Eleven letters written in Chinese, which are written from August 2013 to May 2014 as curatorial statements delivering to participating artists each month.
Dimension variable
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Artist:
Casper Chan
Tam Wai Ping
Trevor Yeung
Annie Wan
Responding Artist:
Chung Nga Yan
Law Yuk Mui
Angel Wong
Curator:
Tang Kwok Hin
Ethnic hatred has polarized public opinion. There exists a conflict of lifestyle and culture between the North and South, mainland and island; apparent intervention from the mainland has deteriorated Hong Kong’s local public authorities, legal institutions and people’s ethic identity. The vested interest and political attitudes of Hong Kong residents drive three major political forces broadly described as pro-establishment, pan-democracy and radical. While these groups are subdivided into different parties and factions, it can be said that present agitating times have compelled citizens to utilise their, albeit competing, powers of speech.
Participants in periphery excluded, the core of this political energy represents the average Hong Konger who has begun to express their discontent with the realization that certain conventions held dear in “good old days” have vanished and daily patterns of life and principles of conduct are being challenged. Hong Kong has developed rapidly and continues to do so at a pace that makes it difficult for its citizens to pause and reflect upon what has been lost and gained and how and when this occurred. Perhaps there is a symbol that can help us to recall what was originally here and understand how the atmosphere has evolved? Is it an old bakery? The relationship between stores in a traditional market? Is it the British National (Overseas) passport? Before and after the Handover in 1997 and still today, Hong Kong people are in question about what it is that defines their collective identity. While things don’t appear to change before our eyes, we will discover that our identity has been distorted, possibly beyond recognition. The moment may pass before we truly recognise the intrinsic values that we are at risk of losing.
Contemporary society often refers to the most significant developments in Hong Kong’s constitutional reform, politics and social wellbeing as the years: 1989, 1997 and 2003. These three critical moments indicate times when Hong Kong felt the uncertainty of China’s communist government, thereby revealing a universal hesitation and resistance in Hong Kong people. The post-60s generation were adolescents in 1989 who reached their prime in 2003 while the post-80s generation were just youngsters in 1989 and only just coming into their own in 2003; one experienced history consciously and the other through books and online resources. The artists and curator represent both generations and the different values and perspectives each has and how these differences result in differing ideologies.
The fundamental Chinese writing lesson teaches how to fuse time, place and human/incident/object together. The total synthesis of these three elements creates pictures and forms characters. This exhibition uses this same practice to uncover the ideology that defines the social, political and cultural identity of a typical Hong Konger. Each artist has been asked to reinterpret, either abstractly or specifically, a time, place and human/incident/object and to compose scenarios, atmosphere, symbols, etc., in order to illustrate their own scenarios and stories within the context of the “scarlet bauhinia in full bloom”. This exhibition intends to capture the essence of the Hong Kong people’s complex, and too often concealed, identity.
近年爭辯不斷的中港問題，社會輿論已將各族群的仇恨極化。一方面南北兩地生活及文化上的直接衝突；另一方面公權力及法制受到中央明顯干預而出現的變質；還有本地居民對於身分認同、既得利益及政治取態各異而形成的建制、泛民及激進勢力，三大政治力量再細分成不同政黨與派系。目下，可說是爭奪話語權的激蕩年代。
處於政治能量核心外圍的參與者，每一個香港市民，開始透過各種渠道表達意識到美好時光逐漸消逝，日常生活規律及道德規範被挑戰的現況，然則這個社會，還有哪一刻情境、哪一種氣氛、哪一個符號是依然讓人們想起這裡本應有點不一樣？是老字號的餅店？是舊式商店街裡的鄰舍關係？是手工打造的鐵器？抑或是英國國民(海外)護照？回歸前後及至今天，我們依舊疑惑香港人身分及香港特質的定義。當眼前事物改頭換面，方發現個性及底缐已退讓到面目全非，這刻，才真正意識到核心價值的位置原來早就存在便是太遲。
還記得許久以前一課書曾提及到基本的寫作手法，是將時、地、人/事/物三者總合成一段文字，那麼這段文字就成了畫面，就備了性格。這個展覽以此代入為尋找心理或現實裡香港人身分及香港特質的手段，每位藝術家將抽象或具體地詮釋及選擇時、地、人/事/物三者能構成的情境、氣氛、符號等等，以表達嫣紅的荊花盛放璀璨這大環境下，能夠呈現的特殊畫面與故事，藉此引申出香港人深藏的氣質。
策展論述、背景資料，加上相關隨寫的文字、手繪等均以書信寄送給四位藝術家。整個閱讀信件及送遞過程在回應失落的時代與經驗。直至展覽開幕前，書信會持續寄出，藝術家亦可選擇回信或寫信給其他參展者。最終，所有書信會一併展出。
藝術家及策展者共五人，均為香港居民。二人為六十後；三人為八十後。
現今香港社會還時常提及的政制變革及社會民生重大事件的年分是八九、九七及零三。三個關鍵時刻標誌的是中央政體步步進逼的現實，以至香港人的徬徨和反抗。六十後從八九的青年到零三的壯年；八十後從八九的少年到零三的青年，兩代人的世代之隔感受之差異是清楚經過歷史洗禮與後追認識歷史的分別，亦為本展覽團隊構成的獨特視角。
身分認同每每尋求當地歷經的事件及體制總合的文化現象作依據，重讀及揀選不同時、地、人/事/物是有關切入香港環境長久以來對一個人定義自我核心價值和週遭環境重要的成分。四位藝術家在其創作脈絡具有相異的重點呼應這主題。
