Dr. Anson Mak’s research interests lie in the areas of moving images and sound art.  A well recognized rising artist, she is keen to adopt new technologies and methodologies, such as sound design for independent experimental documentary works and phonography sound art.  Her works merge academic research methods with creative art production in unconventional way thus pioneering in multiple aspects.  These works are internationally recognized to be of high quality, as evident from her frequent peer reviews, awards and showcases.

Dr. Mak’s works are a rich blend of cultural research and new technology/methodology, often resulting in something unique and inter-disciplinary.  Her web-based collaborative and interactive hypermedia artwork, A Map of Our Own: Kwun Tong Culture and Histories, which received the Silver Award in the Interactive Media Arts category in the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Award (no gold award in that year), explores the history and culture of the Kwun Tong community.  Her experimental short film, Who’s Afraid of Ghost?, which was awarded Best Sound Prize in the Cambridge International Super 8 Film Festival in UK, recreates the experience of the Ghost Festival in Kwun Tong. Both of these works look at the disappearing culture/heritage of a changing community and aim to preserve and rebuild community history. 

Dr. Mak’s last feature film, titled On The Edge Of The Floating City, We Sing, was premiered in the Hong Kong Panorama Section which are films representing Hong Kong in the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival 2012.

Dr. Mak has an excellent record in securing external research grants.  She has twice obtained the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Project Grant for film/video projects.  In addition, she was recently granted a General Research Fund for ethnographic hypermedia research on artists’ studios in Kwun Tong industrial buildings, which promises to be a revolutionary project that will bring new approaches to visual arts research in Hong Kong.

Dr. Mak has received frequent invitations to serve the arts community and in the educational field.  She has been Examiner on the Film and Media Arts Committee (12 years) and Inter-disciplinary Arts Committee (5 years) of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.  Since 2011, she is invited by Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority as External Examiner for Applied Learning Subjects (Media Arts) of the new Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination.  She also served as Juror for several competitions, including the Hong Kong Workers Literature Award and the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards; and recently in the international Jury panel for Short Film Competition in the 37th Hong Kong International Film Festival 2013.  These invitations are clear illustrations of her rising eminence in her specialty area.

The Selection Committee is wholly confident that Dr. Mak has true talents to excel and is progressively making a name for herself in the Visual Arts field.  Her steady devotion to her works makes her a deserving recipient of this Award.