How Hong Kong schools and artists like Offgod:Tate are nurturing creativity in the AI era
Brothers Andrew Mok, aka YaLocalOffgod, and Tate Mok are behind the artistic duo, whose fans include Pharrell Williams and Takashi Murakami
Hong Kong’s education system is famously unforgiving. From cutthroat kindergarten admissions to hours of nightly homework and an average of five hours of private tutoring a week, children face tremendous pressure to perform in the world’s third most competitive economy. In such an environment, arts education rarely makes the cut – often dismissed as a luxury rather than a path to success.
“In my IB art class of 2020 at the Victoria Shanghai Academy, there were only two of us boys among five girls. Looking back, it’s sad how early you start feeling like creativity doesn’t belong in the system.”
The Mok brothers know the pull of creativity. Both started drawing young, encouraged by parents who figured art classes were preferable to video games. Things accelerated when Andrew, at just 14, was tapped to design the cover art for rappers Juice Wrld and the Kid Laroi’s single “Reminds Me of You”.
Soon after, he signed with Lil Bibby’s Grade A Productions, going on to design for Justin Bieber, Future and Trippie Redd.
Why the arts matter more than ever
As impressive as their story sounds, the Mok brothers’ path is far from typical – and as they note, it’s one Hong Kong’s education system hardly encourages. A 2022 study published by the International Society for Music Education found that “cultural subjects” remain marginalised by both school curricula and parental expectations.