“Memory and Fiction” features Wong Wo Bik, one of Hong Kong’s most accomplished photographers, as well as one of a small number of female photographers active in the territory. The retrospective exhibition will feature selected works of Wong dated from the 1980s, including photographs of Hong Kong historical and notable landmarks, such as Lai Yuen Amusement Park and the Eu family mansions that were now demolished, and the Main Building of the University of Hong Kong.
Since the 1980s, Wong took all possibilities to photograph historical architecture threatened by demolition in Hong Kong. “I paid particular attention to landmarks or buildings that were not considered 'built heritage', but carried historical significance or were once frequented by locals. Because their demolition was inevitable, the only thing I could do was to document them photographically. It was for me of paramount importance to capsulate them in the photographic space1,” Wong says. Yet Wong’s photographs of these architectures are not merely documentary of history, they are also the artist’s subjective narrative of her personal experiences at these sites, as well as depiction of traces left behind by others.
About the Artist
A truly multifaceted artist, Wong received her BFA in sculpture and printmaking from the Columbus College of Art and Design, Ohio in 1977 and MFA in photography (minor in filmmaking) from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University in the United States in 1979. Wong has had a long and active career as a photographer, curator, researcher and art educator. She is the fellowship recipient of Asian Cultural Council (ACC) and Institute of International Education (IIE) in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Wong is one of the founding members of Hong Kong Photo Festival (Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association), and she has been the Museum Honorary Advisor for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department since 1996. Her work is collected by the Guangdong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Wong currently lives and works in Hong Kong.
