Hong Kong heritage: Tai Kwun 2010 vs 2019

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Toothpicker

Since its opening in mid 2018, Tai Kwun (means ‘big station’ in Cantonese) has become the hottest heritage destintation in Hong Kong. Located at the eastern end of Hollywood Road, the 300,000sq ft compound comprises three declared monuments: the former Central Police Station, former Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison. The revitalisation project is the biggest conservation project in Hong Kong –costing HK$3.8 billion– was led by The Hong Kong Jockey Club in partnership with the Hong Kong Government. The aim was to redevelope the site into a world-class heritage and arts centre.

Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, who are also responsible for the city’s M+ museum of visual culture (opens in 2020), worked with UK conservation architects Purcell, and local firm Rocco Design Architects to revitalise 16 historic buildings, a prison yard and parade ground dating between 1864 and 1925. Aside from restoring the old buildings, two new buildings – JC Contemporary and JC Cube – were added to house an art centre dedicated to contemporary art, and a 200-seat auditorium, respectively.

After the restoration (2019)

Interestingly, I was lucky to have visited the compound just before the restoration works began in 2011. In 2010, the annual deTour creative festival (which coincides with the Business of design week) took place here, so I was able to explore the site and record the exteriors and interiors before the restorations began.

When you look at the photos, you would notice that no significant structural changes were made to the 16 heritage buildings aside from new paint, the removal of wires and some essential restoration works. It is never easy to restore heritage sites, especially a compound with 16 buildings, and I think this project has to be one of the most sucessful cases in Hong Kong (if you look at the disastrous 1881 Heritage in Kowloon, then you would know what I mean).

The exterior of the site in 2010

Entrance – Before and after

The two new buildings are clad with a façade unit system made from 100% recycled cast aluminum, and the units create a contrast with the historical masonry blocks underneath. The the cast aluminum units have a distinctive roughness and texture, which helps to reduce the reflectivity and glare during the daytime. At night, light emitted from the building would be partially screened by the façade units, but without creating light pollution. The new additions have certainly made the site even more ‘instagrammable’ among visitors.

The new JC contemporary & JC Cube designed by Herzog & de Meuron

Wandering inside the JC contemporary building, I was reminded of the new extension at Tate Modern in London, which was also designed by the same architectural firm. The use of concrete and the design of the spiral staircases are very similar. The catch with employing starchitects is that they like to apply their signature styles onto most of their works; the best example is Norman Foster‘s airports – honestly, the world doesn’t need another cloned Foster-style airport! I do hope that the new M+ museum is not going to be a replica of Tate Modern.

Inside the JC Contemporary building: the spiral staircase

Art exhbitions: 1st & 2nd rows – Wing Po So’s 6-part practice; last row: Wong Ping’s animation

The 177-year rich history of the heritage complex reflects Hong Kong’s ups and downs during the British colonial era. Not only Ho Chi Minh was imprisoned here for 2 years in 1931-33, it was also used as a Japanese army base during the Second World War. Visitors can find out the history of the complex at the heritage storytelling spaces, and free guided tours are available daily.

As always, shopping and restaurants play a major role in a complex like this. Thankfully, the shops and restaurants here are mostly independent and local rather than chains like Starbucks or Pizza Express. A cultural centre needs alternative shops and restaurants to differentiate it from other shopping malls, and Tai Kwun has achieved this.

The heritage storytelling space, the former prison cells and a former court room

Although I think the architects of the project have successfully restored and revitalised the complex, I can’t help feeling that ‘something’ is lost in the process as well. Perhaps this is inevitable due to the scale of this project.

When I look at the photos taken inside the prison in 2010, the place had a slightly eerie and atmospheric feel, whereas now, the prison looks more polished and embellished. It is a shame that many of the fascinating old signage and inmate call system were removed too. Without these details, the prison looks more like a film set, and the authenticity is lost. But then again, as most Hong Kongers would say: “Hong Kong is a city with no memory” (old buildings are constantly being torn down and replaced daily), so when it comes to conservation, this probably is the best that you could ever hope for.

The prison cells before the restorations (2010)

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Hiking in Hong Kong: Lamma island

Posted on May 24, 2019 by Toothpicker

Hiking is definitely one of my favourite acitivities in Hong Kong, and I would do at least one hike whatever I visit the city. Not long ago, I reconnected with an old friend in the city who is a keen hiker, and she suggested taking the ferry to Lamma Island (35 minutes from Central) for a hike on a clear and sunny day in April.

The Sok Kwu Wan circular hike is a popular trail and takes around three hours to complete. We passed through the old Mo Tat village, which is several centuries old, and a new one nearby with more modern housing. There are also many banana and mango trees growing here – it is good to know that there are still people who choose to live in small rural villages like these ones in Hong Kong.

Hiking in Hong Kong has become more popular in recent years, and I believe this is related to the global ‘back to basics’ lifestyle trend. Unlike the previous generations, people now understand how stress is affecting our health, and many are trying to find a balance between work and life. Yet living in a small and dense city like Hong Kong, it is easy to feel suffocated and stressed, so turning to nature seems like the obvious choice for people to rejuvenate. Luckily, there are plenty of hiking trails in the city for stressed out people to escape from their hectic city lives.

After a relatively easy walk, we encountered a long stairway up to Ling Kok Shan. I usually don’t have an issue hiking uphill, but it was around 3-4 pm in the afternoon, and the sun was right on top of us, with no breeze at all. About 3/4 way up the hill, I felt quite nauseous and had to sit down for a rest. My friend was worried that I was suffering from heatstroke, and so she told me to take my time to rest and drink lots of water before continuing on. Later, I learned that the temperature had reached 28 degrees at 3 pm.

After a 15-minute rest, we embarked on our journey again and I felt much better after rehydrating myself. Despite the slight hiccup, I soon put that behind and was captivated by the panoramic views from the top of the mountain. The precarious-looking rocks from 164-140 million years ago are also one of the attractions here. Thankfully, our descend was easier, meanwhile, the sun was also less strong, which undoubtedly helped.

When we reached Tin Hau Temple at Yung Shue Wan, the sun was starting to set. We decided to get a drink by the pier to watch sunset, followed by a seafood meal at one of the seafood restaurants facing the sea. The seafood was delicious and I felt it was well-deserved after a challenging hike.

My last surprise of the day was the ferry journey back – seeing the spectacular Hong Kong skyline at night brought some unexpected excitement. Overall, I did enjoy the day, but would probably check the weather forecast properly before I take the plunge next time.

Noguchi for Danh Vo: Counterpoint at M+ Pavilion, Hong Kong

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Toothpicker

I have always been fascinated by Japanese American modernist artist, designer and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi‘s work, yet I have never visited his museum in New York even though I used to live there. I have seen his work at MOMA and at other art institutions in America, but oddly enough, I have rarely seen his work being shown outside of America. Hence, I was quite excited about his exhibition in Hong Kong before my visit.

The ‘Noguchi for Danh Vo: Counterpoint‘ at M+ Pavilion exhibition is based on an ongoing conversation between two artists who never met: Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) and the contemporary Vietnamese Danish artist Danh Vo (born 1975). Vo, who has in recent years explored and researched Noguchi’s life and art, and has included Noguchi’s work in his installations with increasing frequency. This exhibition shed light on each artist’s protean body of work.

Occupying the main exhibition space were Noguchi‘s sculptures, furniture, lighting and worksheets. Noguchi‘s biomorphic sculptures remind me very much of another artist from the same period: Barbara Hepworth. Yet he was also a brilliant designer and landscape architect; his iconic coffee table designed in 1944 is still in production (now by Herman Miller/Vitra) after more than seven decades. Another classic design series are his Akari Light Sculptures, inspired by his trip to Gifu in Japan where it is famous for its manufacture of paper parasols and lanterns. Over the years, he created a total of more than 100 models, consisting of table, floor and ceiling lamps ranging in size from 24 to 290 cm.

In the middle of the room, there was a Chinese-style pavilion Untitled (Structure for Akari PL2) designed by Vo to hang Noguchi‘s paper lamp sculptures, and for visitors to rest. It blended extremely well with Noguchi‘s works.

Outside of the building were a few cargo containers where Vo‘s works were exhibited. Like Noguchi, Vo‘s life was shaped and influenced by Eastern and Western cultures. Due to his refugee background, Vo often addresses the issues of history, identity and belonging in his work. His conceptual works often weave archival fragments together and personal references. He also doesn’t believe in providing explanatory material, hence, it’s up to the visitors to interpret his work. Last year, Vo held a sold exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, so he is undoubtedly one of the most prominent Asian artists working today.

Danh Vo’s conceptual art work

Hong Kong’s vintage toy & stationery museum – Silver stationery shop

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Toothpicker

Top: The entrance of an industrial building in San Po Kong

Since I started this business, I was lucky to have met and made friends with many like-minded designers and entrepreneurs in Asia and London. After working with Hong Kong’s ten Design stationery for years, I became friends with their designer Paul Lam. Paul and I met up while I was in town, and he suggested a visit to Silver Stationery shop, a quirky vintage toy and stationery shop museum located inside an industrial building in San Po Kong. Paul is friends with the owner Joel and Ryan, a product designer who works there, so he was keen to show me this one-of-a-kind museum that is not featured in the standard guidebooks.

Paul made an appointment a few days before my departure back to London (all visitors have to make an appointment before visiting), unfortunately, Joel couldn’t be there and so I missed the opportunity meet him. However, I was given a tour by Ryan, a toy designer and founder of Makeitwork Studio who is one of the few designers working there.

Graphic designer and founder of this shop museum, Joel Chung has been preserving Hong Kong’s culture for the last decade or so. Aside from preserving the works of the King of Kowloon (Hong Kong’s famous calligraphic graffiti artist), he has also been preserving and collecting toys and stationery locally for the last 30 years. In 2015, he rented a studio space inside the industrial building and recreated a shop that mimics a vintage 1960s/70s toy and stationery shop that were ubiquitous in Hong Kong at the time. The decline of these local style stationery shops started the 1980s, and now they have become rare finds in the city. The aim of this shop museum is to preserve Hong Kong’s cultural heritage; most of the products featured were donated by local shop owners before the shops’ closures. The shop museum was recreated in a precise manner, every detail was considered to create an authentic shop ambience that would transport the visitors back in time. All the products at the shop museum are for display only and they are not available for sale.

As a stationery addict, I was immensely overwhelmed and joyous by what I saw. I picked up a pink pencil case (see above), and it reminded me of the ones I collected when I was a kid. It certainly brought back a lot of childhood memories.

Aside from the shop museum, the studio is also a collaborative space that features works by local designers, as well as selling an array of vintage stationery, toys and games. I was surprised to find that another brand that we work with, Open Quote, has moved from Soho to this new premise.

After Ryan’s interesting tour of the studio, the three of us spent some time chatting and comparing Hong Kong and London’s design industries, and the possibility of collaborating in the future.

It is very encouraging to see that Joel‘s passion and efforts in the preservation and promotion of Hong Kong culture have paid off since the opening of the shop museum. Nowadays, he is frequently interviewed by magazines and newspapers, including foreign ones. The museum shop is also attracting visitors from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, so it may not be a hidden secret soon. If you love toys, stationery and Hong kong culture, then a visit to this shop museum is unmissable!

Silver Stationary Shop (銀の文房具)
Address: Room 1B, 1/F, BLK B, Wing Chai Ind Bldg, 27 Ng Fong St., San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Tel: +852 6311 8789 (best to call and make an appointment first)

Hong Kong’s streetsigns & urban typography

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Toothpicker

Neon lights and advertising billboards outside of the iconic Sunbeam Theatre in North Point

This post is a follow-up of the previous one on Hong Kong’s urban typography… Over the years, I have documented the city’s streetscape and the relationships between visual communications, architecture, and its perpetually changing identity.

Hong Kong has always known for its neon signage, yet since the 1990s, the industry has declined rapidly, as building regulations have tightened due to safety and structural reasons, and the traditional neon signs are now replaced by the cheaper LED ones.

Sammy’s Kitchen Ltd signage

One of the city’s iconic signage was a giant neon cow suspended above a steakhouse in the Western District since 1978. The restaurant’s founder, Sammy Yip, designed the 10-foot-tall and 16-foot-wide neon sign and it was then handcrafted by sifus (masters) who burned and welded the shapes in their studios. Sadly, the city’s Buildings Department decided the sign was unsafe and ordered it removed in 2015. By chance, I took the photograph above (without acknowledging the unfortunate future fate of this signage) before its removal, which subsequently encourages me to continue to document Hong Kong’s ephemeral cityscape.

Top row: The facade and neon signage of Luk Yu Tea House in Central; 2nd row: a trendy restaurant in Wai Chai; 3rd left: Mido Cafe in Yau Ma Tei; 3rd right: Neon sign of a pawn shop in Wan Chai; Bottom: An hourly-rate love hotel on Nathan road has three types of signage!

The best resources on Hong Kong’s neon signage can be found on the interactive online exhibition website: Mobile M+: NEONSIGNS.HK launched by M+, the new museum for visual culture in the West Kowloon cultural district. It features over 4,000 photos and personal stories of neon signs from members of the public, and it is a fantastic platform that pays tribute to this unique dying art form and traditional craftsmanship. I particularly love the short documentary by cinematographer, Christopher Doyle, on Hong Kong’s neon world. In the film, we can trace Doyle‘s inspirations and how the neon signage has influenced his visual style in films such as Chungking Express and Fallen Angels directed by Hong Kong film director Wong Kar Wai.

“Gleam Series” by Alexandre Farto aka Vhils

Christopher Doyle: Filming in the Neon World

Aside from neon signs, Hong Kong’s cluttered signage is ubiquitous and unique to this city. The overwhelming amount of visual information is in sync with its dense high-rise and chaotic streetscape. Every sign competes with another, and it is impossible to digest all the information at once… hence walking down Nathan Road in Kowloon can be an exhilarating and draining experience for foreign tourists.

Top: Temple Street; Bottom: Soho from the escalator

In the old days, small shop owners used to appoint scholars or renowned calligraphers to inscribe shop names by hand. Unfortunately, the handwritten calligraphy skills have been replaced by computerised print technology since the 1990s. Handwritten calligraphy gradually faded from the main roads of the commercial distrists, resulting in the demise of this unique trade and the loss of calligraphic artisans.

Handwritten calligraphy for shops

Traditionally, gilded signboards symbolise the reputation of the shops. The gold-plated or painted gold calligraphic characters are seen as a status symbol for these shops. The characters are carved out of wood as either engraved or embossed by artisans. And the embossing effect is more challenging than engraving because of the Chinese cursive script style. Aside from wood, other materials such as metal and acrylic are also used for shop signage.

Embossed or engraved calligraphic signage for shops

Yet, the best places to spot traditional gold-leaf gilding techniques are at temples, monasteries and shrines. Often you will find two verses of a poem on the sides of the entrance, and if you look at them closely, you will see that every calligrapher has his/her unique writing style. The style can be bold, elegant, robust, refined and subtle… and this style would – hopefully – be synonymous with the identity of the shops or temples.

Temples and shrines often showcase gold-leaf gilded name and a poem on the sides of the entrance

This is only a glimpse of what is around us all the time… you don’t need to be a graphic designer or typographer to appreciate the diverse signage that communicates to us daily when we walk down the streets of the city we live in. As much as I love spending time in nature, I also love seeing quirky and wonderful man-made sights that found in vibrant cities. And urban typography-spotting is an activity that all of can enjoy whilst everyone else around you is looking down at their mobile phones. Look up and you can be pleasantly surprised from time to time.

“Typography and the sea of words” exhibition at CACHe HK

Posted on April 15, 2017 by Toothpicker

The building and courtyard of CACHe on Western Street, Sai Yun Pun

In recent years, an influx of international art galleries and art fairs has somehow transformed Hong Kong – the infamous cultural desert – into Asia’s glossy art hub. To be honest, I am not sure if this has had much impact on the general public, but at least art is longer seen as totally inaccessible.

Yet these art galleries focus mostly on the commercial aspect and target at wealthy collectors locally or from Mainland China; it is seldom to come across a gallery that dedicates to Hong Kong’s unique heritage, arts and culture.

Luckily, the non-profit conservation group CACHe based in Sai Yun Pun is a here to fill the gap. It is a hidden gem that is rarely mentioned in guidebooks, and not even many locals are aware of its existence.

“Typography and the sea of words” exhibition at CACHe’s gallery

Located in a Grade II historic building, which is formerly the Western Plague Hospital and Western Public Dispensary, the Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage (CACHe) was established in 2005 to promote the conservation of history, cultures and heritages in Hong Kong. It regularly organises community heritage workshops, thematic talks, excursion to historic architectures, heritage cultural tours, exhibitions and oral history workshops for the public, schools, organisations and corporations.

In the last few years, I have paid several visits to CACHe when I was in the city, and I have always enjoyed their exhibitions that resolve around the local heritage and culture. Their last exhibition “Typography and the Sea of Words – The Study of Hong Kong Urban Landscape” was one of my favourites as it focused on the often neglected aesthetics of the city: urban Chinese typography.

Hong Kong’s unique calligraphic signage

The exhibition showcased various calligraphic styles that used to dominate the city’s landscape (before the international chained shops and glossy shopping malls took over), and the importance of preserving the techniques and the dying art of handwritten signage.

It also included interviews with several handwriting artisans in the city – from inscribing shop signs, letterpress printing, neon sign making, stencil making, acrylic and wood sign making to computer font design.

Interesting typography is all around us if we pay more attention to it

There was a free catalogue that accompanied the exhibition, but unfortunately, there was none left by the time I visited. I begged the staff to give me display copy and she was quite reluctant, but later, she went into her office and found me a last copy for me to take home. I think the informative catalogue is priceless as it documents the vanishing art form and heritage of Hong Kong. The loss of an important craftsmanship and city identity saddens me a great deal, but it also makes me become more aware and appreciative of the preserved sights and aesthetics that are still around that make this city special.

Another wonderful past exhibition: “Unfinished Old textbook” displaying old textbooks and teaching materials that evoked old classroom memories, and the cultures and values of life advocated by the community.

Hiking in Hong Kong – From Lung Fu Shan to the Peak

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Toothpicker

A view of Hong Kong from the Peak trail

Every time I visit Hong Kong, I have to fit in either a day hike or take the ferry to the outlying islands to unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

One of my favourite hikes is the Lung Fu Shan trail, which leads you either up to the peak or towards Pok Fu Lam reservoir. I would start from Conduit Road in mid-levels, walk along Hatton Road, pass Lung Fu Shan country park, hike up to the Peak, and then walk down via Old Peak Road. The hike can be completed within 2 hours, but it can be stretched to a 1/2 day hike if you decide to have lunch or do sightseeing around the peak area. I once did this hike on a sunny morning (around 26 degrees) before my long-haul flight back to the UK in the evening, and I felt immensely exhilarated after the sweaty but fulfilling hike.

When I am hiking up the trail, I am always amazed by the greenness around me; and it is hard to believe that the city centre is only 20 minutes away. I especially love walking through the bamboo forest, which tends to remind me of Japan or specifically Kyoto.

On Hatton Road, you can still see one of the city’s seven boundary stones erected by the Hong Kong Government in 1903. Now six of these stones remained – one of them disappeared in 2007 – and they marked the city’s historical boundaries.

Established in 1998, Lung Fu Shan Country Park covers an area of about 47 hectares, and it includes the disused Pinewood Battery as well as the Pinewood Garden picnic area. The disused Pinewood Battery is a historic military site constructed between 1901 to 1905, and it received a Grade II conservation status in 2009.

Lung Fu Shan Country Park and Pinewood Battery

From Pinewood Battery, one can walk along the Lung Fu Shan Fitness Trail – a 2750m long trail that leads up to the peak or another trail that heads towards Po Fu Lam reservoir. Being a semi-tourist, I have opted for the grand harbour view than the reservoir view, hence I have yet to do the reservoir trail.

I started to appreciate Hong Kong more when I do these hiking trails, partly because they remind me that the city has much more to offer than shopping, eating and drinking. There are many inner city hiking trails that are minutes away from the crowded and polluted streets, so if you get a chance, try to explore the city’s hidden nature through these trails.

Wall trees in Hong Kong

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Toothpicker

The remains of the banyan wall trees on Bonham Road

Unsurprisingly, the image that is often associated with Hong Kong is its famous skyline and high-rise. Yet personally, I consider the city’s banyan wall tress to be its most unique sight and heritage. In recent years, trees have become a hot topic in Hong Kong, especially after four banyan wall trees in the mid-levels were cut down by the Government last year due to an earlier accident where a tall tree on the same road had collapsed during heavy rain. The Highways Department claimed that there were cracks on the stone fence above them, thus they decided to take ‘swift’ action without proper assessments nor public consultation. This action caused public outrage, tree experts and university professors described the action as “collateral murder” and they criticised the government for its inadequate tree maintenance over the years. The government has had a poor track record of tree management in the past, but this incident was the last straw for tree lovers in Hong Kong.

The history of these trees can be traced back to the early colonial period when the tenacious Chinese banyan trees were chosen by the government in the hope that their strong roots could strengthen retaining walls on slopes to prevent landslides during the rainy typhoon seasons. In 1996, Hong Kong was estimated to have 1,275 trees growing out of 505 retaining masonry walls. Yet only 40 of these trees are registered and considered as significant to the government. Most of these trees can be seen on slopes in Central, Mid-Levels and Western District, and they form a truly unique landscape in Hong Kong. I cannot imagine what the city would look like without these beautiful wall trees; in my opinion, they should be listed as the city’s heritage and be protected and maintained properly.

It is almost magical to see how these trees managed to grow and merge with the masonry walls over the decades. These tree reveal their resilience and adaptability, and yet humans continue to destroy them in the name of ‘development’. In many cultures (including the Chinese), trees are considered as sacred and have been worshiped since the ancient times. The Japanese and Scandinavians respect trees and forests immensely, hence wood is often used as the main building material and in furniture-making. The Japanese also believe in Kodama – spirits in Japanese folklore that inhabit trees that are similar to the dryads of Greek mythology. In Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki‘s environmentally-conscious film Princess Mononoke, Kodama play a crucial role and they appear as small and mask-like creatures. And in one of the studio’s earlier film My Neighbor Totoro, the adorable Totoro acts as the forest keeper to protects the forest. So perhaps what Hong Kong needs is a group of Totoros to protect the endangered banyan wall trees!

The factors that are threatening these banyan trees include the stability of the walls, and the lack of tree doctors in Hong Kong. Insufficient tree knowledge and expertise means that trees are not properly maintained – and like human beings – they would suffer from ill health as a result. I think it is time for the government to take this issue seriously and regard these trees as an important heritage of Hong Kong.

Over the years, I have taken many photographs of the amazing wall trees in Hong Kong, and here are just some are were taken around mid-levels and the western district. If all of us can pay more attention to our surroundings and environment, then we would inevitably notice that beauty is around us all the time. Trees are urban treasures, and we must save them before it is too late.

Hong Kong’s street art & exhibitions 2015

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Toothpicker

A giant pig in Mui Wo by Smile maker Hong Kong

It is interesting to see Hong Kong’s street art scene evolving over the last few years (you can read my previous entry from last year here). Compare to city like London, it is still in its infancy, but it is certainly more ‘happening’ than other immaculate-looking neighbours in Asia.

Street art is becoming more mainstream here, and it is partly due to HK walls, an annual street art and graffiti festival. The mission of the organisation is to create opportunities for local and international artists to bring their talents to the streets of Hong Kong by transforming large exterior walls into original works of art. The event took place in March, but you can still find a lot of the art work around SoHo, Sheung Wan and the Western district of Hong Kong island.

Top left: Parent’s Parents (HK); Top right: Rukkit (Thailand); 2nd row: Bruce Lee by Xeva (South Korea); 3rd right: Hopare (France); Bottom right: Rookie (Taiwan) & Gas (China)

2nd row: ‘Reclining Lady’ by Victoriano (Spain); Bottom right: Szabotage (Hong Kong/UK)

I stumbled upon an alley off Tai Ping Shan Street in Sheung Wan one day, and I was quite pleasantly surprised to see an array of works by local and international street artists like Barlo (Italy/HK), Egg Fiasco (Philippines), exld (Philippines) and Jay Flow (South Korea) etc covering both sides of the walls.

Top right: Barlo; 2nd row: exld, 3rd left: Egg Fiasco; 4th row: Jay Flow (South Korea)

Aside from the streets, art galleries are now seeing the value of works by street artists (thanks largely to Banksy). A solo exhibition of the notorious American street artist Alec Monopoly was presented ‘Capital Games’ at Above Second gallery in March/April. Monopoly is best known for his tuxedoed and top-hatted graffiti character of Uncle Pennybags, an idea originally inspired by the stockbroker Bernie Madoff. It is both apt and ironic to see his works (a critique of the capitalist greed) on the streets of a financial centre like Hong Kong. And aside from Uncle Pennybags, childhood mascots like Richie Rich and Scrooge McDuck were also featured at the exhibition. I was informed by the gallery assistant that his works sold exceedingly well, and many of the buyers were locals who seem to appreciate his playful and yet critical style.

Top row: Alec Monopoly’s street art; 2nd row: Alec Monopoly’s solo exhibition at Above Second gallery; Bottom: The ‘original’ Hong Kong street artist King of Kowloon’s calligraphy work at Lightstage

At the Lightstage Art & Events Space in March/April, the Google Cultural Institute dedicated an exhibition to Hong Kong’s cultural icon King of Kowloon (Tsang Tsou-choi), who painted over 55,000 street ‘calligraffiti’ works during his lifetime on the streets of Kowloon. Misunderstood and dismissed by the public and local authority during his lifetime, Tsang‘s work is finally being recognised worldwide and it is fantastic to see Google’s online virtual museum paying tribute to this ‘urban poet’.

Top & second rows: Invader’s ‘Wipe out’ exhibition at PMQ; Bottom two rows: New works by Invader

One of the most talked-about exhibitions in May was famous French street artist Invader‘s “Wipe out” exhibition at PMQ. Invited as a guest of the French consulate and as part of Le French May, the exhibition was a response to the Hong Kong authorities’ efficient removal of his pixelated mosaic works in 2014. Somehow dismayed by this undertaking, the street artist not only gave the exhibition a pertinent title, he (a guess after watching the work-in-progress videos at the exhibition) ‘invaded’ the city again.

What is so compelling about the street art phenomenon is the dialogues between every city’s authorities and the artists. What are the boundaries? Are the works vandalism or acts of defiance towards the authorities? Artists in the past have often challenged the authorities and expressed their opinions through art, the only difference now is that they are doing it outdoor instead. This is why I think the global street art scene is much more exciting than traditional art scene at the moment.

Hong Kong on Istagram

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Toothpicker

I have been using Instagram on and off for a while now, but on this trip to Asia, I decided to use Instagram as the main social media outlet. It has been fun, but also slightly addictive.

I think Hong Kong is a beguiling city to be photographed; and during my stay, I used Instagram as a tool to capture this chaotic and vibrant city. It is remarkable what a smartphone and some filters can do these days, and although these are not ‘professional’ standard, they do document the dynamics and the occasional tranquility in this city.

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