Studio visit with Lisa Cheung, Chinese Antique Restoration Specialist
Not only famous as one of the Chinese antique pottery restorers in Hong Kong, but also as one of the top rare few in the world, Lisa Cheung is a charming lady who is very articulate and keen to share her interest and passion in life, which fortunately, has become her career. Her restored objects are found in the collections of museums in the U.S.A., Europe, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Her global clients include dealers, collectors, auction houses and museums. She specializes in restoring white pottery, red pottery and grey pottery of Neolithic period, Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and Northern Wei period. Occasionally, depending on the object and its condition, she also accepts orders to restore antiques or works of art from all time periods, with materials ranging from porcelain, stone, wood, jade, bone, horn, tooth, bronze, gold and silver.
Jewelry design is Lisa’s serious hobby. Combining old and new Chinese pieces to make one-of-a-kind wearable artworks, she trademarks them under Lisa’s Collection and sells them mainly for charities. Through the years, she has raised millions of dollars for charities like Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Dragon Foundation, Cable TV for Sichuan Earthquake and Chartered Bank’s “Seeing is Believing” project. One year, she had the opportunity to design souvenir necklaces for the 14 finalists of the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant.
Before becoming an antique restorer, Lisa was known as Chung Ding Dong ( 鍾叮噹 ), an award winning singer, Cantonese movie star, TV contract artist and performer. After marrying Kalam Cheung, a 5th generation Chinese herbalist medical doctor and Chinese antique collector and dealer, Lisa learned the art of restoration from her husband, who studied the craft in Paris many years ago. As patron donors to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, they have donated over 30 pieces of antique in their name and in the name of Kalam’s father, Dr. Pak Sheung Cheung.
Her studio promises to be beyond the ordinary.