HK's new security law inhibits anxious artists

The Hong Kong artist who goes under the pen name Ah To has a history of tackling sensitive subjects.

His drawings have explored topics censored across the border in mainland China; including the 1989 crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square.

Today, he daubs with a brush and bleeds the pen strokes of a new illustration -- a guillotine ready to slice through a canvas marked "freedom of speech."

Fearing their creations may violate a new national security law imposed by Beijing, some Hong Kong artists say - they're turning to self censorship.

"I'm pretty pessimistic on the creative front. A lot of art usually challenges the traditional ways, or criticises social values. What if artists accidentally cross that red line, and the space keeps getting smaller."

The law, enacted in June, punishes subversion, secessionism, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Critics say if effectively crushes wide-ranging freedoms while the city government said in a statement to Reuters that the new law upholds the "principles of respecting and protecting human rights".

Nearly 2,000 Hong Kong and international artists and cultural workers said in a statement the security law created "a climate of fear and self-censorship".

Some who spoke to Reuters say they are moving their creations overseas or plan to move abroad themselves.

Ah To's cartoon column was recently axed from the Ming Pao newspaper -- the paper said it wasn't because of the new law, but because they were revamping.

"During this period of doom and gloom, it's hard not to think it's related to the national security law. Ceasing my series, I'm definitely not in a good mood. This is the scary thing about the national security law, it's white terror."

Hong Kong's government has ambitions for the city to rival Paris or New York in the arts scene.

In its statement, the government also said that quote "art practitioners need not worry as long as they do not contravene the offences as defined under the law."

And that "the legitimate rights of Hong Kong citizens to exercise their freedom of speech, such as making general remarks criticizing government policies or officials, should not be compromised."

Nevertheless, since the law, pro-democracy protest art has been taken down, a protest anthem has been banned in schools, and pro-democracy books have been taken off library shelves.

Despite anxiety over the law, Ah To remains defiant.

"You have to decide what your values are. You can possibly fear being arrested at any time, or regret that you have not done enough to try to make an impact on society ."

For now Ah To says he will persist and continue to create his political art.