and translate some [aspects of] Chinese culture to foreigners and vice versa.”

Weaving in inspiration from modern Chinese art history and ink art, she strives to create a universal language for the future through her abstract techniques, all without mistranslating for her viewers. She cites a quote from her artistic idol Wu Guanzhong, commonly acknowledged as one of the founders of modern Chinese painting, that guides her in her craft: keeping the balance between abstraction and retaining a grounded human connection is much like “flying a kite with an unbroken line.” Conversely, if you allow yourself too much loose abstraction, you will lose the human touch.