Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
It all began with a blank wall in the garden of a home in Mui Wo – the start of what artist Dominic Johnson-Hill calls “a wonderful little schoolboy adventure”.
Craving a splash of Hong Kong nature, Johnson-Hill teamed up with British bird muralist Rob Aspire to paint a red-billed blue magpie in his garden.
What began as a quiet home project in 2024 spilled onto the winding trails of Lantau Island. Known as the Flock Project, vibrant, painted plumages now populate the walls of abandoned nooks across the island, turning old ruins into a living gallery. The project has even inspired hikers to go on scavenger hunts looking for the bird murals.
“You’re making use of these abandoned buildings ... turning them into something that celebrates local wildlife,” said Johnson-Hill, 54. “It’s given me an incredible purpose: celebrating all of these birds while exploring and learning about Hong Kong’s wildlife.”
The call of freedom
Johnson-Hill creates his work in lucky sets of eight – this is why the magpie mural was just the start.
To curate his subjects, he asked local ornithologist Paul Aston to compile a list of the region’s most striking birds. According to Johnson-Hill, about 80 bird species are residents of Lantau Island. Hong Kong sits along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, welcoming more than 580 bird species, many of which are seasonal nomads.
After finishing the first eight birds, he wanted to create his second series and raised about HK$22,000 through crowdfunding and selling T-shirts. The money allowed him to expand his project to Chi Ma Wan and other far-flung corners of Lantau Island.
Last April, the project went viral when a hiking influencer mapped out a trail connecting the murals. Hikers began flocking to Lantau for a street-art scavenger hunt, with chalk arrows drawn on paths guiding visitors to the hidden art.
“On weekends, sometimes we’d have over 100 people following the route,” Johnson-Hill said. “It was wonderful because I started meeting all these lovely people.”
Last month, he finished his third series, which marks the final set of birds confined to Lantau Island.
Johnson-Hill’s fourth series of birds is slated to branch out to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Lamma Island.
Push through your fear
For Johnson-Hill, finding your passion isn’t about coasting on what you already know, but leaning into what frightens you most.
Public speaking used to terrify him as a kid, but he discovered his passion for it by challenging himself.
“Passions aren’t just things you naturally enjoy,” the artist noted.
“Sometimes they’re things you’re terrified of, hidden behind childhood anxieties. If you push through that fear, you find incredible skills.”
