Wong Ping gives new meaning to NSFW, whether making ice-lollies from human sweat or distilling intercourse-filled apocalyptic panic into surreal, colorful animation. Not merely an exercize in shock factor, each of the weird and wonderful worlds dreamed up by the Hong Kong artist divulge an underlying moral lesson: “No one remains a virgin, life fucks everyone.” 

His gasp-inducing imagination feeds into our child-like curiosity to toy with social and cultural taboos, as well as those elicited by the Roman holiday of romance, Valentine’s Day. “Love is confidence, comprehension and pardon,” says Ping of Doggy Love, an original commission for NOWNESS that he deems “pure romance”. True, a young boy’s erotic fixation with a classmate who boasts breasts on her back can result in a myriad of sexscapades. Here, the Chinese radical unpicks his own. 

The narrative is set in the school playground—what was the first taboo topic you encountered at that age?
Wong Ping: I had a crush on a classmate. I sniffed inside her school bag and tried to lick her books. I was ashamed of myself and have suppressed my emotions ever since.

Is there a topic that is still taboo to you?
WP: There are many taboos to me, for example my best friend's bald head.

What was the last YouTube video you watched?
WP: A man pulling out a giant cockroach that was stuck inside his ear.

Finally, what will you doing this Valentine's Day?
WP: I will be busy piercing every condom in the supermarket.