Doodles on Napkins Become IP: Hong Kong Artist's Solo Exhibition Brings A-Boy to Taiwan
Hong Kong artist b.wing returns to Taiwan for her solo exhibition 'We Are All, Happy Prince' after nearly 20 years. Featuring her iconic character 'A-Boy,' the exhibit explores solitude and the human soul through 41 unique artworks.
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- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 11:06
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Doodling casually on napkins led her to become a collaborator for multiple famous fashion brands and a shared memory for Hong Kong cinema-goers. Hong Kong artist b.wing speaks of her IP 'A-Boy' as a family member, a friend, and an embodiment of her lonely side.
b.wing recently launched her solo exhibition 'We Are All, Happy Prince' at the Little Scenery space in Taipei, marking her return to Taiwan for a solo show after nearly 20 years. In an exclusive interview with CNA, she mentioned that returning to Taiwan feels different; interacting with strangers feels comfortable and natural. 'Maybe I've changed. When you're young, you want to chase trends, but now I just want a comfortable state.'
This exhibition collects 41 works accumulated by b.wing over many years. Looking closely, underneath the acrylic and oil pastels are various canvases: loose-leaf paper torn off casually, white paper with Chinese characters on the back, and even corrugated cardboard used as packaging. She recalled being alone at home as a child and drawing out of boredom. Her parents saw it as a waste of money, so she drew on anything she could find, even walls, because her mother was 'too busy to look at me.'
A-Boy, the little boy with dark circles, was also created by b.wing on a napkin in 2003. Even as an adult, she still loved to draw. 'At that time, my company printed so much paper every day, so I drew on it. My boss would ask what I was doing. I still remember the first time I drew A-Boy on a napkin; it felt like a long-lost reunion.'
A-Boy's official debut in 2006 was the key to b.wing's fame. Before the concept of IP became popular, b.wing sought cooperation opportunities with her sketches. She went to the gallery under the famous brand agnès b. and recommended her work. After being reported, she received agnès b.'s personal approval to hold an exhibition, starting A-Boy's journey, which reached Paris, Tokyo, and beyond.
In addition to art fairs, Hong Kong's Broadway Circuit has been playing cinema etiquette videos starring A-Boy before movies since 2011, making him a companion for countess movie hours for Hong Kongers. To b.wing, A-Boy is a mysterious existence in her life. 'It's not love-hate; it's deep love, though sometimes I want to escape.'
In the exhibition hall, A-Boy is the core of the paintings but is always alone, regardless of the format or size. b.wing said that when she drew A-Boy, her mother had passed away, and she was studying alone in the UK. She knows the feeling of loneliness, and everyone has such moments. That loneliness allows one to see oneself more clearly.
'Since I was two or three years old, I often wondered, why am I here? There are some dark places in that feeling, and I'm grateful that A-Boy catches those emotions. It makes me feel safe.' A-Boy is not just an inner incarnation. 'Everyone has something to complete in life; I think mine is to complete him (A-Boy).'
b.wing chose Oscar Wilde's classic fairy tale 'The Happy Prince' as the title for her Taiwan exhibition. The Happy Prince gives up everything and welcomes death, just like her understanding of life. 'In the end, all that remains is your soul. After countless years of practice, what will you look like? That's the story I want to tell.'
b.wing's solo exhibition 'We Are All, Happy Prince' is on display at Taipei's 'Little Scenery' until May 24.
b.wing recently launched her solo exhibition 'We Are All, Happy Prince' at the Little Scenery space in Taipei, marking her return to Taiwan for a solo show after nearly 20 years. In an exclusive interview with CNA, she mentioned that returning to Taiwan feels different; interacting with strangers feels comfortable and natural. 'Maybe I've changed. When you're young, you want to chase trends, but now I just want a comfortable state.'
This exhibition collects 41 works accumulated by b.wing over many years. Looking closely, underneath the acrylic and oil pastels are various canvases: loose-leaf paper torn off casually, white paper with Chinese characters on the back, and even corrugated cardboard used as packaging. She recalled being alone at home as a child and drawing out of boredom. Her parents saw it as a waste of money, so she drew on anything she could find, even walls, because her mother was 'too busy to look at me.'
A-Boy, the little boy with dark circles, was also created by b.wing on a napkin in 2003. Even as an adult, she still loved to draw. 'At that time, my company printed so much paper every day, so I drew on it. My boss would ask what I was doing. I still remember the first time I drew A-Boy on a napkin; it felt like a long-lost reunion.'
A-Boy's official debut in 2006 was the key to b.wing's fame. Before the concept of IP became popular, b.wing sought cooperation opportunities with her sketches. She went to the gallery under the famous brand agnès b. and recommended her work. After being reported, she received agnès b.'s personal approval to hold an exhibition, starting A-Boy's journey, which reached Paris, Tokyo, and beyond.
In addition to art fairs, Hong Kong's Broadway Circuit has been playing cinema etiquette videos starring A-Boy before movies since 2011, making him a companion for countess movie hours for Hong Kongers. To b.wing, A-Boy is a mysterious existence in her life. 'It's not love-hate; it's deep love, though sometimes I want to escape.'
In the exhibition hall, A-Boy is the core of the paintings but is always alone, regardless of the format or size. b.wing said that when she drew A-Boy, her mother had passed away, and she was studying alone in the UK. She knows the feeling of loneliness, and everyone has such moments. That loneliness allows one to see oneself more clearly.
'Since I was two or three years old, I often wondered, why am I here? There are some dark places in that feeling, and I'm grateful that A-Boy catches those emotions. It makes me feel safe.' A-Boy is not just an inner incarnation. 'Everyone has something to complete in life; I think mine is to complete him (A-Boy).'
b.wing chose Oscar Wilde's classic fairy tale 'The Happy Prince' as the title for her Taiwan exhibition. The Happy Prince gives up everything and welcomes death, just like her understanding of life. 'In the end, all that remains is your soul. After countless years of practice, what will you look like? That's the story I want to tell.'
b.wing's solo exhibition 'We Are All, Happy Prince' is on display at Taipei's 'Little Scenery' until May 24.