Author Archives: yipkaichuns

舊金山異聞手推車
 Chinatown Strange Stories Cart (CSSC)



流動裝置/活動 Mobile installation / Activation: 

2024年8月，華埠鬼節，舊金山中華文化中心，三藩市，美國 | August 2024, Hungry Ghost Festival, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, USA


廣播與收集舊金山華埠奇異故事的流動手推車

A mobile installation sharing and collecting strange stories of Chinatown

遊人覽閱點播名錄 | Visitors reading the playlist

遊人分享故事 | Visitors sharing stories

靈異故事：收音機，Janet | Paranormal story: Radio by Janet

靈異故事：陰陽街、後巷，David Lo | Paranormal story: Alleys by David Lo

〈舊金山異聞手推車〉是一件分享和收集三藩市華埠奇聞異事的流動裝置。這些由在華埠生活或工作的人講述的故事，除了包括撞鬼和鬼屋等靈異故事外，還包括黑幫鬥爭、殺人兇案、都市傳說、對鬼神之說的觀念，以及昔日美洲華人死後如何長途跋涉運回中國安葬的歷史。所有故事均以錄音作記錄。

流動裝置除了喇叭和摺櫈外，亦有一個以街邊紙皮製作、彷如紙紥品的電台控制台。裝置在參加過三藩市華埠鬼節巡遊後，隨即在街上變成流動電台攤檔，廣播收集所得的華埠異聞。攤檔設有點播名錄，供途人點播故事，同時認識鬼節的習俗和忌諱，甚或分享自身的奇聞異事。

鬼節本意為助亡靈和先祖解脫苦痛，同時保合境平安。作品除了展現華埠鮮為人知的歷史和文化，亦寄望藉分享故事，將當中的恐懼、悲慟、冤屈以及情緒排解。

‘Chinatown Strange Stories Cart’ (CSSC) is a mobile installation sharing and collecting strange stories of Chinatown, San Francisco. 

The strange stories are recorded and told by community members living and/or working in Chinatown. Other than paranormal stories such as ghosts and haunted buildings, the stories also include macabre incidents, urban legends, views on paranormal beings, as well as histories of little known repatriation of the deceased from the Americas to China.

Other than a loud speaker and foldable stools, the mobile installation comprises a radio station panel made with a found carton box. Its look resonates with Chinese paper offerings to be given to the spirits through burning, common in the Hungry Ghost Festival.

CSSC joined the Hungry Ghost Festival parade in Chinatown, San Francisco. Afterwards, it unfolds into a street stall with the paper radio station as the table, like the street stalls of fortune tellers in the old days. While the stall broadcasts the collected stories, visitors are invited to choose and play the stories from the playlist, learn the customs and rituals of the Ghost Festival, or tell a paranormal story of their own.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is meant to be a festival of consoling the spirits and bringing peace to the secular world. CSSC hopes to do so by letting the stories of the community be heard, which often evoke fear, grief and injustice.

華埠街坊David說「鬼中意聽鬼故」。為免鬼魂騎在人上跟隨回家，David教用紙錢掃頭頂和兩邊膊頭（人的三把火），然後再將紙錢燒掉。| ‘Ghosts love to listen to ghost stories,’ says David who lives in Chinatown. In order to ward off ghosts and prevent them from following home, David teaches me to wipe the crown and shoulders — the three ‘fires’ where the ghosts would cling to — with paper money, and burn them afterwards.

依照盂蘭節習俗，紙製流動電台在活動過後燒掉，供奉華埠亡靈。| Following the tradition of offering to the spirits, the paper radio station panel was burnt after the completion of the celebration. 

– – –

主辦 Presented by:

舊金山中華文化中心 Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco 

駐留策劃 Residency co-organised by:

藝術到家 Art Together

受訪者 Interviewees:

Albert 

Clara Hsu

小燕子 Hanna 

Jack Fong 

Janet

Jeanette  

Jebriel

Jeffrey

高嗣正 Ko Si Hing

David Lo

Michelle

李殿邦 Ding Lee

Peter

Simon

Tane 

鳴謝 Acknowledgement:

高嗣正 Ko Si Hing 

李殿邦 Ding Lee 

David Lei

文家健 Tommy Man 

吳嘉欣 Kyan Ng

香港駐三藩市經濟貿易辦事處 Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco

小鄉有大洲
in a village lies a continent



裝置/活動 Installation / Event:

2024年3月，圓塱食誌，一間．青年館，香港 | March 2024, On the Plain of Plenty, A Few Moments．Youth Hub, Hong Kong


以食物探索在「香港小非洲」的族羣與生活

Explore the people and life in Hong Kong’s Little Africa through food

粉團 | semo

珍珠 | Boba

秋葵湯 | okra soup

小鄉有大洲 | in a village lies a continent

起源及考察 Background and research 

我本來對非洲大陸所知無幾，亦不知錦田橫台山有「元朗小非洲」之稱。我開始與錦田的非洲社羣接觸，並在他們日常吃家鄉菜和聚腳的貨櫃裏加深對他們的認識，發現他們主要來自西非伊博蘭（Igboland，現屬尼日利亞）的伊博族。

我與非洲族羣不論在背景、文化與在港生活各方面均為南轅北轍。食物成為我結織他們的方式：我與他們的交流總離不開烹飪、進食和學習彼此的飲食習慣。伊博菜與我嚐過的菜系截然不同，令我大開眼界；而他們對香港食物與生活的理解和適應方式，同樣令我深感好奇。我為自己對香港非洲族羣及其艱辛生活的貧乏認識感到慚愧。

I (and arguably many Hong Kongers) did not know much about Africa, let alone  the African community in Wang Toi Shan, a village area in the rural Kam Tin, Hong Kong, which is vibrant enough to be nicknamed ‘Hong Kong’s Little Africa’. I began my encounter with the Africans in Kam Tin in a container where they hung out and enjoyed food from their home, and found out the majority of the community members were Igbo people from Igboland (currently Nigeria), West Africa. 

Although the enormous differences in background, culture and lifestyle set us apart, food became the pathway for me to acquaint the community. My contacts with them always involve cooking, eating and exchanging knowledge of food. As much as I learnt about the eye-opening Igbo cuisine, I also got to know their perception and adaptation to the food and life in Hong Kong. I was struck by the vast unknown of the African diaspora in Hong Kong and their often underprivileged way of life in the city. 

裝置及活動 Installation and activation

作品可以分為四組以錄像為主的裝置，以三道菜和四個人，整合我與在港非洲族羣的交流。三道菜色分別為粉團（semo）、伊博秋葵湯和珍珠奶茶，它們聯繫了三個伊博人Stanley、Andy和Joy。每道菜色均置於一張桌上，上面放有錄像、食譜筆記和在香港鮮見的各類食材。第四人是香港非洲人協會幹事港人Camy，她與在港非洲族羣和尼日利亞的淵源可追溯到20多年前。

觀眾可以一邊欣賞錄像和翻閱食譜筆記，一邊用嗅覺與觸覺探索食材。每逢週末，我會在現場烹調伊博秋葵湯，並邀請公眾依照錄像和食譜筆記，製作吃秋葵湯不可或缺的粉團，再一同按伊博人的傳統用手進食。有時，錦田的伊博朋友會親臨現場教授，使本地人與伊博人有機會直接交流。

作品當然與我不太認識的伊博人和非洲有關，但也同時在探索錦田和香港 — 一個我稱之為家、理應熟悉的地方。有時，我會把這次體會想象為在自己土生土長的城市中遊歷。

The four-part video-based installation distils my whole encounter with the Igbo diaspora through three dishes and four people. Each of the three dishes — semo, okra soup and boba milk tea — is connected to three Igbo people, namely Stanley, Andy and Joy. Each dish is presented with a video of making the food, a notebook of the recipe, and ingredients for the dish, many of which are rarely seen in the city. The fourth person is Hong Konger Camy, secretary of Hong Kong African Association, whose relationship with the African diaspora and Nigeria dates back to more than 20 years ago.

While watching the videos and reading the notebook-recipes, audiences were also invited to open the jars of the raw ingredients for sensory experience. At weekends, I was on site to cook okra soup, and ‘guided’ the audiences with what I have learnt to make their own semo, the staple that goes with the soup. Audiences could then try the semo and the soup with hands, just like how our Igbo counterparts would. Igbo friends might show up to the weekend activation sometimes, enabling actual exchange between the locals and the Igbo people. 

As much as the project was about Igbo, Nigeria and Africa on which I only had minimal knowledge, it was  also a discovery of the neighbourhood of Kam Tin and Hong Kong — a city I call home — at large. I sometimes think of the whole project as a voyage to an unknown land in my own city.

粉團製作（攝影：陳庭章) | Making semo (photo: Tim Chan)

秋葵湯和粉團試食 | Soup and semo tasting

伊博朋友Andy到場示範 | Demonstration by Andy, an Igbo friend in Kam Tin

後記 Epilogue

錦田的非洲朋友雖然資源有限，生活艱難，但他們同時是我遇過最友善、最慷慨的人。我既為他們的磨艱慨嘆，又被他們的積極與及時行樂所感染。計劃接近尾聲時，我有幸獲他們稱為onye igbo（伊博人）。有朝一日，我也希望到伊博蘭和非洲走走！

In spite of their limited resources and the arduous circumstances they face at times, the Igbo people I met in Kam Tin were some of the friendliest and most generous people I have ever seen. Their hardship has inspired me, as much as by their positive attitude and ability to have fun in any situation. Amiably called an onye igbo by the end of the project, I hope to visit Igboland and Africa one day : )   

多謝 i meela : D

– – –

主辦 Presented by: 

香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Art Development Council

鳴謝 Acknowledgement:

EBOH Manuel Chibuzor

Joy EZINNE Ileagu

駱美清 Camy LOK 

OKEKE Stanley Chigbogu

OUSSOU Augustine 

Ebuka

香港非洲人協會 Hong Kong African Association

翻譯與編輯 Editing & translation:

張慧婷 Stephanie Cheung

李太后 Rita Li

離島海：地圖
Inter-island Sea: Map

 

展覽 Exhibition:

二零二二年十一月，「LOVE+: Awakenings」展覽，香港藝術中心，香港｜November 2022, ‘LOVE+: Awakenings’, Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong 

 

為未獲命名的海域繪製的地圖

A map of a sea yet to be named

展覽設置 | Exhibition set up

離島海：地圖 | Inter-island Sea: Map

＜離島海：地圖＞是為香港西南面的一片海域繪製的地圖。此海乃香港三大區域 — 香港、九龍和新界 — 交匯之處，可謂香港的中心，但此海並沒有名字。與此同時，此海域正面臨總面積達1,700公頃的巨型填海工程，勢將摧毁生態。我決定為將此海名為「離島海」，並收集離島海的各類資料，繪製此地圖。

地圖助人探索一個地方，而＜離島海：地圖＞則志在展現離島海錯綜複雜的系統和關聯。收集所得的資料，被分作五大類：

基礎：離島海的水深和水流 

邊界：離島海邊界的地質和用地

眾生：離島海上和附近的生物

分區：離島海上人為的區域 

連繫：離島海上必須品和人的流動

 

每個分類化為一幅地圖，輯錄於展覽旁的地圖冊；展覽中央的地圖則將五個分類的地圖重疊，展現離島海整個系統。

人素以陸地和大陸為中心，視海洋和島嶼為邊陲，任意掠奪它們的領域，破壞其生態。同樣的中心/邊陲（主/副）關係，亦見於城市/鄉郊與人/自然。要是將邊陲平等看待，甚或將主/副消磨，人可會對自己與環境的關係重新理解？

– – –

‘Inter-island Sea: Map’ is a series of maps drawn for a sea in Hong Kong’s southwest. Lying at the conjunction of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, the three main regions in Hong Kong, the sea is arguably the geographical centre of the city. However, this sea has not had a name, and is loomed by a massive reclamation of artificial islands with a total area of about 1,700 hectares, destroying the existing ecologies that depend on the sea. I decide to name this sea the Inter-island Sea (after the Inter-island Ferry running between several outlying islands) and gather data about this sea to draw a map. 

Rather than conventional maps designed for navigation and exploration, ‘Inter-island Sea: Map’ illustrates the intricate correlation in this sea that deserves respect. The data collected are then grouped into 5 categories:

Foundation: current and depth of the sea

Periphery: geology and human settlement around the sea

Being: Living beings in / around the sea 

Zoning: Man-made boundaries in the sea

Connection: flow of essentials and human under / through the sea

 

Each of the 5 categories is distilled into one map, which can be viewed separately in the atlas. The large map on the wall overlays the 5 maps, demonstrating the totality of the Inter-island Sea.

The land has always been the centre while the sea and islands are the peripheries, a subordinate void free for exploitation. The same centre/periphery relationship can be seen in city/rural and human/nature. What insights will we gain by switching the positions of the centre and the periphery, or even erasing these distinctions?

地圖冊 | Atlas

**離島海：地圖冊** | **Inter-island Sea: Atlas**

 

資料 Reference:

https://www.hkmaps.hk/viewer.html

https://ocean.ust.hk:8443/SiteMapApi/new/index.jsp

https://www.lantau.gov.hk/en/exploring-lantau/facts-data/index.html#6

https://www.hydro.gov.hk/hk/papercharts.php

https://hkrise.vercel.app/#/interactiveHabitat/SW

https://www.cedd.gov.hk/filemanager/eng/share/map/geo_map_2.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Hau_temples_in_Hong_Kong#/media/File:Location_of_Tin_Hau_Temples_in_Hong_Kong_02.png

 

展覽紀錄 Exhibition documentation:

(c) LOVE+ Awakenings, Gay Games Hong Kong 2023

 

鳴謝 Acknowledgement:

「LOVE+: Awakenings」策展團隊 Curatorial team, ‘LOVE+: Awakenings’ exhibition

林沛鈺 Jade Lam

波記玻璃相架畫架 Por Kee Glass & Frames

Zoie Yung 

Stephanie Wakefield 

ISLANDERS島民

聖客家坡啦
SingHAKKApura
சிங்ஹக்காபூர்



  • 活動/社區空間 Activity / Community Space:

    二零二二年五月，新加坡美術館，新加坡 | May 2022, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore

    A collaborative space for the Singaporean Hakka community

    SingHAKKApura is a collaborative space for the Hakka community in Singapore to meet, discuss and exchange.  Residing in the Singapore Art Museum, SingHAKKApura highlights the role of the Hakka language in the (re)shaping of the Hakka community, identity and culture in Singapore.  During the one month period in May 2022, Hakkas in Singapore hold various activities in SingHAKKApura.  The community space accumulates and evolves with the collective effort of collaborators, participants and visitors.

    Background 

    The project is informed by qualitative discussions with Hakkas in Singapore: focus groups, families of three generations, Hakka clan associations, and related organisations, which were conducted in the first half of the residency at the Singapore Art Museum.    

    Although Hakka is a significant minority among the Chinese Singaporeans, the usage of the Hakka language has rapidly diminished within decades and is rarely heard in everyday life.  It is all too common to see Singaporeans of Hakka ancestry not speaking the language or even identifying with the heritage.  As a minority, Hakkas have had a tendency to speak other (Chinese) languages except with their families and close circles, which hinders Hakkas to identify one another.  However, it is the Singapore’s policies of promoting English and Mandarin among the Chinese, and eradicating Hakkas and other Chinese languages that are vital to the drastic demise of the Hakka language.  

    The hiddenness and alienation of the Hakka identity and language, and the pity and frustration of Hakkas in Singapore prompt the creation of SingHAKKApura.  

    Activities 

    Hakka yellow wine making: mixing ingredients

    Six activities hosted by Hakkas in Singapore, also collaborators of SingHAKKApura, took place at the weekends during the one month period:

    (i) Yellow Wine Making (by Tsai Song Ngit): Make Hakka yellow wine, which will be ready in the Finale, the last weekend of SingHAKKApura;

    (ii) Hakka Mahjong (by Fiona Chee): Play Singaporean mahjong;

    (iii) Thunder Tea Rice Cooking (by Tsai Song Ngit): Cook thunder tea rice (Luicha), a signature Hakka dish in Singapore;

    (iv) Language Rojak (by Chok Kho Chiap & Vincent Yang): Speak, teach and learn Hakka and other marginalised Chinese languages in Singapore by setting up one table for each language for its exchange; 

    (v) Hakkaoke (by Lee Yong Tick): Sing and appreciate Hakka folk songs and modern songs;

    (vi) Finale: Invite collaborators, previous participants and new visitors to come to the evolved space, meet and talk with one another alongside the now-ready Hakka yellow wine and other food cooked with the lees.

    While the host(s) conduct the activities, they would simultaneously introduce Hakka vocabularies and sayings that are related to the activities.  Collaborators and participants are encouraged to exchange the language during the activities, and put the Hakka words or knowledge they have learned on the walls of the space.  

    Space 

    The space before the first activity.

    Rather than a static exhibition, the SingHAKKApura space is a constantly changing collaborative space for the Hakka community and people interested in Hakka to meet and exchange.  While the space resembles a clan association, the major kind of organisation in Singapore that gather Hakkas of different origins, as well as Chinese ancestral hall where all kinds of communal activities take place, the space is also like a comfortable and versatile living room.  

    Essentially, the space of SingHAKKApura imagines collectively what a Hakka community in Singapore could be: What are to be retained and foregone in the Hakka identity in Singapore?  Does / should the Hakka language play a role in this process?  If yes, how?  If no, how come?  Can a localised (Singaporeanised) Hakka culture and identity be possible?   Does it take a community, an organisation, or a socio-political movement to reestablish this Hakka identity?

    Before the first activity, the space began with lanterns of Chinese and other ethnicities found in Singapore, as well as a horizontal scroll and a couplet like those at the entrance of a Chinese house, laying a festive atmosphere.  Over time, more furniture and decorations were added to the space, including a founding memorial plaque, a community rule board, a SingHAKKApura flag, and a reading corner with Hakka related books.  Many furniture and decorations were scavenged on the streets.  

    Like the activities, the development of the space is participatory.  Collaborators, participants and visitors are invited to contribute furniture and decorations for SingHAKKApura.  They are also encouraged to put up Hakka vocabularies, sayings and knowledge onto the walls, especially those from the activities.  The Hakka map collects names of places in Singapore specifically used by the Hakkas, before the names were standardised by the government in the 70s. 


    The project was executed at Singapore Art Museum’s Community & Education Residency Programme.

    – – –

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singhakkapura/

    主辦 Presented by: 

    新加坡美術館 Singapore Art Museum

    活動（釀黃酒、煮擂茶）Activity (Hakka yellow wine making & thunder tea rice cooking):

    蔡嫦月 Chai Song Ngit 

    活動 （打麻將） Activity (Mahjong):

    徐丽虹 Fiona Chee

    活動（語言羅惹）Activity (Language Rojak）:

    卓可捷 Chok Kho Chiap

    楊宏武 Victor Yang

    活動（唱歌仔）Activity (Hakkaoke):

    李榮德 Lee Yong Tick

    統籌 Coordination:

    高絲雨 May Gao

    書法 Calligraphy:

    劉文超 Liu Wen Chao 

    題字 Couplet:

    張啟聰 Cheung Kai Chung

    傢俱及物料 Furniture and materials:  

    Post Museum

    梁玉麗 Leung Yuk Lai

    范尚赐 (新加坡美術館) Andrea Fam (Singapore Art Museum)

    紀錄 Documentation:

    范尚赐 (新加坡美術館) Andrea Fam (Singapore Art Museum)

    高絲雨 May Gao

    受訪者 Interviewees:

    朱子燕 (新加坡美術館) Chu Chu Yuan (Singapore Art Museum)

    劉嘉慧 Pamela Low

    吳貴英 Ng Gui Yen

    劉德明 Nicholas Low

    胡建銀 Foh Keng Yin

    羅麗文 Loh Lih Woon

    羅育祥 Loh York Siong  

    余福明 Gerard Yee

    卓瑾倪 Ginny Toh 

    范尚赐 Andrea Fam 

    Andrew Fam

    高中美 May Fam, née Kao

    范尚瑾 Katherine Sebastian

    山姆 Samuel Tournoff 

    范聖清 Chiara Sebastian

    范聖爱 Isabella Sebastian

    范聖文 Sophia Sebastian

    吳文昌 Woo Boon Chong

    羅偉良 Loh Wee Leong

    黃禮華 Huang Li Hua 

    華秀 Hua Xiu 

    卓可立 Chok Kho Chiap

    潘秀玉 Yoshie Phua

    卓思萱 Chok Si Xuan

    何謙誠 Ivan Ho 

    劉思偉 Low Sze Wee 

    小彭客家麵 Pang’s Hakka Noodle

    鳴謝 Acknowledgement: 

    扑泫泯 (新加坡美術館) Lisa Park (Singapore Art Museum)

    南洋客屬總會 Nanyang Hakka Federation

    新加坡華族文化中心 Singapore Chinese Culture Centre

    新加坡永定會館 Singapore Eng Teng Association

船到橋頭生活節
Inter-island Festival

  •  

    活動 Event:

    二零二一年三月廿六至廿八日，坪洲、梅窩、芝麻灣及長洲，香港｜26-28 March 2021, Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan & Cheung Chau, Hong Kong

     

    一個連結香港四個離島地區、探究「離島生活」的活動

    A three-day festival on Hong Kong’s island life at the four outposts of the inter-island ferry

    （與Myriem Alnet和陳俊傑合作 In collaboration with Myriem Alnet & Chan Chun-kit）

    船到橋頭生活節海報 | Inter-island Festival poster

     

    〈船到橋頭生活節〉以「離島生活」為主旨，於坪洲、長洲，以及大嶼山的梅窩和芝麻灣四個離島地區舉行，為期三日。島上島外的各路人馬將舉辦各類活動，展現離島生活的豐富多彩。

    起源、目的

    坪洲、梅窩、芝麻灣和長洲之間有一條橫水渡航線穿梭其中。〈船到橋頭生活節〉以橫水渡作牽引，連接這四個離島地區，並以離島的自然生態、城鄉風貌，以及藝術和傳統文化的角度出發，使島上居民和普羅大眾探索離島生活，並引起他們對離島文化及環境的關注和保育，從而共同構想島嶼的未來。

    近年，為解決香港房屋及土地短缺，政府極力推行在這個幾個離島附近大規模填海，建造一個1,700公頃的人工島，而政府亦於2020年12月通過撥款研究。除了人工島是否必需，所涉及的巨額開支港幣6,240億外，填海亦勢必為這幾個離島地區、自然生態和居民生活帶來無法逆轉的破壞。此時此刻，審視離島地區的價值和生活，連結島上島外人士，都十分重要，而這正是舉辦生活節的目的。

    活動內容

    生活節召集約四十組島上島外的農夫、環保人士、工藝家、音樂家、藝術家等箇中高手，於四個離島地區各自演繹他們心目中的「離島生活」。在為期三日的生活節，四個離島地區將同時有活動發生，一共多達五十項活動可供參與。

    活動涵蓋各個範疇，當中的有機農莊體驗和島嶼山野導賞活動，可令參加者一睹離島的生態環境；公共空間的藝術表演和融合自然環境的創作坊，感受離島的文化氣息。生活節活動的形式既多元又具互動性；參加者可按興趣及行程，乘搭橫水渡到各個島嶼參與活動，同時欣賞渡輪的美景。

    為擴闊對離島的想象，加強生活節的多元性，生活節於2020年4至5月舉辦公開徵集。徵集一共收到56份提案，最終選出了10份。另外，生活節亦於2020年10月到11月發起眾籌，以填補開銷，最終籌得港幣30,630圓。同時，生活節於四個離島地區作街坊募捐，除了籌得款項約港幣8,000圓外，亦順道介紹生活節予街坊，取得他們支持。

    – – –

    The Inter-island Festival will take place on Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, as well as Chi Ma Wan and Mui Wo on Lantau Island for 3 days.  The Festival has invited collaborators from different islands and beyond to organise a wide range of activities that will bring to light the rich and peculiar cultures of the islands.

    Background & Objectives

    Sailing along Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan and Cheung Chau, the inter-island ferry line operated by First Ferry is little-known by the public. The Festival sees the ferry as a thread; by connecting these four ports, it brings the landscapes, urban cultures, art and traditions of the islands to the public eyes. While the ferry ride provides a soothing pause along the stunning sea view, passengers are softly reminded of the future of our islands. 

    In recent years, to solve land and housing shortage in Hong Kong, the government proposes the reclamation of a 1,700-hectare artificial island near these islands, and a grant for investigation has been passed in December 2020.  Other than the necessity of the plan and the incredibly huge cost of HKD6,240 billion, the plan will indefinitely devastate these islands and their nature and people.  Hence, appreciating the value of these islands and connecting the people on the islands and beyond are of critical importance and the reasons of organising the Festival.

    Content

    Forty groups of farmers, environmentalists, craftspeople, musicians, artists and others, mainly from the islands, will present their own interpretation of the islands’ character at one or several of the four locations.

    In total, the 3-day Festival offers nearly 50 activities that are diverse in terms of format, theme or audience: participants will be invited to explore the islands’ landscape, public space culture and crafts through open-houses, tours, performances, installations, workshops, swap-markets… People will have the possibility to ‘mix and match’ activities according to their interest and schedule and, hopefully, catch the ferry to join the selected activities on different islands.

    To expand the imagination on the islands and enhance the Festival’s diversity, the Festival has launched an open call for proposal in April to May 2020, which has received 56 responses and 10 were selected.  Besides, to cover the expenses, the Festival has launched a crowdfunding campaign in October to November 2020, and raised HKD30,630.  In addition, the Festival has raised fund locally on the four outposts.  Other than the HKD8,000 raised, the local fundraising aimed to introduce the Festival to the community and get their endorsement.

    連接坪洲、梅窩、芝麻灣和長洲的橫水渡 | The Inter-island ferry that connects Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan & Cheung Chau

    四個離島地區的地圖（圖為生活節小冊子）｜Map of the four outposts (image from the Festival’s brochure)

    裝置<坪洲開枱>（坪洲），布朱朱｜Installation ‘Connecting Table’ by Géraldine Borio, Peng Chau

    活動 <大自然之日>（梅窩），Ark Eden｜Activity ‘Nature Day’ by Ark Eden, Mui Wo

    工作坊<講吓「水話」、齊來吧！>（長洲），Tiff Chan和Sarah Yip（浪長洲）｜Workshop ‘Come speak some local Water Dialect!’ by Tiff Chan & Sarah Yip, Cheung Chau Wave, Cheung Chau

    音樂表演<長洲山頂黃昏涼亭音樂會>（長洲），冰藝雲、Tomii Chan、Nick Florent、Nelson Hiu、Roy Stark、Hoy Tunes、 Mary Jane and the Gang｜Music Performance ‘The Poet’s Pavilion at Twilight’ by Evan Binkley, Tomii Chan, Nick Florent, Nelson Hiu, Roy Stark, Hoy Tunes, Mary Jane and the Gang, Cheung Chau

    裝置/工作坊<芝麻開門>（芝麻灣），貓珊｜Installation/workshop ‘Open Sesame, Maoshan, Chi Ma Wan

    船到橋頭生活節宣傳片｜Promotion video of Inter-island Festival

     

    計劃網頁 Project website: https://interislandfestival.live

    計劃社交媒體 Social media pages: Facebook / Instagram

    計劃眾籌網頁 Crowdfunding page: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/inter-island-festival#/

    媒體報導 Media Coverage:
    蘋果日報 Apple Daily (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) / 信報 Hong Kong Economic Journal / 立場新聞 Stand News (1) (2) / 知埞 AndThen.HK / 香港電台 Radio Television Hong Kong

    策劃 Organisers:
    Myriem Alnet
    陳俊傑 Chan Chun-kit
    葉啟俊 Yip Kai-chun

    統籌（長洲）Correspondent (Cheung Chau):
    黎穎欣 Vanessa Lai Wing-yan

    統籌（梅窩） Correspondents (Mui Wo):
    陳希雯 Chan Hei-man
    吳若琪 Kay Ng

    美術指導、網頁設計 Art direction & web design:
    Studio Orbit

    小冊子、標示設計 Pamphlet & signage design:
    4res

    撰稿、編輯 Content Writer & Editor: 
    施揚 Adrian Si

    資助 Supported by:
    香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Arts Development Council
    信言設計大使 Design Trust
    伍集成文化教育基金 C.C. WU CULTURAL & EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUND

    本地資助 Local Supports:
    島人源 Island Origin
    銀鑛灣渡假酒店 Silvermine Beach Resort
    Pause Cafe 
    甜蜜蜜 Tim Mud Mud
    寶記凍肉公司 Po Kee Frozen Foods

    食品贊助 F&B Sponsors:
    Southside Lantau
    Gradient Brewery
    祺森冰室 Kei Sum Cafe
    Happy Cow

    鳴謝 Special thanks:
    新渡輪 First Ferry
    港九小輪 Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry

    已延期兩次，希望快啲搞得成 D : Postponed twice because of COVID-19. Hope it will happen soon D :

山旮旯OK
Hakkaoke

  • 山旯旮OK客語音樂合輯已於2020年12月推出！合輯定價港幣120圓或新台幣450圓 ，如欲購買或查詢，請與我聯絡 : )
    Hakkaoke Music Compilation is out in December 2020! The Compilation is HKD120/NTD450.  For purchase or enquiry, please contact me : )

    合輯精華 Snippet

    – – –

    音樂合輯 Music Compilation:

    二零二零年十二月發行｜Released in December 2020

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一八年三月十一日至八月十二日，邂逅！山川人，川龍村，香港｜11 March – 12 August 2018, Hi! Hill, Chuen Lung Village, Hong Kong

    由村民演唱客語歌曲的卡拉OK裝置

    A Karaoke with Hakkanese songs sung by villagers

    cover_s

    卡拉OK裝置 Karaoke installation

    3_s_r

    起源及裝置

    ＜山旮旯OK＞是部卡拉OK裝置，收錄由川龍村村民演唱的客語歌曲。曲目除了數段客家山歌，亦有由演唱者改編成客語的粵語國語名曲。觀眾可揀選歌曲播放，拿起咪高峰，跟隨村民邊唱歌，邊學客家話。

    畫面除原文歌詞外，亦有以香港常見的三種語言：粵語、英語和普通話（拼音）來標示客語音調，誘使本地觀眾同唱同講。

    川龍為客家村落，卻面臨客家話失傳。最年輕又會客語的村民，經已四十多歲；再年輕的村民，大都不聽不講客家話，也沒有興趣動力去學。客家話終將於村內消失，似乎是村民的共識。川龍的情況，是香港客家話的寫照，父母為客家人但不懂客語的香港人比比皆是。其實，客家話是香港本土語言之一。

    在駐村數月期間，我見不少村民似乎都愛唱歌，而香港客語歌曲少之又少，而聽到的機會更微。所以，我想到邀請不同年齡的村民，以客語獻唱。當中，有些歌曲是村民本身會唱，有些則是專誠為此計劃而作。當中除了已不見於日常生活的客家山歌，亦有三十多年前，小伙子用國語流行曲＜童年＞改編，道盡當年川龍日常的歌曲；只懂數句客語的小朋友，牙牙學語地數一至十，又成了另一首歌。

    ＜山旮旯OK＞座落於入村必經的村公所外，供村民訪客聽曲唱歌。除了學習（學唱）客家話外，村民亦發現相識多年的村民少見的（歌唱）一面，而外來觀眾則以發現川龍村日常的故事。裝置成為村民間，以及村民和訪客交流的地方。

    音樂合輯

    為了將計劃中的歌曲整理、推廣，並和川龍保持聯繫，我決定將卡拉OK裝置中的15首歌曲加入新歌，輯錄成音樂合輯發售。我和計劃監製詹昫嵐和客語顧問張啟聰，一同回到川龍舉辦工作坊教授客語。除了在工作坊過程錄得新曲外，我們又邀請兩名村民一同創作客語歌曲，最終成為兩首原創客語歌曲。音樂合輯最終於2020年12月完成，合共21首歌，並包括川龍地圖和歌曲及村中軼事等。合輯定價港幣120圓，暫時在香港和台北有售。

    – – –

    Background and Installation

    ‘Hakkaoke’ is a karaoke installation that includes Hakkanese songs performed by villagers of Chuen Lung Village, Hong Kong.  Other than a few Hakkanese folk songs, there are also famous Cantonese or Mandarin songs and adapted into Hakkanese.  Audience can choose and play the songs, pick up the microphones, sing with the villagers, and learn Hakkanese.

    Other than the lyrics (in Chinese or English), the Hakkanese pronunciation is transliterated with the three common languages in Hong Kong: Cantonese, English and Putonghua pinyin, so as to encourage local audience to follow and sing.

    Chuen Lung is a Hakka village but faces the loss of Hakkanese.  The youngest villager that could speak Hakkanese is over 40 years old.  The vast majority of the younger villagers does not speak or understand Hakkanese, nor do they have the interest and motivation to learn.  The villagers seem to accept that Hakkanese would eventually disappear in the village.  Chuen Lung’s situation reflects that of Hong Kong.  It is common for Hong Kongers whose parents are Hakka not to understand Hakkanese.  In fact, Hakkanese is an indigenous language in Hong Kong.

    In the few-month residency, it seems to me quite a lot of villagers like singing.  On another note, there are very few Hakkanese songs in Hong Kong. So, I came up the idea of inviting villagers of different ages to sing in Hakkanese.  While some of the songs have been known by the villagers, a few are newly created for the project.  Other than Hakkanese folk songs that have separated from everyday life, there is a song adapted from a popular Mandarin song ‘Childhood’ by the then-teenager villagers, describing the everyday life of the village 30 years ago.  Another song is composed with a child counting one to ten in Hakkanese.

    ‘Hakkaoke’ stands right outside of the village office at the entrance of Chuen Lung Village.  Villagers and visitors can listen to or sing the songs.  Other than learning Hakkanese, villagers could discover the lesser-known sides of the folks they have known for years, and visitors could know more about life and stories in the village.  The installation connects among the villagers and between the villagers and outsiders.

    During the exhibition period, there are different activities happening around the installation every month, from inviting villagers to sing to playing Hakka card games.

    Music Compilation

    I decided to publish a music compilation to document and disseminate the songs of the installation and maintain the relationship with the village.  Together with producer Liv Tsim and Hakkanese consultant Cheung Kai-chung, we conducted workshops in Chuen Lung to learn Hakkanese with the villagers, and produced new recordings along the way.  Also, we invited two villagers to create Hakkanese songs together, which resulted in two original Hakkanese songs.  The music compilation was published in December 2020, comprising 21 songs with a map and anecdotes of the songs and the village.  It is priced at HKD120 each and sold in Hong Kong and Taipei.

    <阿婆賣鹹菜>是首客家山歌，由村民Elsa演譯，史嘉茵作曲及錄音。’Granny Sells Pickles’ is a Hakkanese folk song.  It is performed by villager Elsa, and composed and recorded by Sze Ka-yan.

    <123321>將＜數字歌＞以客家話諗出，再編曲成歌。歌曲由村民AdenDum演繹，史嘉茵作曲及錄音。’123321′ recites the lyrics of ‘Number Song’ in Hakkanese and recomposes a new melody.  The song is sung by villager AdenDum, and composed and recorded by Sze Ka-yan.

    4_s

    畫面以粵語、英語及普通話拼音標示客家話讀音 Transliteration of Hakkanese with Cantonese, English and Putonghua pinyin

    6_s

    媒體報導 Media coverage (selected):

    蘋果日報 Apple Daily / 香港電台 RTHK

    主辦 Presented by:

    康樂及文化事務署 Leisure and Cultural Services Department

    籌劃 Organised by:

    藝術推廣辦事處 Art Promotion Office

    在地藝術策劃伙伴 Curatorial Partner (art in-situ):

    創不同協作 Make A Difference Institute

    川龍村民及友好（演出） Chuen Lung villagers and friends (performance):

    國威司理 、輝村長、 張東生、姑婆、阿羅、Elsa、達叔、AidenDum、AidenDum爸爸、Adi、邱太、美蘭

    Kwok-wai si lei, Fai chuen cheung, Cheung Dong-sang, Gu Po, Ah Law, Elsa, Uncle Tat, AdenDum, AdenDum papa, Adi, Mrs Yau, Mei-lan

    川龍村民及友好（改編或原作歌詞）Chuen Lung villagers and friends (lyrics):

    曾漢輝、國威司理、川龍幫、阿羅、達叔、邱太、美蘭

    Tsang Hon-fai, Chuen Lung gang, Ah Law, Uncle Tat, Mrs Yau, Mei-lan

    音樂製作 / 錄音 Composition / recording:

    史嘉茵 Sze Ka-yan

    客語填詞 Hakkanese lyrics:

    張啟聰 Cheung Kai-chung

    葉惠龍 Ip Wai-lung

    客語指導 Hakkanese consultation:

    張啟聰 Cheung Kai-chung

    客語翻譯 Hakkanese translation:

    葉惠龍 Ip Wai-lung

    英文翻譯 English translation:

    陳蕾 Yoyo Chan

    張慧婷 Stephanie Cheung

    施文慧 Sheryl Sze

    電視櫃製作 / 技術支援 Shelf fabrication and technical consultation:

    張穎欣 Rivian Cheung Wing-yan

    製作協助 Production assistance:

    許穎雯 Christy Hui

    許曉昕 Queenie Hui

    蘇靜怡 So Ching-yee

    錄像紀錄 Video documentation:

    范皓文 Homan Fan

    鳴謝 Special thanks:

    仁哥、吉叔、李香蘭、肥妹婆婆、萍姐、翟偉良 、劉德城、檬叔、所有川龍村村民及友好

    Uncle Yan, Uncle Gut, Rainbow Leung, Fei Mui po po, Sister Ping, Chak Wai-leung, Lau Tak-shing, Uncle Mung, all residents and friends in Chuen Lung

越過高山越過谷
Somewhere over the rainbow

  •  

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一九年二月至三月，「無法取得位置」展覽，據點．句點，香港｜February-March 2019, ‘Nothing Can Come Closer’, Floating Projects, Hong Kong

     

    卡式帶的火車旅途

    The travelling train of cassette tape

     

    somewhere1

    越過高山越過谷 Somewhere over the rainbow from Yip Kai Chun on Vimeo.

    somewhere3

    我將旅行時錄得的各地火車聲音，錄至卡式帶中，再將磁帶拆出，圍繞展覽場地的天花掛上。

    卡式機循環播放這些火車的聲音時，卡式帶也跟玩具火車一樣，在會場內走動。

    卡式帶因走動磨損，聲音隨時日變得模糊。

    *

    卡式帶在展場的旅程 ⇔ 我在各地乘地鐵火車的旅程

    兩者的相似之處：

    （一）最緊要好玩；

    （二）去得越遠越好；

    （三）過程慢慢磨蝕；

    （四）少不免有阻滯；

    （五）去得幾耐得幾耐。

    （展覽原文）

    – – –

    I dub the field recordings on trains collected abroad to a cassette tape, and hang the tape from the ceiling of the exhibition space.  When the cassette player plays the sounds of trains (on which I travelled), the cassette tape is literally travelling round, as well, the exhibition space on loop.  The sound gradually become muddled as the cassette continuously rubs against different surfaces.

    *

    Tape travelling in the exhibition space ⇔ Me travelling on trains in different places

    Similarities between the two:

    1) Fun, fun, fun;

    2) The farther the better;

    3) Things fade out bit by bit;

    4) Troubles occur;

    5) Go as long as it could.

    (Description at exhibition)

    somewhere5

    somewhere4

     

    鳴謝 Special thanks:

    黎菩薩 Andio Lai｜王大仙 Wong Chun-hoi

     

आरे
阿喱
Aarey

  •  

    展覽 Exhibition: 二零一八年五月，[en]counter 2018 Daily Ration，ArtOxygen，孟買，印度｜May 2018, [en]counter 2018 Daily Ration, ArtOxygen, Mumbai, India

     

    孟買森林的三個小型公共裝置和活動

    Small public interventions for the green lung of Mumbai

     

    1_peacock_s

    मोर 阿喱 Peacock

    3_aareybin_1_s

    आरे काकर्स कुंड 阿喱垃圾桶 Aarey bin

    5_palash_s

    पलाश 紫礦 Palash

    (相片 Photo: Vidhi Vora)

     

    〈阿喱〉是三個公共空間活動，以印度孟買市郊的森林阿喱（Aarey）為題。〈孔雀〉和〈阿喱垃圾袋〉對阿喱垃圾作出行動；〈紫礦啫喱〉則旨在將不為人知的森林為城市人所認識。

    森林阿喱佔地3160公頃，有多種植物，為野生動物如豹和孔雀的棲息地，又有農地、牛奶工場和12條村莊。雖然阿喱是孟買碩果僅存的森林，但它多年來遭各種建設所破壞，包括地鐵車棚、輸氣管、公路和動物園等。

     मोर 孔雀

    以在阿喱收集的垃圾製成的孔雀雕塑，在平日無人走入的樹林中，掛在一棵大樹上。在阿喱看見野生動物，是當地人引以自豪的日常生活一部分。〈孔雀〉有如野生動物，觀眾要仔細留意才能看見，繼而走進樹林觀賞。

     आरे काकर्स कुंड 阿喱垃圾袋

    以在阿喱收集的垃圾製成的垃圾袋。阿喱沒有垃圾桶，村民習慣燒掉垃圾，損害自然環境。〈阿喱垃圾袋〉由繩、 竹枝和廢置的大面粉袋組成。垃圾袋掛在森林內垃圾較多處。

    पलाश 紫礦啫喱

    紫礦是種橙色的花，常見於阿喱。村民用乾紫礦泡茶，有消暑之效。和其他野生植物和動物一樣，紫礦鮮為孟買人所知。我用乾紫礦花茶製成啫喱，再將它帶到人來來往的沙灘Juhu，邀請公眾品嚐，藉以引發大眾對阿喱的好奇心，順道講述森林的故事，連繫城市的和阿喱。

     

    作品於[en]counter 2018〈日日為食〉期間創作。

    – – –

    Aarey is a series of 3 small public interventions that revolves Aarey Milk Colony, an urban forest in a suburb of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.   ‘Peacock’ and ‘Aarey bins’ respond to the garbage issue in the Colony, and ‘Palash jelly’ brings the little-known Colony to the city.

    Aarey Milk Colony has an area of 3,160 acres.  It is home to wild animals (e.g. leopards, peacocks), native plants, farmlands, milk plants and 12 villages.  Despite being one of the last remaining green patches of Mumbai, it has faced destruction with the building of various infrastructures from metro car shed, pipelines, highways, to a zoo.

    मोर Peacock

    ‘Peacock’ is a sculpture of peacock built with food-related garbage found in Aarey Milk Colony.  It is installed among trees, where people do not usually walk pass and actual wild animals would appear.  Seeing wild animals in the Colony is one dear everyday experience of the villagers.  Audience needs to look attentively from a distance in order to discover the work.  If audience wants, they may go into the trees to see the construct with artificial waste.

    आरे काकर्स कुंड Aarey bins

    ‘Aarey bins’ are simple garbage bins built with garbage found in the Colony.  The Colony does not have garbage bins, and villagers are used to burning all the garbage, which is harmful to the natural environment of the Colony.  Built with strings, bamboo sticks, and large disposed flour bags, the bags are installed in different spots of the Colony where garbage is thrown away.

    पलाश Palash jelly

    Palash is an orange flower that is native to the Aarey Milk Colony.  Villagers make tea with dried palash for its cooling effect.  Like other native plants and animals of the Colony, palash is little known by Mumbaikars.  I made jelly with palash tea and share the jelly on the bustling Juhu Beach in the city. I tried to arouse their interest in the forest, share the stories of the Colony, and reveal the linkage between the city and the Colony.

     

    The work was produced as part of Daily Ration, [en]counter 2018 in Mumbai.

     

    2_rubbisharound_s

    阿喱的垃圾 Rubbish in Aarey Milk Colony

    1b_peacock_s

    村代表的兒子幫手掛上〈孔雀〉 Prakash Bhoir’s family helping build ‘Peacock’

    6_palash_s

    紫礦啫喱、阿喱的土著音樂（Nimish Malde錄製）和由梁志剛繪製的阿喱地圖 The set of ‘Palash’: Palash jelly, folk music at Aarey (recorded by Nimish Malde), and handmade map of Aarey Milk Colony by Michael Leung

    4_palash_s

    〈紫礦〉啫喱於Juhu沙灘發生 ‘Palash jelly’ at Juhu Beach (相片 Photo: Vidhi Vora)

     

    媒體報導 Media Coverage:

    Hindustan Times / MiD DAY (1) / MiD DAY (2)

     

    主辦 Presented by:

    Art Oxygen

     

    協辦 In collaboration with:

    Art Together

     

    鳴謝 Special thanks:

    Prakash Bhoir and his family

    Amrita Bhattacharjee

    Vikram Arora

    Everyone at Aarey Conservation Group

    Nimish Malde

說來話長
I’ve seen it all

  •  

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一八年一月，「客貨船軼事」展覽，藝穗會，香港｜January 2018, ‘Passengers’ Anecdotes’, the Fringe Club, Hong Kong

     

    如果這棟老建築會說話

    If the old building could talk

    fringe_cover_s

    年過百歲，為之祥瑞。他德高望重，備受尊敬。 活得比其他的長，他親身經歷過的大事，更年輕的大多數只在書上讀過。 活得比其他的長，他該對世情有更多洞見。 至少，多數人都有興趣知道，他何以活到這麼久。 他說話可能有點慢，有點長氣，有點令人費解，有點胡言亂語。 他也不太理你想不想聽，聽得入幾多。對他而言，這不太重要。 他會一直說，周圍說，說到夠為止。

    – – –

    Over a hundred years of age is propitious.  I have much respect from others. Having outlived many others, I have experienced major events that younger ones can only learn from books. Having outlived many others, I am expected to have more insights into the happenings in the world. At the very least, most people are interested in finding out my secret of longevity. I may talk slow, sometimes long-winded, sometimes confusing, sometimes nonsensical. I don’t really care if you want to listen, how much you listen. To me, this is not so important. I will keep speaking and speak wherever I go, until enough is said.

    1_s

    畫廊門口。觀眾須躺在椅上，才可看到天花的字｜Entrance of gallery.  Audience can only see the words on the ceiling lying on the bench

    2_s

    畫廊｜Gallery

    7_s

    咖啡廳｜Cafe

    舊牛奶公司倉庫為一棟過百年的一級歷史建築，以發展急速的香港來說，歷史可謂悠久。它座落於殖民地時期最早發展的中環區，自此一直為香港中心地帶。自三十多年前起，建築物南座成為香港藝術機構藝穗會所在。

    要是這棟建築是一個人，那他已是年過百歲的人端。他站在同一個地方，見證中環一帶的變遷，經歷過這座城市的高低起伏；他可以狂傲地說：我一切都看過。

    我參考這棟建築、藝穗會、中環和香港的歷史，觀察建築內外的狀態，將建築物擬為人，講他自己，講地方舊時，或向身邊、身內匆忙的人搭訕。這些話語以投影、影和塵，散佈在藝穗會內外不同位置，有些較為明顯，但更多是隱藏，需要留神尋找，停下來慢慢看。

    – – –

    Built over hundred years ago, the Old Dairy Farm Building is a grade 1 historic building.  It is situated in Central, the earliest district to develop in the colonial era and the centre of the city ever since.  In a city under constant rapid redevelopment, the building is considered old in Hong Kong.  The Fringe Club, an art organisation, has resided in the South Block since 30 years ago.

    If this building were a person, they would be a centenarian.  Standing at the very same place, they must have witnessed every change in Central and the city; they could proudly say: I’ve seen it all.

    With reference to the history of the Old Dairy Farm Building, Fringe Club, Central and Hong Kong, and the observation of the building inside and its surroundings, I imagine the building as a person, talking about themselves, the old places and days, to the busy passers-by or visitors.  Their words are scattered in and around the building in the forms of projection, shadow and dust.  While some are more visible, most of them are hidden, which require viewers to be observant to find and patient to see.

    6_s

    酒吧｜Bar

    5_s

    後門｜Back door

    4_s

    劇場門口｜Entrance of theatre

    3_s

    窗上以塵寫的字｜Text with dust on windows

     

    ＜說來話長＞於藝穗會「賽馬會文化保育領袖計劃」的駐場計劃創作。

    The work was produced during the residency under Fringe Club’s ‘Jockey Club Cultural Heritage Leadership Project’.

     

    **作品全文** | **Full text in the artwork**  

    媒體報導 Media Coverage: 信報財經新聞 Hong Kong Economic Journal /  香港01 HK01 / 號外 City Magazine / 立場新聞 Stand News

    策展人 Curator: 羅偉珊 Susi Law

    主辦 Organised by: 藝穗會 Fringe Club

    捐助機構 Funded by: 香港賽馬會慈善信託基金 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

    英文編輯 English editing: 陳蕾 Yoyo Chan

    英文翻譯 Translation: 張慧喬 Michelle Cheung Wai-kiu | 鍾靖琦 Stephanie Chung Ching-kei | 邱靖枬 Stephanie Yau Ching-nam

    技術顧問 Technical consultation: 駱敏聰 Kel Lok

    錄像協助 Video assistance: 蔡慕琪 Choi Mo-ki | 萬庭暖 Ashley Man Ting-nuen | 成建熹 Harry Shing

    製作協助 Production assistance: 梁健恒 Bevis Leung Kin-hang | 任健銘 Happy Yam Kin-ming

    鳴謝 Special thanks: 陳俊傑 Kit Chan

     

走夜巷
Dusk Rat Run

  • 活動 Event:

    二零一七年十一月，官塘區後巷，香港 ｜ November 2017, back alleys in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong

    官塘工廠大廈間的一夜藝術實驗場

    A night of back alleys in between the industrial buildings in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong

    1_s

    官塘後巷｜A back alley in Kwun Tong

    1b

    街召宣傳｜Promotional bills

    Dusk Rat Run is a one-night flash mob happening in the maze-liked back alley network in Kwun Tong industrial area on a Saturday evening.  It temporarily transformed the district into an experimental platform.  The happening aims to discover the back alleys and unveil the potentials of these spaces.

    Location & background

    The event covers more than 20 alleys near Hoi Yuen Road in the industrial area in Kwun Tong, the main road that spans from Kwun Tong MTR station all the way to the coast.  Between vast and packed industrial buildings, the narrow, interconnected and surprisingly gridded and systematic alleys form the possibly largest back-alley network in Hong Kong.  Streets in Kwun Tong are immensely crowded during work hours; these alleys become shortcuts for office workers and residents in Kwun Tong to avoid the crowd.

    As part of the ‘revitalisation’ project to transform Kwun Tong into a business district, the government has implemented plans to rectify the back alleys in the district.  However, like other rear lanes, debris and stains are still everywhere.  At the labyrinth of alleys in industrial area, bills, roll-up banners, car tires, pallets together create a unique urban scene that is rarely seen by non-Kwun Tong locals and neglected by locals.  At night, after work hours, the alleys become quiet and render an uncanny atmosphere.  The event takes the advantage to intervene the alley network on a Saturday evening.

    The back alleys are not as regulated as the main streets. Alleys can be messy, but they are relatively free from control. Unlike the much administered and homogeneous public spaces in Hong Kong, each alley has its distinctive appearance and character. The back alleys as hidden public spaces are unique of Hong Kong. However, they are often disregarded, considered as dangerous and in need of rectification.  Dusk Rat Run embraces the unique beauty and freedom of the back alleys; it invites artists and audience to explore the rich qualities of the space.

    3s

    (DIS)APPEAR，葉韋瀚｜(DIS)APPEAR, Samuel YIP

    4

    易拉風景，陳佩玲｜Roll-up Landscape, Peggy CHAN

    5

    官富牆，何綺雯｜Kuan-fu Chang, HO Yee-man, Regina

    6s

    保鮮一刻的燈光，劉菁兒、鐘肇峰、陳穎思｜Preservation of moment, Cathleen LAU Ching-yee, CHUNG Siu-fung, Wings CHAN

    7s

    !!!，關舒文｜!!!, Sharmaine KWAN

    Event

    Over 30 artists and art groups of diverse media took part in the project.  While 7 of them were invited to participate, over 20 were selected from the Open Call for Creative Projects in August to September 2017. All artworks are dedicated to the happening, comprising installations, performances, sculptures, games and walks.   While almost all works show the influences of the hybrid environment of back alleys and Kwun Tong, some question about the perception and management of public space in Hong Kong.  In addition, there were alternative guided tours designed by the organiser to lead everyone to another experience in the alleys.

    The happening challenges the rigid administration of public space by the government in the name of efficiency and public interest.  In the happening, it is observed that the tolerance of the public and even the administration (government and private property) are much higher than expected.  Although some works were forcefully destroyed by administration of the adjacent buildings, most works were left untouched even in the busier areas, drawing curious gaze of passers-by and even positive interest of some.  Performances also saw police passing by with a smile.  Audience who came for the event reported that they had discovered a special corner in the city and experienced a rare and more interesting public space.  To the artists and everyone involved, the happening was at once rewarding and fun with the back alleys and the flash mob model.  Dusk Rat Run brought rare encounters between the artists, audience, non-art-goers and the back alleys.

    It is hoped that the happening model and the findings from the event could be valuable references for other public spaces in Hong Kong.

    8s

    工廠妹萬歲！，黃煒喬｜Viva! Factory Girl, Jay WONG Wai-kiu

    10s

    可見光，五百五十五創作團（何濼聰，袁進女太）｜Luminous, 555 Team (Ivy YU Chun-tai & Dave HO Lok-chung)

    11s

    彌留．紙，顏堅輝｜Dying Veluriyum, Joseph NGAN

    13s

    持續存留，莫亭殷｜linger on, fingers off, MOK Ting-yan

    14

    鴻圖道舞廳，許穎雯｜Hung To Road Disco, Christy HUI

    活動地圖 Event map

    藝們活動網頁 Event page on Altermodernist

    參與藝術家簡介 Biographies of participating artists

    媒體報導 Media coverage:

    經濟日報 Hong Kong Economic Times / 南華早報 South China Morning Post / 立場新聞 Stand News / Time Out Hong Kong

    主辦單位 Organiser:

    藝們 Altermodernist

    計劃伙伴 Project partner:

    Colour EXP

    藝術家 Artists:

    陳佩玲 CHAN Pui-leung, Peggy｜卓穎嵐 CHEUK Wing-nam, Wing｜何綺雯 HO Yee-man, Regina｜倒模 MOLDFLIP｜王偉健 WONG Wai-kin, Kenji｜楊秀卓 YEUNG Sau-cheuk｜葉韋瀚 Samuel YIP｜五百五十五 創作團 (何濼聰，袁進女太) 555 Team (HO Lok-chung, Dave & YUEN Chun-tai, Ivy) ｜陳穎思 Wings CHAN｜周姍祐 Intuon CHAU｜鄭凱殷 Meko CHENG｜趙芝婷 Vera CHIU｜鍾肇峰 CHUNG Siu-fung｜許穎雯 Christy HUI｜含蓄 Humchuk｜郭盈秀 KUO Ying-hsiu｜關舒文 Sharmaine KWAN｜安嘉敏 Lala ON｜劉菁兒 LAU Cathleen Ching-yee｜李鳳珍 LI Fung-chun｜凌中雲 LING Chung-wan, Kevin｜呀列 LIT Wing-hung｜莫亭殷 MOK Ting-yan｜顏堅輝 Joseph NGAN｜謝斐 Jaffe.T｜譚綽琳 Jessie TAM｜王萱 WAN Xuan, Daimao｜黃嘉怡 Edith WONG｜黃煒喬 WONG Wai-kiu, Jay｜楊柳 YANG Liu｜余榮基 Wing-kei YU, Rik｜鄭天依 ZHENG Tian-yi

    聯絡 Coordination:

    鄧詠詩 Cindy TANG

    地圖設計 Map design:

    陸燿均 Mandy LUK｜佘汶慧 SE Man-wai

    導賞設計 Experience tour design:

    劉婉婷 Rita LAU Yuen-ting

    攝影 Photography:

    章梓恩 Andy CHEUNG Tsz-yan｜何展兆 Ramond HO Chin-shiu

    錄像 Videography:

    林伊彤 Michelle LAM｜廖家明 August LIAO Jiaming｜鄧詠詩 Cindy TANG

    現場協助 On-site support:

    陳子健 Stephen CHAN｜鄭藹恩 CHENG Oi-yan

    宣傳 Promotion:

    鐘曉賢 Meko CHUNG Hiu-yin

    義工 Volunteers:

    陳子健 Stephen CHAN｜鄭藹恩 CHENG Oi-yan｜章梓恩 Andy CHEUNG Tsz-yan｜蔡盈楓 CHOI Ying-fung｜鐘曉賢 Meko CHUNG Hiu-yin｜鐘美琼  CHUNG Mei-king｜何展兆 Ramond HO Chin-shiu｜許加欣 Karen HUI Kar-yan｜林伊彤 Michelle LAM｜劉婉婷 Rita LAU Yuen-ting｜廖家明 August LIAO Jiaming｜陸燿均 Mandy LUK｜吳可盈 Grace NG Ho-ying｜佘汶慧 SE Man-wai｜袁敏曦 YUEN Man-hei

    贊助 Donors:

    無名氏 Annoymous｜無名氏 Annoymous｜無名氏 Annoymous｜安嘉敏 Lala ON｜譚若蘭 Cordelia TAM｜曾敏富 Matthew TSANG Man-fu｜黃煒喬 Jay WONG

李鑽銘與黎桂香
Lee Chuen-ming & Li Guixiang



出版 Publishing:

2017年11月，S’lim #5，香港及赫爾辛基｜November 2017, S’lim #5, Hong Kong & Helsinki




李鑽銘是我的媽媽，她在70年代由澳門來港定居。

黎桂香是我爸爸的女朋友，她在2000年代由惠東來港定居。

Lee Chuen-ming is my mother. She came from Macau and settled in Hong Kong in the 1970s.

Li Guixiang is my father’s girlfriend. She came from Huidong, China, and settled in Hong Kong in the 2000s.


– – –

由Selim出版及設計。

Published and designed by Selim.



類聚集
ensemble

  • 展覽、表演及講座 Exhibition, performance and talk:

    二零一七年六月至七月，非常廟藝文空間，臺灣臺北 ｜ June-July 2017, VT Art Salon, Taipei, Taiwan

    結集以「樣本」為命題、創作過程、展現方式的作品

    An ensemble of works related to the notion of ‘samples’

    1

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photo: VT Art Salon)

    3

    4

    5

    6

    計劃聚集，句點藝術群體，多媒體 | ensemble-plan, Floating Projects Collective, multi-media

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photos: VT Art Salon)

    7

    8

    事物的秩序，人人檔案，混合媒介、單頻道錄像 | The Order of Things, Archive of the People, mixed-media, single-channel video

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photos: VT Art Salon)

    9

    DAY AFTER翌日[2014.9.29-12.12]，聲音圖書館，雙聲道聲音裝置 | DAY AFTER翌日[2014.9.29-12.12], THE LIBRARY by soundpocket, 2-channel sound installation (CD)

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photo: VT Art Salon)

    10

    水，文美桃，混合媒介（水、玻璃、光、鋁）| Water, Man Mei To, mixed media (water, glass, light, aluminium)

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photo: VT Art Salon)

    11

    收藏風景，黃進曦，水彩紙本 | Landscape Collections, Wong Chun Hei Stephen, watercolour on paper

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photo: VT Art Salon)

    12r

    三點三風情畫，莫頌靈，雙頻錄像裝置 | In Pursuit of a Siesta, Jolene Mok, 2-channel video installation

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photo: VT Art Salon)

    13

    14

    楠詩，鄧國騫，水溶噴墨打印、包裹相框的泡沫塑膠、混合媒介、單頻道錄像 | Nancy, Tang Kwok Hin, watering on inkjet paper, foam of wrapping photo frames, mixed media, single-channel video

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photos: VT Art Salon)

    15

    16

    動動像 之 武俠片，動動像，表演、錄像 | Moving Moving Images: Wuxia movie, Moving Moving Images, performance & video

    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photos: VT Art Salon)

    分類／ 積聚／ 結集

    ＜類聚集＞以「樣本」為題，結集以此為要旨、創作過程、展現方式，但題材媒介迴然的香港作品，繼而剖解、擴展「收集」的意義，思考「策展」在展覽中的角色、功用，以及和創作之間的關係。

    展覽中八件作品的「取樣」， 有些明確得像學術研究，有些實質得像日常生活的收集、分類，也有些是出於興趣、好奇、情感、慾望 — 或者包含以上所有。藝術家以現成樣本為創作材料，在創作過程中建立樣本，以製作資料庫為創作概念，又或是借資料庫的形成展示作品等。此時，藝術家的工作是記錄、篩選、分類、整理、歸納…… 相擬於研究員、檔案員。但「存檔」並非主要目的；＜類聚集＞的藝術家，通過整理、編排、展示「樣本」，達到創作上的需要。這些作品的樣本和取樣過程，同樣重要。

    ＜類聚集＞一名，意味其組成：當中每件作品，都將同「類」「聚」結，而＜類聚集＞本身，又「聚集」了這類作品。 故此，和內裏每件作品一樣，＜類聚集＞亦可視之為一個由眾多「樣本」結集而成的「檔案」。這除了是當下香港（藝術）的紀錄外，還可以是甚麼？

    展覽本身，就常是個「取樣」、「立檔」的過程：以特定方式揀選作品，勾勒作品之間的關聯，建立論述。＜類聚集＞展覽本身和作品關乎「樣本」的共通性，突顯藝術創作和策展之間的相異相通之處。這個展覽，可否稱之為「藝術創作」？要是不可，它到底欠了甚麼，又或是多了甚麼？若可稱為「創作」，那整個展覽，是否就是「作品」？反過來說，＜類聚集＞中的每件作品，又能否視之為「策展」而成的「展覽」？

    ＜類聚集＞中，區分「策展人」和「 藝術家」的，或只是崗位和牽涉工作之別。兩者所求，別無二致。

    ＜類聚集＞為第三屆非常徵件VT Open Call的獲選作品。

    – – –

    Categorise / Accumulate / Gather

    Exploring the subject of ‘samples’, ‘ensemble’ is a compilation of works by Hong Kong artists that utilise samples as the themes, creative processes or forms. ‘ensemble’ is an attempt to dissect and expand the meaning of collection, examine the role and functions of curation in an exhibition and its relations with artistic creation.

    The ‘samples’ in the eight works in ‘ensemble’ were ‘collected’ by mixing together diverse purposes and methods: some are specific and clear like academic research, some are tangible like collecting and categorising in everyday lives, some have evolved out of interests, curiosities, emotions and desires – some can be related to all of the above. Artists utilise existing samples as their creative materials, they build up the samples through the creative process, they form their artistic concepts through the building of archives, or they borrow the format of an archive to display their works. At this point, the job of an artist is to document, filter, select, catagorise, organise and generalise…similar to researchers and archivists. ‘Archiving’, however, is not the main purpose; the artists in ‘ensemble’ realise their creative visions through processing, arranging and displaying their ‘samples’. The samples themselves are as important as the process of collecting them.

    The title ‘ensemble’ implies assembling: each piece brings together those from the same category, while ‘ensemble’ itself brings together this type of work. Consequently, ‘ensemble’ can be considered an ‘archive’ compiled from a wide variety of ‘samples’. An exhibition itself is often a process of collecting samples and archiving: by selecting works with a preset method, an exhibition depicts the connection between different works, and subsequently establishing its central ideas.  In addition to documenting contemporary Hong Kong (art), what else can it be?

    The exhibition itself as well as the works selected for the exhibition are both related to the commonality of “samples”, highlighting the differences as well as similarities between creating art and curating an exhibition. Can this exhibition be called an artistic creation? If not, what is missing? What is superfluous? If it can be called creativity, then is the exhibition on the whole the piece? Can each piece in ensemble be considered a ‘curated exhibition’?

    Within ‘ensemble’, the only distinction between the curator and the artists is perhaps one of position and work involved. The pursuits by the two are the same.

    ‘ensemble’ is the winning proposal of the 3rd VT Open Call.

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    (圖片：非常廟藝文空間 Photos: VT Art Salon)

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    18817722_10154791389647568_1969261853_o

    展覽小冊子 Exhibition pamphlet

    策展論述 Curatorial statement

    評論 (ARTWALKS 陳韋鑑) Review (ARTALKS Chen Wei-chien)

    主辦 Presented by:

    非常廟藝文空間 VT Art Salon

    贊助單位 Sponsor:

    中華民國文化部 Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan)

    臺北市政府文化局 Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government

    展覽資助 Exhibition sponsored by：

    香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Arts Development Council

    香港民政事務署 Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau

    藝術家 Artists:

    文美桃 Man Mei To

    莫頌靈 Jolene Mok

    黃進曦 Stephen Wong Chun Hei

    鄧國騫 Tang Kwok Hin

    人人檔案 Archive of the People

    動動像 Moving Moving Image

    句點藝術群體 Floating Projects Collective

    聲音圖書館 THE LIBRARY by soundpocket

    平面設計 Visual design:

    馬詠瑜Fay Yu

    曾慧怡Tsang Wai Yi

    中文編輯 Chinese editing:

    葉啟俊 Yip Kai Chun

    英文翻譯、編輯 English translation & editing:

    施文慧 Sheryl Sze

    杜蘊思 Vinci To Wan See

    展覽佈置 Exhibition setup:

    李宜庭 Elly Lee

    展覽紀錄 Exhibition documentation:

    趙綺鈴 Chiu Yee Ling

    非常廟藝文空間 VT Art Salon

В процессе строительства
Under Construction

  •  

    展覽及發表 Exhibition & presentation:

    二零一七年五月，＜蘇維埃石屎＞展覽及講座，艺鵠，香港 | May 2017, ‘Buildings of the Big Brother’ exhibition and talk, ACO, Hong Kong

    二零一六年十二月，ArtEast，吉爾吉斯比斯奇 | December 2016, ArtEast, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

     

    A video installation of Soviet and post-Soviet residential buildings in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

     

    img_6325_sDisplay at ArtEast, Bishkek, December 2016

    microdistrict_gif_1

    microdistrict_2Images from Микрорайон (Micro District)

    underconstruction_1rМикрорайон (Micro District) at ACO, Hong Kong, May 2017

    underconstruction_3rКиргизская 0912-я (Model House no. 0912) at ACO, Hong Kong, May 2017

     

    Through juxtaposing the visual elements of the residential buildings of different times in Bishkek, the work attempts to depict the gradual succession of the urbanscape of the city. The collected images focus on the possibly inconspicuous shapes, forms and ornaments of these buildings. Audience is invited to look into these little-noticed residential buildings and always-in-progress changes in the city.

    Under Construction consists of two videos. They are derived from the same collection of images. Model House no.0912 uses the building patterns and a vertical frame to reconstruct another ‘building’ with projection on-site, which is also a linear transition of residential buildings; Micro District links the visual elements of the residential buildings in Soviet time and after independence, flicking the two to form not-easily-recognisable images of buildings.

    Residential buildings are an integral part of a city. They may not be as eye-catching as the large monumental buildings that impress people and represent a city, but they play a significant role in shaping the whole city outlook. In Bishkek, the iconic Soviet residential buildings form the majority. Perhaps because of mass production, they may look almost homogeneous at the first glance, but the shapes and delicate ornaments have rich varieties. Meanwhile, numerous new constructions of luxurious flats emerge across the city.

    The residential buildings of the Soviet time and after independence promise two distinct ideals of home and society. While the Soviet and post-Soviet times are apparently polarised, and the break from the Soviet times is perceived as sheer, the transition of city outlook is usually rather continuous and much more gradual. Could the changes of the residential buildings and the urbanscape reflect the transition from the Soviet times to the post-Soviet era in Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan?

     

    – – –

    The work was produced during the artist residency at ArtEast, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

     

     

se vires o mar que eu vejo
if you see the sea i see
見海不是海

  •  

    Event 活動:

    15 – 17 September 2016, castle of Arraiolos, Alentejo, Portugal | 二零一六年九月十五至十七日，阿夏若洛，阿連特如，葡萄牙

     

    Passeio noturno pelo castelo de Arraiolos, Alentejo, Portugal

    A night audio walk at the castle of Arraiolos, Alentejo, Portugal

    阿夏若洛城堡的夜間聲音漫步

     

    Para os participantes: 

    Arquivo de áudio mp3 & mapa (Portugués) – DESCARREGAR AQUI

    For participants:

    mp3 audio files & map with instructions (English) – DOWNLOAD HERE

     

    1

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    3_r

    4

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    Viewing from the castle of Arraiolos, a dry, inland village in the flat Alentejo, a ‘sea’ slowly emerges after dusk: Houses becomes a pier, light towers, islands; cars becomes boats, ferries, cargo ships . . . a black, boundless sea.  Evidently it is the sea of my city.

    While surprised by my apparent homesickness or loneliness, I share the imagination of the view, my experience in Arraiolos, sceneries of Hong Kong through an audio walk.  The walk starts shortly after sunset and ends when the sky is totally dark.

    The walk was first launched in Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival in Hong Kong for moon appreciation and reunion.  It is now disseminated with a map in different locations in Arraiolos from the end of October 2016.

    葡萄牙的阿夏若洛（Arraiolos）位處內陸，地勢平坦，夏日乾罕，四周一片金黃。日落時分，由阿夏若洛的城堡往外望，景色慢慢化成一片「海」：屋恍若碼頭、燈塔、島嶼；車恍若小艇、渡輪、郵輪 . . . . . . 漆黑無邊的海。這 根 本 是香港的海。

    我為自己疑似的思鄉和寂寞而驚訝。我將城堡景觀的幻想、在阿夏若洛的經歷，以及香港的景致，以聲音和讀白編織成一個聲音漫步。漫步圍繞城堡，始於日落，終於天色全暗，使參加者感受景色變化。

    聲音漫步首次於2016年中秋節舉行，一個賞月和團圓的節日。現時，作品以地圖的方式，於阿夏若洛不同地點派發。

     

    – – –

    The work was produced during the artist residency at Córtex Frontal, Arraiolos.

    作品於阿夏若洛Córtex Frontal駐場時創作。

     

    Translation 翻譯:

    Cristina OLIVEIRA

    Mercedes VIDAL-ABARCA

     

    Voice acting 聲演:

    Madalena PIMPÃO (Portuguese)

    Filipa SANTOS (Portuguese)

    YIP Kai Chun (English)

     

    Special thanks 鳴謝:

    CHIU Yee Ling

    Maria MARVILA

    Bernardino MIRA

    SO Wai Lam

    WANG Zehua

     

    ‘if you see the sea I see’ is incorporated with 1) ‘Bridge Construction’ by Sunny Chan; 2) ‘Construction’ by Sunny Chan; 3) ‘Sea Reclamation’ by Sunny Chan; 4) ‘Mid-Autumn Crowd’ by Anita Kwok; 5) ‘Spring Showers’ by Kwong Wing-ka; 6) ‘Sai Wan Waves’ by Michael Leung; 7) ‘Cicada’s song after dark’ by Siu Kam-han; 8) ‘Breathing of KMB’ by Wong Fuk-kuen; 9) ‘Mood of Mid-Autumn’ by Wong Fuk-kuen; 10) ‘On Ferry’ by Joseph Zhan; and 11) ‘Waves’ by Joseph Zhan, used under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 HK. The list is alphabetically ordered by the collectors’ surname. The original sources can be found on www.thelibrarybysoundpocket.org.hk.

ჭადრაკის სასახლის შამათის
Chess Palace’s CheckmateS
棋宮棋

  •  

    展覽及發表 Exhibition & presentation:

    二零一七年五月，＜蘇維埃石屎＞展覽及講座，艺鵠，香港 | May 2017, ‘Buildings of the Big Brother’ exhibition and talk, ACO, Hong Kong

    20-30 July 2016, ‘8×8. The Future that Never Happened’, Tbilisi Chess Palace and Alpine Club, Tbilisi, Georgia

    28 June 2016, Vere Park outside Tbilisi Chess Palace, Tbilisi, Georgia

     

    為格魯吉亞第比利斯棋宮而製的棋

    A board game dedicated to Chess Palace, Tbilisi, Georgia

     

    0_cover

    chess_compareThe eight stakeholders of Tbilisi Chess Palace and the eight camps of the game

    PrintGame instruction (click to enlarge)

    4_exhibition‘Chess Palace’s CheckmateS’ presented in Veterans Club Room in Tbilisi Chess Palace

    9Game play at Vere Park outside Tbilisi Chess Palace

     

    ‘Chess Palace’s CheckmateS’ is a 4-to-8-player board game modified from chess.  The game illuminates the architecture and transformation of Tbilisi Chess Palace in Georgia, a Soviet-era building in the 70s dedicated to chess.  It depicts the apparent issues of the deterioration of Soviet modernist architecture and the rapid privatisation and commercialisation in Tbilisi and across the post-Soviet cities.  The game is derived from a series of architectural, spacial and historical research in the building.

     

    Background


    Chess Palace_DG03_Web

    棋宮原貌 | Tbilisi Chess Palace in 1970s (www.geoair.ge/project/tbilisi-chess-palace)

    1棋宮現貌 | Tbilisi Chess Palace now

    Tbilisi Chess Palace (officially Tbilisi Chess Palace and Alpine Club) in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, was opened in 1973.  It is named after Nona Gaprindashvili, the first female Grandmaster from the country.  The building is a typical (late) Soviet modernist architecture situated in Vere Park in downtown Tbilisi.  The Chess Palace is home to the Chess Federation, the Chess Academy and the European Chess Union of the country. The building was intended for public use.

    After Georgia gained its independence in 1991, the building has been quickly privatised for miscellaneous usages, some of which are irrelevant to chess.  The current seven parties sharing the building are the Chess Federation, the Chess Academy, the European Chess Union, the Alpine Club, a billiards club, a restaurant and a beauty salon.  Its historical architecture has been distorted or even destroyed by these parties for their individual purposes, which is unfortunately common in historical buildings across Georgia.  In addition, access for the public has become largely restricted.

     

    Research

    The research of Tbilisi Chess Palace is from architectural, spacial and historical perspectives through on-site investigation, documentation and archival research.

    Original maps and images of the Chess Palace are compared with the current situation of the building.  The transformations of the building are subsequently marked on the originals.  Exterior and interior of the building are recorded in photography and video.  The various patterns found in the building are documented to compare the old and the new.

    Certain parts of the terraces from where one can view the park are occupied by additional structures, which hinder movement within the Chess Palace.  The building in wood and stone with wood carved decoration popular in the 70s in Soviet Union are covered or destroyed by arbitrary modifications.  Many parts of the Chess Palace such as the tournament hall and the rooftop are worn out and left abandoned.

    IMG_2018空間研究 | Spacial research in Tbilisi Chess Palace

    PrintPatterns found in the building: on the left are the original patterns of the building and towards the right are the destructed and the new

     

    Game

    ‘Chess Palace’s CheckmateS’ is modified from chess, taking the following features of the Chess Palace into account:

    –       Shared by seven parties (some of which irrelevant to chess), each of which scrambles for more space in the building

    –       Public use is largely restricted

    –       Patterns of the building

    Inspired by multiplayer chess and the design of the chess pieces, ‘Chess Palace’s CheckmateS’ has an expanded chessboard with four zones, indicating first floor, second floor and upper floors of the Chess Palace and the park.  The patterns of the chessboard resonates the patterns found in the building.  There are altogether eight camps in the game: the seven parties sharing the Chess Palace and the public, whose right of using the supposedly public building has been taken.  The combinations and outlooks of the pieces of each camp are customised according to their activities and power in the building.  For example, the Chess Academy and the Alpine Club, the two original inhabitants of the building, have a more complete set of 10 pieces, whereas the public is entirely formed by pawns, the weakest piece in chess.

    The visual elements of the game reflect the architecture and current situation of the Chess Palace.  The complex dynamics – invasion, defence, occupation – among the different camps in the game becomes a metaphor of what is actually happening in the building.

    Chess Palace’s Chess was brought to Vere Park outside Tbilisi Chess Palace to engage the public and arouse public attention to the issues of the building.

     

    IMG_2009試玩 | Game test

    781011

    IMG_6974_rr

    Display at ACO, Hong Kong, May 2017

     

    The project is twinned with ‘Chess House is MINE!’, a game based on research in The Chess House, Yerevan, Armenia.  It is under the framework of ‘The Tbilisi Chess Palace’ initiated by GeoAIR, Tbilisi, Georgia.

     

    資助 Supported by:

    香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Arts Development Council

    香港民政事務局 Home Affairs Bureau, HKSAR

    GeoAIR

     

Շախմատի տան իմն է!
Chess House is MINE!
棋館棋

  •  

    展覽及發表 Exhibition & presentation:

    二零一七年五月，＜蘇維埃石屎＞展覽及講座，艺鵠，香港 | May 2017, ‘Buildings of the Big Brother’ exhibition and talk, ACO, Hong Kong

    June 2016, Tigran Petrosian Chess House and Circular Park, Yerevan, Armenia

     

    A game of public space versus privatisation for Tigran Petrosian Chess House, Yerevan

     

    0_ChessHouseGame_cover

    gamerule_combine

    Game instruction (click to enlarge)

     

    ‘Chess House is MINE!’ is a game about Tigran Petrosian Chess House, Khanjyan Street, Yerevan and its surrounding area. The game is derived from a series of research, and reveals the issues of preservation of Soviet modernist architecture and the privatisation of these buildings and other public spaces in Yerevan and across the post-Soviet states.

     

    Background

    1_ChessHouse_outlook

    Tigran Petrosian Chess House (left) and Tashir Pizza (right)

    2_ChessHouse_GF2

    Basement of the Chess House

    3_ChessHouse_playing_r

    Ground floor of the Chess House.  People gather and play chess.

    4_ChessHouse_3F

    Tournament Hall, second floor of the Chess House

     

    Tigran Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, was opened in 1970. It is named after Tigran Petrosian, a former world chess champion from the country. The building is a typical (late) Soviet modernist architecture with a special triangular outlook. It situates in the Circular Park in downtown Yerevan. The Chess House hosts chess tournaments. Public can play chess in the building in an undisturbed environment.

    The Soviet regime promoted chess as a tool of ideological control (1). In many Soviet cities, there are buildings dedicated to the sport. In Armenia, not only chess playing has had a long history before Soviet colonisation (2), the country has numerous world champions of the game. Nowadays, chess remains widely popular – one may say it is a pride of the Armenians.

    The study on Tigran Petrosian Chess House is an investigation of the history and change of Soviet modernist architecture and chess in the post-Soviet society of Yerevan.

     

    Research

    YerevanChessHouse_Pattern_horizontal

    Patterns collected in and around the Chess House: the first three rows are original patterns of the Chess House and the fourth is that of Tashir Pizza.

     

    The research of the Chess House is from architectural, spacial and historical perspectives through visits, documentation, archival research and interview with professionals.

    Compared to many other Soviet modernist buildings in Yerevan that have been largely privatised, distorted, abandoned or simply demolished, the Chess House has retained much of its architecture and functions, which is rare in Yerevan. Some suggest the fact that Serzh Sargsyan, current President of Armenia, is the head of Chess Federation of Armenia explains the relative intactness of the Chess House.

    Nonetheless, privatisation has also taken place in the Chess House: part of the complex, a concave triangular area with sculptures of chess pieces, has become Tashir Pizza, a restaurant chain. The sculptures are relocated to the entrance of the restaurant. Thus, half of the Chess House is actually lost to privatisation.

    Further, after Armenia gained independence in 1991, in the surroundings of Chess House in Circular Park have seen outdoor cafes and restaurants privatising the area.  In fact, the process of privatisation and commercialisation is interwoven with its Soviet past when almost no space was private.

     

    Game

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    8_Screen Shot 2016-07-27 at 下午07.06.17 copy

    Game play at the park outside the Chess House

     

    The followings from the research are put into the creation of the game:

    1) The triangular shape of the Chess House;
    2) The loss of half of the building to a restaurant chain;
    3) Privatisation of the surrounding area of the Chess House.

    The game play of Reversi is used to illuminate the constant conflict between the public and private (commerce) for space in the city.

    Unlike Reversi, the disks are in triangular shape (like the Chess House), making captures more dynamic. The disks have two sides – wood and glossy, representing the Chess House and Tashir Pizza the restaurant chain respectively. The placement of the disks at game start reflects the actual situation of the Chess House and the surroundings: Chess House’s smaller half taken by Tashir Pizza, surrounded by other recently commercialised spaces.

    The game board becomes Yerevan; the disks become the space and architecture that the players scramble for. The game play itself becomes a rivalry for space in the city.

    ‘Chess House is MINE!’ was brought into the Chess House and the Circular Park to engage the public and arouse attention to the issues of privatisation of the Chess House and Yerevan.

     

    9_Screen Shot 2016-07-27 at 下午07.08.48 copyGame play right in the Chess House

    6

    IMG_6938_r

    Display at ACO, Hong Kong, May 2017

     

    The project is twinned with ‘Chess Palace’s CheckmateS’, a game based on research in The Chess Palace, Tbilisi, Georgia.

     

    (1) Soviet Chess 1917-1991, Andrew Soltis, 2015 (2000), 978-0-7864-9758-4

    (2) Orbeli, Joseph; Trever, Kamilla (1936). Шатранг. Книга о шахматах [Shatrang: The Book of Chess] (in Russian). Saint Petersburg: State Hermitage. p. 195. OCLC 82233681

     

    Reference: 

    Blank Zones in Collective Memory or the Transformation of Yerevan`s Urban Space in the 60s, Ruben Arevshatyan, 2010

    The Contradictory 60s: Empire and Cultural Resistance, Hrach Bayadyan, 2010

    Short Essays on Post-Soviet Yerevan, Hrach Bayadyan, 2007

     

    Supported by:

    Hong Kong Arts Development Council

    The Home Affairs Bureau, HKSAR

    Art Commune International Artist-in-Residence Programme, Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory, Yerevan

     

    Special Thanks:

    Ruben Arevshatyan

    Sevada Petrossian

    Art Laboratory, Yerevan

     

致珍妮：深水埗的璀璨生活
Dear Jenny: my gorgeous life in
Sham Shui Po

  •  

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一五年七月三十一日 至 八月九日，「買不起，送給你！」展覽， 賽馬會創意藝術中心，香港

    31 July – 9 August 2015, ‘Affordable Art Basel!’ Exhibition, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong

     

    IMG_9721_R_s

     

    我與珍妮素未謀面，但被派至「滿足」她的「欲望」— 擁於一組於香港藝術巴塞爾2014展出，由Manjunath Kamath所繪的畫作。她說，她喜歡作品「創意演繹生活中的微細事物」，「意念有趣、獨特」。

    藝術巴塞爾中的創意富麗堂皇，神聖不可侵犯；我希望將珍妮的「欲望」，轉移至近在咫尺，由「尋常百姓」注入日常生活中的創意。為此，我於一直長居的深水埗遛達，發掘區內微細事物的創意。

    我慢步於常常經過的橫街窄巷，發現平日未有留意的趣味：出奇不意的裝飾，足智多謀的空間運用，獨樹一格的語句，精彩絕倫的造型。我為這些新奇發現拍照，將相片放至於深水埗地攤、夜冷和二手店買的相架中。每個相架背後，都寫有一段關於該相片的文字：其有趣之處、拍攝照片時的情境，或只是一段相關的記憶。這二十多個相架密密麻麻的放在桌上，有如極度擠擁的深水埗和香港。

    這件作品，是我身為藝術家和（幻想中的）珍妮身為觀眾之間的親密聯繫。這件作品不但獻給珍妮，亦同時獻予深水埗。

    – – –

    I was asked to create a work to ‘fulfil the desire’ of Jenny Fu with whom I had never contacted.  Her ‘desire’ is to own a set of paintings by Manjunath Kamath shown in Art Basel Hong Kong 2014, of which she liked the ‘creative interpretation of some small stuff in life’ and ‘very funny and unique ideas’.

    In contrast to the extravagant and sacred creativity demonstrated in Art Basel, I would like to divert Jenny’s ‘desire’ to the everyday creativity by ‘laymen’ that is ubiquitous in my (our) habitat.  I took it as an opportunity to gaze into Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong that I have lived for my whole life to search for everyday creativity.

    I strolled down the streets and alleys I have already been too used to, and have found new little wonders unnoticed before: the unexpected decorations, the clever use of public space, the unique play of words, the incredible styles and others.  I took a picture for these new discoveries, and put them into frames bought in night markets and second hand shops in Sham Shui Po.  The back of each frame writes a small piece of text about the discovery: the specialness about the discovery, the circumstance of taking the picture, or simply a related memory.  The some twenty frames stand crowdedly on a small table – like the extreme crowdedness of Sham Shui Po and Hong Kong.

    The work is an intimate connection between me as an artist and Jenny as an (imaginary) audience.  It is dedicated to both Jenny and my beloved district.

     

    IMG_9715_R_s

    IMG_9745_R_s

         

    IMG_9796_R_s

    IMG_9725_RR_ss

    給珍妮的信 a letter to Jenny (文字版本 Text version)

     

    「買不起，送給你！」藝術展 | ‘Affordable Art Basel!’ Exhibition

南山未了 －三年
Incomplete Finale － 3 years

  •  

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一五年七月 至 九月，「訣」展覽， Mur Nomade，香港

    July – September 2015, ‘away’, Mur Nomade, Hong Kong

     

    2015-07-09 14.34.23_2_s

    2015-07-09 14.34.23_s

     

    展出聲音裝置「南山未了」後三年，我再次聆聽媽媽過身前的錄音，追憶續漸消逝的記憶。

    我將錄音放至鐵盒中，錄音變得不清，時而震動鐵盒。如欲細聽錄音，參觀者須坐地，靠近鐵盒。

    於我而言，鐵盒象徵「萎縮」 — 對母親記憶的萎縮、對她離感受的萎縮。而死亡本身，就是一個萎縮的過程。

    – – –

     

    Three years after I put up the sound installation Incomplete Finale, I listened to my mother’s last days’ recordings again and tried to recall the fading memories of my mother.

    I put the recordings in a tin. The recordings become muffled in the tin, and at times vibrate the tin.  In order to listen to the recordings clearly, audience has to sit on the floor and get close to the tin.

    To me, the tin is a metaphor of contraction – of the memories and emotions of my mother and myself, and of death itself as a process of contraction.

     

訣
away

  • 展覽及表演 Exhibition and performance:

    二零一五年七月至九月，Mur Nomade，香港 | July-September 2015, Mur Nomade, Hong Kong

    一個關於失去和懷緬的展覽

    An exhibition on the subject of loss and remembrance

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    (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

    「訣」是一個有關死亡的展覽,展示逝者和生者彌足珍貴,卻已成永訣的關係。展覽中的作品運用各種媒介,以切身的方式,勾畫出四人於不同崗位、人生階段所經歷的死亡。

    死亡在中國和不少文化中是個禁忌,受文化宗教的避諱所籠罩,悽惶不安所掩蔽。縱然死亡無可避免, 人卻受禁忌所限,不願去談論,甚至不願去想及它。藝術有其勇氣、誠心和靈巧去探究此難題,顯露埋藏背後的複雜情感。

    「訣」蘊含各種對死後存在(或是「來世」)的盼想,表現因死亡與失去所牽起,千頭萬緒,難以言 表的情感、記憶,夾雜眷懷和冀望。

    葉啟俊的聲音作品「南山未了」,重演他母親死亡的經過和當中的糾纏;莫頌靈的錄像「歸去 來了 渺渺」,表達她未能於爺爺離世時待在身旁的感受;沈寬創造的雕塑及紙船裝置「希望之旅」,將他 對母親離世的情感,化作分享願望的集體創作;而在「紙念」中,鄭㬢文將他人對逝者的期望,以及 她自己死後的存在,化為紙紮工藝品。

    展覽中的藝術創作,是治療和轉化的過程,重塑逝者、生者和自我的關係和記憶。每件作品均是個人 的悼念各儀式,不受宗教和傳統所束縛地喚起對死亡和生命的沈思。

    是次展覽為Mur Nomade徵集新晉策展人計劃書的優勝作品。

    – – –

    ‘away’ is an exhibition about death, and the invaluable and irreversible relations between the deceased and the alive. Using different media, the presented works delineate, in very personal ways, four encounters with death at various positions and stages of life.

    Death is a taboo in Chinese and many other societies, enveloped in cultural and religious confinements and emotional distress, which deters people to talk or even think about this unavoidable and universal matter. Art has the courage, earnestness and sensitivity to inquire into this strenuous subject and to express the concealed sophisticated feelings behind.

    With divergent imaginations of the being of the after death (or afterlife), the exhibition illustrates the complex and at times indescribable emotions and memories triggered by death and loss, from remembering the past to hoping for the future.

    Yip Kai Chun’s sound object ‘Incomplete Finale’ enacts the process of dying experienced by his mother and its entanglement; Jolene Mok’s video ‘You Know Where to Find Me’ expresses the feelings of not being present when her grandfather died; Foon Sham’s ‘Vessel of Hope’, a wood sculpture and paper boats installation, transfers the emotions caused by the death of the artist’s mother into a collective sharing of wishes; and in ‘Ash to Wish’, Amanda Cheng transposes the hopes of others for their lost ones as well as of her own afterlife into paper crafts offerings.

    Artistic creation in ‘away’ is a therapeutic and transformative process, reconstructing relations with and memories of the deceased, the alive and self. Each piece in the exhibition is an individual commemoration and rite, unbound to religion or traditional conventions, calling forth contemplation of death and life.

    The exhibition is the winning proposal of Mur Nomade’s ‘Open Call for Young Curators’.

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    歸去 來了 渺渺，莫頌靈 | you know where to find me, Jolene Mok (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

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    南山未了 — 三年，葉啟俊 | Incomplete Finale – 3 years, Yip Kai Chun (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

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    紙念，鄭㬢文,仙之居(紙藝)設計工作室 | Ash to Wish, Amanda Cheng, Soul House (Paper Art) Design Studio (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

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    希望之旅，沈寬 ｜Vessel of Hope, Foon Sham (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

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    十二，黎仲文和謝穎欣的聲音及舞蹈表演 | Twelve, a sound and body performance by Andio Lai and Son Tse (圖片 Photo: Mur Nomade)

    展覽小冊子 Exhibition Note

    （部分）媒體報導 Media Coverage (selected):

    Art Asia Pacific / Asia Art News / 三角志 Delta Zhi /  明報 Ming Pao Daily / 明報週刊 Ming Pao Weekly

    主辦 Presented by:

    Mur Nomade

    藝術家 Artists:

    鄭曦文 Amanda Cheng

    莫頌靈 Jolene Mok

    沈寬 Foon Sham

    葉啟俊 Yip Kai Chun

    黎仲文及謝穎欣 Andio Lai & Son Tse

Level Note one two

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    展覽、表演及放映 Exhibition, performance and screening:

    二零一五年六月，MOM AND POP及天唐 設計，香港｜June 2015, MOM AND POP & Tin Tong Design, Hong Kong

     

    一個流動展覽，兩個天台

    A mobile exhibition & performance for two early summer nights on two rooftops in Kowloon

     

    Level Note one at night

    壹｜Note one

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    放映會，貳｜Screening, note two

     

    「Level Note one two」 是個微型的流動展覽，於天台舉行。

    「Level Note one two」包含展覽、表演和放映，於六月下旬連續兩個週六黃昏，於九龍兩個天台閃現。是次活動將藝術帶離畫廊和博物館，移到平日少作藝術用途的天台，展現它成為藝術空間的可塑性。

    兩個天台分別位於官塘的工廠大廈和深水埗的唐樓。此兩類建築同樣一度為香港城市的根本，外觀的典型，展現我城多樣的風貌。香港以極其密集的高樓聞名於世，而天台正是欣賞此絕的最佳地方。

    「Level Note one two」着重「流動性」— 相比場地固定的展覽，一個「流動」的展覽有何困難和可塑性？作品如何在不同而混雜的空間中改變？「流動」展覽在遷移的過程中，又有何改變？ 是次展覽中的作品，同樣探索移動性和暫時性。

    – – –

    Level Note one two is a mini, temporary and mobile showcase on rooftops in Hong Kong.

    This showcase comprises exhibition, performance & screening. It pops up on two rooftops (one and two) on two consecutive Saturdays in late June, each from late afternoon to the evening. It brings art out of the ‘white cube’ to a less expected space, exploring the possibilities of rooftops as a platform for art in Hong Kong.

    The two respective rooftops are on an industrial building in Kwun Tong and a tong lau (‘Chinese building’ literally; often refers to buildings built in late 19th century to the 1960s in Hong Kong) in Sham Shui Po, the two once-major types of buildings in Hong Kong. These spaces are exemplars of Hong Kong’s urbanscape, offering alternative facets of the city. In a city renowned for its extreme crowdedness and vertical development, rooftop can be an ideal place to experience the charm of a city.

    This showcase emphasises the notion of travel – The challenges and potentials of a travelling (and almost portable) art showcase compared to a relatively static exhibition; the adaptation of the artworks into different hybrid spaces; the transformation of the showcase in the process. The selected artworks share an equal interest in mobility and temporality.

     

    更多相片 | More photos

     

    聯合策展 Co-curation:

    周翌 Chow Yik

     

    展覽Exhibition:

    Xavier Ambroise｜Yee Ling Chiu｜Mathilde Fenoll｜Irma Kalt｜Mika Savela｜Samuel Yip｜Kit Chan & Nicolas Camacho｜Su Jung & Alexander Whittaker｜Porin Kulttuurisäätö

     

    表演Performance:

    Meiki Lee｜Andio Lai & Friends

     

    放映Screening:

    Synes Elischka｜Linda Lai｜Pei-Wen Liu｜Gonçalo Luz｜Jolene Mok｜Gerardo Montes de Oca｜Minha Park｜Chris Shen｜Yiva Wong｜Zung Woon

     

    Co-organisers 合辦:

    MOM AND POP

    Tin Tong Design 天唐 設計

     

崖hea響槓言
voice from the root, reclaiming

 

展覽 Exhibition:

二零一六年四月，＜得左，失左＞展覽，賽馬會創意藝術中心，香港 | Apr 2016, ‘We Gain; We Lost’ exhibition, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong

二零一六年二月至三月，第二十一屆 ifva 比賽媒體藝術組入圍作品展，香港 | Feb-Mar 2016, The 21st ifva Awards – Media Art Category Finalist Exhibition, Hong Kong

二零一五年五月，長春社文化古蹟資源中心，香港 ｜ May 2015, The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage, Hong Kong

 

一個向父親學習客家話的記錄

A record of the inheritance of Hakka from father

 

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voicefromtheroot_1_s 

 

背景

家父為東莞黃江客家人，七十年代來港，誕下算是半隻客家人，但唔曉聽，唔曉講客家話的我。在香港，不懂父母的「鄉下話」，實在平常不過。

理所當然以香港人身份生活了廿多年，我驚覺與上一代的歷史文化斷裂，可以是一個「問題」，遂向父親學習客家話，也借機和父親打開話題。

 

學習／閒談

在這兩年裏，每逢我們相聚時，我都不時請教父親客家話，並將之錄音。

學習十分隨意，由最簡單的名字，桌上的餸菜，以至較為複雜的問答題，都無序胡亂的學了一點。其後，爸爸和操客語的親友交談，我又將其錄音，試着從中學習客家話。

我將學得的客家話，以香港粵音、普通話拼音、英文和自制聲調標記組成筆記，為學習的結晶，代表我與客家話的關係。

這個學習過程，自然拓展至客家文化，父親來港前在家鄉的經歷，來港的經過，一直到現在的生活。父親的故事，也是不少上一輩並非香港出生，為過更好生活而來港的香港人故事。

 

裝置

我將這兩年的學習錄音化為裝置， 重塑為客家話漂流、承傳的故事，分享閒談／學習過程中的種種，希望當中各式有遠有近，有粗有細的故事可獲發掘 。

整個裝置主要分為兩部份：

（一）渡港 — 將父親由家鄉來港的故事錄音，分拆為數個喇叭和唱盤，按時序、地點擺放，化為一個虛擬的時間線、地圖 ；

（二）學舌 — 將向父親學習客家話的錄音，以一部展視客家話筆記的電視機、兩個喇叭和各式椅子，邀請觀眾可一同學習客家話。

我又加入與家鄉、家庭相關的物件，例如家中的矮櫈，家鄉常見的炮杖碎等， 將兩代人（爸爸、我；從大陸來港定居的香港人、土生土長的香港人）、兩個語言文化（客、粵），以及兩個地方（東莞、香港）之間聯繫呈現。

 

學習客家話是一個「修復（客家人）身份」的過程，是和父親另一面連結，也是兩代香港人想像語言和身份可能性的一道門。裝置以學習客家話為切入點，檢視香港的文化和歷史，反思香港（人）語言和身份：為何我（不）是客家人？何謂「香港人」？是祖籍、出生地、定居地、語言文化，還是純粹的身份認同？

說的雖然是客家話，但其實是最地道的香港故事。

– – –

Background

My father is a Hakka (‘Hakka Chinese’ or ‘Hakka Han’) from Dongguan, China.  He came to Hong Kong in the 70s and has lived here since then.  As a half-Hakka born in Hong Kong, I could not even speak or understand one single Hakka word.  However, not knowing parents’ mother tongues of their hometowns in Mainland China is the “norm” in Hong Kong.

After living with the taken-for-granted Hongkonger identity for 20 years, the “problematic” of not knowing the Hakka language as a Hakka suddenly emerged.  I started to ask my father to teach me Hakka, trying to open up dialogue with him.

 

Learning & Talking

Over these two years, every time we spent time together, I asked my father to teach me the Hakka language with a recorder aside.  The learning was impromptu and casual.  I have learned some basic Hakka randomly, from my name, dishes on the table to more complex questions.  I also recorded my father’s dialogue with his Hakka-speaking relatives and friends and tried to learn the tongue.

I invented a hotchpotch of Hong Kong Cantonese, Putonghua pinyin, English and self-invented marks for tones to write notes on the Hakka learned.  The notes crystallise my Hakka learning and represents my relations with the language.

The learning process naturally expands to the Hakka culture, my father’s life in his hometown Dongguan, how he immigrated to Hong Kong and the stories after.  Coming from the Mainland to Hong Kong for a better life is the story of my father and a lot of Hongkongers of the last generation.

 

Installation

I transform the recording of the learning with my father into an installation.  The installation reconstructs the drift and inheritance of the Hakka language, and shares my talking/learning experience in the process.  It creates a space for discovery of the multiple narratives in the process.

The installation can be divided into two major parts:

(i) On the way: The recordings of my father’s story from his hometown to Hong Kong are separated into several speakers and CD players.  They are put according to time and location, forming a virtual timeline and map;

(ii) Pass on: The recordings of my father teaching me Hakka are re-enacted with a TV set, two speakers and chairs.  It invites audience to learn the Hakka language together.

The installation comprises objects related to my father’s hometown and my family life, such as stools taken from home and firecracker scarps that are commonly seen in my hometown.  It displays the linkages between two generations (of Hongkonger), two languages and cultures (Hakka & Cantonese) and two places (Dongguan & Hong Kong).

 

Learning Hakka is a process of “(Hakka) identity restoration” and reconnecting to another side of my father.  It is a way to start dialogue and reflect the possibilities of language and identity.  The installation uses learning Hakka as an entry point to examine Hong Kong’s culture and history and reflect on the identity of Hong Kong (people): what makes me (not) a Hakka?  What are the criteria of being a Hongkonger? Are they ancestry, place of birth, place of residence, language and culture, or simply identification?

Talking about Hakka, this is essentially a Hong Kong story.

 

LNote_8s

客家話學習筆記 ｜Learning notes sample

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學舌 ｜Pass on

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渡港 ｜On the way

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如果 ｜If

學舌：「充得行」 ｜Pass on: “Is it okay”

渡港：兩遇打獵 ｜On the way: the hunters

其他裝置 ｜Other arrangements

 

媒體報導 Media Coverage:

經濟日報 Hong Kong Economic Times /  明報 Ming Pao / 明報週刊 Ming Pao Weekly 

 

資助 Supported by:

香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Arts Development Council

長春社文化古蹟資源中心 The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage

 

技術支援 Technical Support:

羅潤庭 Edwin Lo

 

嗚謝 Special Thanks:

黎桂香（阿姨）Li Guixiang

莫頌靈 Jolene Mok

 

( : – 向阿爸葉雲華致敬! – : )

( : – Salute to my father Yip Wan Wah! – : )

 

南山未了
Incomplete Finale

  •  

    –– 以誌亡母李鑽銘 —

    — In memory of my mother, Lee Chuen Ming —

     

    展覽 Exhibition:

    二零一二年四月至五月，聲音掏腰包，香港 ｜ Apr-May 2012, soundpocket, Hong Kong

     

    空闊的房間，十數隻喇叭，播放母親自確診癌症至過身，為期一年多的聲音。聲音重塑當時的記憶和情緒，以及母親、癌症、死亡、家人和我等的種種關係。

    A room occupied by sounds of my mother’s last days from the diagnosis of cancer to the very last minute. It reconstructs the memories and emotions in the period, unravelling the complex relations between mother, cancer, death, family and self.

     

    incomplete-finale

    背景及錄音

    二零一零年四月，家母證實罹患第四期肺癌，並已擴散至腦部等其他部位。當時，醫生預計，母親只剩數年命。

    當時，我還沒想像到「親人離世」的感受，卻大概感到將要永遠失去一個人、一些東西。自此，每次我跟母親吃飯、看電視、覆診、相聚，我都把錄音機擱在一旁，讓它靜聽這段最後時光的一分一秒。每段和母親相處的時光，都產生一段錄音。日積月累，錄音數量漸多，成為母親、我和家人在這段時期的記錄。不幸地，這亦是個癌症和死亡的記錄。

    那時，我不太明白自己為何個這樣做，既未想過錄音的「用途」，也沒想過錄音何時結束。後來，在母親在世時展出這個記錄的想法萌生，卻已來不及。錄音隨母親於二零一一年十月逝世告終。留下的，是三百多段錄音。

     

    重聽錄音

    這段重要但含糊混亂的時期過得太快，變得太急。母親去世後數月，我打開一段段錄音，細聽這段不復再的時光。最明顯的變化，是母親的發音、聲調，隨病情惡化而轉變。

    錄音盛載的，是另一個遲早會被丟淡，甚至遺忘的人和時間。雖然，那是我確切經歷過的時間，但這三百多日的錄音，更像一個未知的世界。原先依稀的傷心和痛苦，都因重聽這段時期變得具體、實在。在死亡漸近的陰霾下的喜、怒、哀、樂，母親的願望、教訓、歡樂、離愁等，都被這些聲音喚起。錄音是母親的另一件遺物，甚至比其他遺物都實在。

     

    組成裝置

    錄音以哀傷、對罵、希望、看病、訓話和日常閒談等交織。我把錄音分割成一段段對話，按內容和情緒分類，再順時排列，變成十三段數小時長、同是展現這段時期的聲帶，有些囉嗦長氣，有些歇斯底里，也有些聽似無關痛癢。每段聲帶各居於一個喇叭之中，佔據整個房間。喇叭的外形、大小、位置和音量，都按聲帶的內容和跟其他聲帶的關係而定，散佈於房間內。喇叭佔據此室，盛載一層層有待細聽的聲音，整理我對母親、癌症、死亡、家人和我等的種種關係。

    房間不單是已消逝的母親和時間的載體，也是我執拾離世母親的過程。雖然母親已經壽終正寢，但她和這段時間的殘留將不會消失，只會隨時間變化。整理這些錄音，可以是個沒完沒了，永無止境的過程。

    (修改於二零一八年十二月)

    – – –

    Background and Recording

    In April 2010, my mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, which had spread to the brain and other parts of the body. Doctors anticipated she would live for a few more years the longest.

    At that time, I did not have the experience of the death of a loved one, but I seemed to realise the eventual loss of a person.  Every time I met with my mother since then, a recorder was placed beside to inscribe every instant of the limited period. As time went by, the recordings accumulated became a documentation of my mother, myself and my family in the period. This is also, unfortunately, a record of cancer and death.

    I did not fully understand why I had done this, did not ponder over the “intention” of the recordings, nor have I thought about when the activity was to end.  Later, the idea of exhibiting the recordings when my mother was still alive emerged – but it was too late. It ended with the death of my mother in October 2011.  The only remains are the some three hundred recordings.

     

    Listening

    This important, obscure and chaotic period was a period of drastic change. Some time after my mother’s death, I opened the recordings and started to listen.  The most remarkable change was my mother’s voice deteriorated with the disease.

    The recordings contain a time and person that would inevitably fade and be forgotten. Although it’s a period that I vividly experienced, the recordings seem to embed an unknown world yet to be explored.  The obscure sorrow became concrete. The happiness, anger, sadness, and joy, and my mother’s wish, motto, grief and everything of her under the so very foreseeable death reappeared. The recordings are the most genuine legacies of my mother.

     

    Installation

    The recordings are interwoven with worries, quarrels, hopes, visits to doctors and trivia. I extracted these dialogues, categorised them according to the content, arranged them chronologically to become thirteen few-hour long sound sequences: some sound long-winded; some sound hysterical; some may just sound trivial. Each sequence is played by a speaker, shape, size, location and volume of which are decided by the unique characters of the sequence and relations with other sequences. The speakers fill this whole room with thick strata of sound to be (re-)tasted, reconstructing the complex of mother, cancer, death, my family, myself and others.

    The installation is a process of reorganising the memory of my deceased mother.  It is a space of my mother and the period.  Although she has passed away, her legacy and this period will not disappear.  I realised re-organising the thoughts and memories of my mother and this period can be an everlasting process.

    (Revised December 2018)

     

    incomplete-finale

    incomplete-finale

    incomplete-finale

    後記

    性格使然，一直不知如何向朋友親口說母親的事，更難過和更想別人察覺自己難過，在外表也總是密不透風，有時連自己也質疑自己到底有多傷心。母親逝世後，又覺得再無必要提及。所以，每每和他人一起時，這件「大事」就像從未發生過一樣，因為事情被徹底掩蓋。

    還記得，有個朋友首次問起家母的病時，家母已過身半年 — 她卻不知情。她聽後一臉愕然悲慟，我還拍了她膊頭，對她說：It’s okay！之後，她好像到洗手間拭淚。

    我總覺得傾談會將事情誇大或縮小，總之言不及義，言不由衷；以作品將感受傳達好像直接、真確些。

    展覽開幕，邀得好友出席。我鬆了口氣，好像把「隱瞞」多時的事吐了出來。朋友中，好些眼眶紅了，更多是開始談起母親和癌症種種，也發現不少朋友也經歷過，又或正在經歷這些問題。我慶幸作品舒緩難以開口的東西，令交流舒暢、自然。

    在云云充滿關懷和鼓勵的反應中，有三個評語，令我印象深刻：

    （一）「作品令我想起離世的家人：你總覺得不夠時間陪他們」；
    （二）「這像個大腦，漂浮着各種細碎的記憶」；
    （三）「你想做一個紀念你母親的紀念碑，不同的是用聲音做媒介」。

    這些評語，好像令我更明白自己的動機。

    事隔兩年多，再拿作品出來看時，竟然還是有點膽怯。「她和這段時間的殘留將不會消失，只會隨時間變化」，果然非虛。

    珍惜當下擁有的一切。

    – – –

    Afterword

    My character refrained me from telling my friends about my mother’s issue. My impassive face concealed my feelings, so enshrouded that I sometimes questioned if I were actually sad. After my mother was dead, it seemed unnecessary to talk about it anymore. When I was with others, as my mother’s issue was so well covered, I always felt like as if the whole incident had never happened.

    One friend asked about my mother’s sickness after she has passed away half a year. She knew nothing about my mother’s situation and was well shocked. ‘It’s okay!’ I comforted her. Then, she seemed to have run into the toilet to dry her tears.

    Expression in words has always been my weakness. Most of the time I feel I am exaggerating, understating or simply saying something irrelevant, not conveying what I really think or feel. To me, artwork may be a much direct and precise expression.

    I invited my friends to the exhibition opening. I felt relieved, as if I had disclosed something hidden for long.

    Among other caring and encouraging comments, three comments stayed in my mind:

    i) ‘This resembles the feeling that time is always not enough with a dying family member’;
    ii) ‘This is like a brain with fragments of memory floating’;
    iii) ‘You want to create a monument of your mother with sound.’

    These comments seem to help me understand what I was trying to do.

    After two years, I surprisingly find myself still frightened of revisiting the work. It is true that the thoughts and memories of my mother and this period will not disappear but transform over time.

    Treasure everything we have.

     

    聲音資料庫 Recording Archive: https://yipkaichuns.com/incompletefinale/

    筆記 Note (in Chinese only):

    （1）南山未了（一） /（2）這不是傳教的時候 /（3）回覆：近來好嗎？（一） /（4）中秋到 /（5）俄羅斯輪盤 /（6）我恨 /（7）度假 /（8）此境 /（9）謝謝媽媽 /（10）像烏蠅的小孩 /（11）跨年嘆 /（12）散落 /（13）荏弱 /（14）積犯 /（15）掙扎的絮聒 /（16）為何現在才知 /（17）金花 /（18）未罵夠

     

    支持 Supported by:

    香港藝術發展局 Hong Kong Arts Development Council

    聲音掏腰包 soundpocket

     

    技術支援 Technical Support:

    王鎮海 Wong Chun Hoi