Mimi Leung studied at Central St Martins and the Royal College of Art in London.

Her work has featured in Vice magazine, Dazed and Confused, Time Out (HK), MiLK and The Guardian. In 2008 she was shortlisted in Vice’s Creative 30 Competition and in May 2009 she performed a night of live drawing for Heavy Pencil at the ICA London. The Lürzer Archive lists her as one of 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide. Mimi has exhibited in solo shows in London and Hong Kong, between which she currently shares her work and life.

How did you do it?

I thought of something funny and started to draw it.

Who / what are your main influences?

People are good, animals are funny too. I’m not tied down to anything in particular.

Is there some sort of narrative in your work?

Mostly.

Do you like reading books?

Sometimes.

Do you like listening to music?

I prefer listening more than reading lately. Audiobooks are probably the way forward, though I’m prob more of a visual learner.

What keeps you going?

I can’t’ stop.

Talk about the struggle

Struggle to survive, struggle to do what you want, struggle to get out of bed in the morning, struggle to get to sleep at night. Struggle struggle struggle, it’s a funny word.

Which artists / illustrators do you particularly dislike?

I used to feel pretty strongly about a lot of art/’artists/illustration/illustrators now I realise I am quite indifferent (unless I know them personally of course).

Tell us about Hong Kong?

It’s hot, sticky and noisy. I live in a small village packed with old people, cats, dogs, some weirdos and… a lot of cockroaches. I like being in this part of town cos it’s kind of shitty. The city’s pretty artificial and glitzy in a way I can’t really get into, though it’s def the place to be for going out. I’m still confused by Hong Kong, that’s probably why I keep coming back.

Do you often doubt what you are doing?

I always doubt what I’m doing. I’m very nervous.

Are you an artist?

I’m not sure what that means. There doesn’t seem to be any authenticity to it, though I’m not sure what I mean by that either. I don’t know, I want to stop thinking about it eventually.

INTERVIEW : ALEX HISLOP