Barlo (b. 1988) is an Italian street artist, painter and designer based in Hong Kong. Strongly influenced by metaphysics and expressionism, Barlo’s work focuses on mythological creatures, natural elements and a universal sense of nostalgia. His favorite muse – the ‘tengu’(or ‘tiangou’ in Chinese) – is a legendary bird-like creature from Asian folklore, known to be a protective spirit of the mountains and a guardian of Buddhism. Its portrayal played a vital role in The Spectacle Group’s creation of the space for Foxtail & Broomcorn’s first noodle bar in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.

In it, his work stretches across the whole interior space, with the positioning of the characters playfully breaking and connecting the traditional boundaries of plaster, wood and wallpaper. With tengu guardians painted over the outdoor facades in the front and back, one can feel the robust energy bursting through its doors even when the restaurant is closed and the streets are quiet.

As selected artist for Hong Kong’s first street art festival HK Walls, Barlo’s works have been commissioned by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, international fashion brand VANS, and global brand consultancy Brand Union.

Albert Madaula (b. 1986) is a Spanish multi-disciplinary artist based in Barcelona whose works have generated a large social following from around the world.

As a contemporary painter, he is known for his vibrant colors and cubist air. In particular, his portraits and wildlife paintings are known to depict the most primal of emotions, with his subjects sometimes appearing as half-human and half-animal.

In 2010, he founded GORGEOUS Magazine, a publication that combines his talent as a photographer and editor. Albert is a model for various brands, often taking the runway for Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week. He has also emerged as a film director whose recent endeavors have quickly earned him international recognition. His black-and-white short film, Limón (2014) was the official selection for the Portobello Film Festival, Hayah International Short Film Festival, Next T Festival and Edmonton International Film Festival. Bold and fearless, Albert seeks to challenge people’s perception of art in every discipline.

Isabelle Duret-Dujarric (b. 1949) is an expressionist artist from Burgundy known for innovating the technique of sculpting oil on card at the age of 18. Capturing beauty in art that moves with light, Isabelle’s zest and optimism can be felt in every brush stroke and contour of her glistening oil landscapes. Critics have coined her gravity-defying chunks and translucent gasoline-thinned drizzles as the ‘stained glass’ effect.

Trees and chairs are a recurring theme for Isabelle: trees symbolize vitality whilst chairs – her companions as she paints – are always empty to signify her life of solitude. These contrast against her use of bold and dynamic colors which illustrate her determination to conquer the sadness in her life.

With a career spanning over 40 years, she was named by Le Monde as ‘top-10 most influential French contemporary artist’ in 2004. Isabelle’s works are in permanent exhibition at Galerie de Musée Picasso, Paris, and are collected by the likes of Deng Lin (daughter of Deng Xiao Ping), François Mitterrand and Pierre Cardin.

Robert Crooks (b. 1985) is an expressionist collage artist from New York. Robert’s works display vibrant colors in hyper-materialism inspired by his background in fashion design. Having spent his formative years in Beijing and Hong Kong, his works are also influenced by Chinese art and culture.

The style in his iconic cityscape collages mimic the ‘cavalier perspective’ technique most notably found in traditional Chinese landscape paintings, which is why they are often very tall and large in scale.

Living in New York, Robert is captivated by its excitement yet burdened by the reality of its hardships, which are accentuated in the cutthroat world of fashion design. His constant yearn for escape and adventure often takes him sailing. Thus, Robert likes to depict himself at sea.

The ocean becomes a safe haven where Robert admires the charms of his beloved city from a distance. Tall skies filled with cutout faces of fashion icons reflect Robert’s conflicted fears despite being hopeful of the future, in a place far away, as suggested by the sheer height of his magnificent skies.

Young and talented, Robert has collectors from Hong Kong, Bangkok, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Istanbul.