Screening: (Fri) 23 October, 2009; 8pm
Venue: MAP OFFICE, 6/F (Rooftop) - 231 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Participating artists:
Howard Cheng Chi Lai, Chow Chun Fai, S.T. Choi Sai Ho, Silas Fong, Hung Keung, Ip Yuk-Yiu, Linda Lai, Leung Chi Wo, Leung Mee Ping, MAP Office, Kingsley Ng, Adrian Wong, Kacey Wong, Woo Ling ling, Ban Zhang
Curator: Alvaro Rodriguez Fominaya
Organised by: Para/Site Art Space
Venue sponsor: MAP OFFICE
Para/Site Art Space is honoured to announce the screening of This Is Hong Kong, a videoprogramme that includes 15 of the best Hong Kong contemporary artists. The screening, scheduled on 23 October 2009 at 8pm, is an October Contemporary event.
This Is Hong Kong is a videoprogramme that presents a selection of artists from Hong Kong which reflects on the idea of politics, history, architecture, postcolonial issues and daily life in this territory. Moving image has been one of the areas favored with an intense research in the creative practice of the Hong Kong art scene, and marks a stark difference with that of mainland China, reflecting on differences in cultural background and academic training. This Is Hong Kong presents a unique visual picture of what is Hong Kong now, through an analysis from video, providing a fresh snapshot of development of the territory after postcolonial devolution in 1997.
The videoprogramme includes 16 works on video and starts with Hong Kong’s skyline in Kingsley Ng’s recreation of a light/sound score at night. Hung Keung delves us in the neighborhood of Yau Ma Tei and its underworld. Adrian Wong’s cinema engages in the rituals of the famous Chinese Triads. Meanwhile artists like Leung Chi Wo, MAP Office and Kacey Wong focus on the architectural development of the city that has created some of the most impressive designs in the world. These works partly connect also with the notion of experimental cinema, particularly Suck/Blow created by Leung Chi Wo.
Howard Cheng Chi Lai builds a “tableaux” of traditional neighborhoods through the analytical work “Doors”. An intimate and personal view of Hong Kong is provided by video artists like Linda Lai and Woo Ling Ling. A more political side of Hong Kong is brought into life by Ban Zhang, whose animation searches on the notion of identity, Choi Sai Ho, who follows a political demonstration in the city, and Chow Chun Fai, reflecting on the postcolonial status of this region. Ip Yuk Yiu’s work establishes a connection with Hong Kong’s past through the film industry. Finally, Leung Mee Ping and Silas Fong dwell on the notion of the large metropolis and solitude, and inequalities of life in the big city.
After successfully being shown in LOOP Festival in Barcelona (Spain), the programme has made its trip to LOOP Alternative Space in Seoul (Korea), Hamburg's Subvision Festival and EastSide Projects (Birmingham). "This is a great opportunity to show at an international level the vibrant art scene of Hong Kong", comments the curator Alvaro Rodriguez Fominaya. This international tour will go to Kuandu Museum (Taipei) in February 2010, Kunsthalle Wien (Austria) in March 2010 and Chalk Horse Art Center (Sydney, Australia).
