GP pulses to WOW stage

A Wakefield general practitioner who’s no stranger to stitching things together is one of six local finalists in this year’s World of WearableArt (WOW) competition.

Ben Ng-Wai Shing first entered the annual event, which unites art, dance, aerial performances, music, stage design and effects, in 2018 with his Bizarre Bra entry, Step Right Up, which comprised of illuminated twin circus tent peaks.

He says he had maintained his art passion for making jewellery, carving spoons and sketching ideas for the WOW competition, and decided to again “throw his hat in the ring” now that his medical studies have taken a back seat.

“Art has always been a big part of my life, and from a WOW point of view, my mum and I used to watch it when they televised it,” he says.

“I always remember running up to the screen to try to figure out how they made certain things and what materials they’d used,” he says. “I have a gratitude diary and at the back is full of sketches… and if something inspires me then I’ll write it down, and I had a few different concepts for WOW projects.

“Because I’ve been training as a GP and the initial stage was working and studying, I didn’t really have much extra time but now that things have started to calm down a bit, I’ve been able to spend a bit more time on my hobbies and thought I would throw my hat in the ring again.”

While the name, appearance, and category of Ben’s 2023 creation can’t be revealed until after final judging in September, the second-time entrant says the inspiration for it was to celebrate diversity.

“The strength of communities and the strength of humans is that we are all individuals who have our own strengths and weaknesses, and when we come together that’s when the magic happens,” he says.

“The parts that I really wanted to shine were the playfulness and the texture of the garment, and I wanted to use materials that anyone would have access to.

“The materials I used can be found in most households or recycling bins.”

Ben says he was “stoked” to be name a finalist and hoped his creation would “bring a smile to people’s faces” when it hits the WOW catwalk in September and October.

Nelson residents Gill Saunders, Betty Ross and Keith Marshall, Motueka resident Peter Wakeman and Collingwood resident Christine Wingels were also named one of the 120 finalists in this year’s competition.

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