5 September, 2014
(Press release is sent by Cultural Connections on behalf of the Hong Kong International Photo Festival. )
Revisiting History of Photography in Hong Kong and Mainland
Progressing in the Clash between Tradition and Anti-Tradition
Works by Thirty Renowned Photographers Departed from “Photo Pictorial” Magazine
‘Tradition / anti-Tradition: Departed from Hong Kong “Photo Pictorial” Magazine…’ will be unveiled on 12th September as the second major exhibition of the Hong Kong International Photo Festival 2014. Participated by thirty leading photographers from Hong Kong and Mainland China with works spanning across half a century, the exhibition will present both images previously published in “Photo Pictorial” and new works created in recent years. By tracing the changing mode of expressions and concepts of these works, the exhibition endeavors to examine the gradual development of photography across Hong Kong and Mainland China and their mutual influence.
Curated by Joseph Fung, an established photographer and educator, ‘Tradition / anti-Tradition’ is divided into three parts according to the types of the works presented. The first part showcases works that are relatively more traditional. Deeply influenced by “Photo Pictorial” from 1960s to 1980s, local photographers followed the trend of pictorialism to capture sceneries and also that of photo-realism to capture streets and alleys.
The second part focuses on reviewing the trend of social documentary photography. Since the 1980s, Hong Kong photographers have begun to react to the influence of Western photography by moving from mere photo-realism to documenting the multifarious social phenomena of the time. Also, from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s, “Photo Pictorial” was the only photography magazine that could enter Mainland China, paralleling the frequent exchanges among photographers from the two regions. Social documentary photography also became mainstream in Mainland China in mid 1980s.
The third part of the exhibition is dominated by the avant-garde. As the supplement of “Photo Pictorial”, “Dislocation (NuNaHeDuo)” became the platform for photographers from Hong Kong and Mainland China to present and exchange their new ideas and forms of photography. In view of the development of photography at that time, the works in “Dislocation (NuNaHeDuo)” are considered extremely innovative at the time. Such conceptual and unconventional creations have gradually emerged from the periphery of the photography scene in the 1990s to become today’s creative mainstream.
The leading photographers from Hong Kong and Mainland China who either present their works in the exhibition or pen the accompanying essays include An Ge, Gu Zheng, Hu Wugong, Lau Ching Ping, Li Mei and RongRong. They will also attend the symposium on 13th September. The exhibition examines the clash between conventional and avant-garde photography of the past half century and explores how the latter moves from the margin to the mainstream. The symposium shall explore the future direction of photography as part of the project’s endeavor to embrace the past, present and future of photography in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Curator, Joseph Fung, indicates that this will be a process of “… departing from traditional social documentary photography to the creative path of conceptual photography. Looking back on the progress, we should also reflect on the direction of our future development.” He adds that the exhibition ‘Tradition/ anti-Tradition’ can show “how the creative spectrum is broadened through the shift from traditional styles of expression to anti-traditional conceptual works.”
This year coincidentally marks the 50th anniversary of the “Photo Pictorial” magazine, which is the most important and long-lived photography magazine in Hong Kong. Earlier editions of the magazine will also be showcased, rendering the exhibition all the more special and spectacular.
Notes to Editors
Press Tour
Date: 12 September, 2014 (Friday)
Time: 14:45 – 16:45
Venue: HKDI Gallery, Hong Kong Design Institute
Content:
Guided Tour by Curator, Joseph Fung (14:45 – 15:45)
Media Group Interview of Joseph Fung, RongRong, Li Mei and Gu Zheng
(Interested media may RSVP to the PR contacts listed above. Media are more than welcome to attend the opening ceremony at 18:30 on the same night)
‘Tradition/ anti-Tradition: Departed From Hong Kong “Photo Pictorial” Magazine…’ Exhibition
Through the retrospect of Hong Kong “Photo Pictorial” which was first published fifty years ago, this exhibition endeavors to examine the transformation of photography in Hong Kong and Mainland China in the last half a century. By observing and comparing the work of photographers from the two regions, we can find similarities and differences on the ideas and topics of the images as well as the mutual influence between two places. All participating photographers are leading figures of their generations. A review of their early and recent works allows us to grasp the changes in their expression formats and concepts.
Curator: Joseph Fung
Participating Artists:
| Hong Kong | Mainland China | ||
| Chak Wai Leung Chung Man Lurk Kan Hing Fook Alfred Ko Lau Ching Ping Lee Ka Sing Leong Ka Tai Mak Fung |
Tchan Fou Li Holly Lee Blues Wong Kai Yu Leo K.K. Wong Wong Wo Bik Yau Leung Vincent Yu Wai Kin |
An Ge Bao Kun Gu Zheng He Yanguang Hei Ming Hu Wugong Li Jiejun Liu Yang |
Liu Zheng Lu Yuanmin Mo Yi RongRong Wang Miao Wang Wenlan Yong He |
“Our Road Ahead: The Future Development Of Mainland China And Hong Kong Photography” Symposium
Contemporary photography in Mainland China and Hong Kong emerged in the 1970s, comprising mainly of social documentary photography. With the influx of overseas information and exchanges since 2000, photography of the two places has experienced tremendous transformation. Many artistic workers have adopted photography as their major medium of expression, while some photographers are striving for breakthroughs, departing from traditional social documentary photography to the creative path of conceptual photography. Looking back on the progress, we should also reflect on the direction of our future development.
Date: 13 September, 2014 (Saturday)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: Lecture Theatre A001, Hong Kong Design Institute
Moderator: Joseph Fung
Speakers: An Ge, Gu Zheng, Hu Wugong, Lau Ching Ping, Li Mei, RongRong
About the Curator: Joseph Fung Hon Kee
An established photographer and educator, Fung is a member of the Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association and a programme co-ordinator as well as part time lecturer of the Post Graduate Diploma in Photography at HKU SPACE. He is also a retired associate professor and photography course leader in the School of Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Fung was the curator of the 2007 Guangzhou International Photo Biennial; the 2010 “Four Dimension—Contemporary Photography of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau” of the Hong Kong International Photo Festival; and the “City Flaneur-Social Documentary Photography” of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. He is a member of the judging panel of the Hong Kong Art Biennial, as well as advisor of Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Home Affairs Bureau and the “Aperture” magazine, New York. His works have been exhibited in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA, Finland, Scotland, Denmark, Japan and Holland, and collected by Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Guangdong Art Museum and various international organizations.
Appendix One: Works from ‘Tradition / Anti-tradition’
High-res images: http://goo.gl/FjPrQ9
RongRong, “East Village 1994, No.35”, 1994
Mo Yi, “Tell the Fortune of Hong Kong II”, 1997, Hand-made collage
Blues Wong Kai Yu, “Hello Kitty, Hello Scully” , 2014, laser image on wood
Holly Lee, “The Double Double Life of a Tim Hortons”, 2014
Vincent Yu Wai Kin, “A Village in Southern China 2”, 2012
Wong Wo Bik, “Reflection #2”, Novosibirsk, Russia, 2012
Appendix Two: About Hong Kong International Photo Festival
The Hong Kong International Photo Festival was first launched in 2010, comprising a series of exhibitions in different areas of photography, covering a wide spectrum temporally and geographically. Apart from the biennial Festival, the Hong Kong International Photo Festival Flare is organized in alternate years, in between the Festival proper. An array of exciting events in promotion of photographic culture is being held concurrently with the Festival proper and the Festival Flare. Exhibitions and events are held at different venues and art spaces throughout the city, creating a photographic ethos and fostering the art and culture of photography in Hong Kong. Through collaboration with different photography organizations in Asia, we aim to uphold Hong Kong’s status as the hub for exchange and sharing of creative ideas, technical knowledge and valuable experience in photography.
The Hong Kong International Photo Festival is organized by the Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association, currently chaired by Alfred Ko Chi Keung. Other founding members include: anothermountainman, Almond Chu Tak Wah, Joseph Fung Hon Kee, Simon Go Man Ching, Edwin Lai Kin Keung, Lau Ching Ping, Leong Ka Tai, Ng Sai Kit, Bobby Sham Ka Ho, Shima Eleven, So Hing Keung, Leon Suen Shu Kwan, Ducky Tse Chi Tak, Tse Ming Chong, Blues Wong Kai Yu, Ki Wong Suk Ki, Wong Wo Bik, Vincent Yu Wai Kin.
Major exhibitions of HKIPF 2014:
1. “Works by Master” – In Light of India: Photography by Raghu Rai
World-renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai is one of the very few Asian members of Magnum Photos. Through his lenses, multi-layered and intense images of the old and new India are captured.
2. “Asian Vision” – Voice of Tacitness: Asian Women Photography
A collection from women photographers from over ten developing countries across Asia, ranging from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan to Armenia, who strived to use their cameras to record and illustrate the injustice in women’s lives from their countries under great repression.
3. “In Search of Both Regions” – Tradition/anti-Tradition: Departed from Hong Kong “Photo Pictorial” Magazine…
Through the retrospect of Hong Kong Photo Pictorial which was first published fifty years ago, “Photo Pictorial” is the only local photography magazine that could be circulated to Mainland China. With its 16-page insert showcasing the avant-garde photography of Hong Kong, the magazine has influenced local and Mainland photographers across generations.
4. “Hong Kong Contemporary” – Twin Peaks: Contemporary Hong Kong Photography
Eight groups of local photographers each showcase two outstanding series of works, which demonstrates the brilliant and a wide range of practices in Hong Kong photography.
Apart from the four major exhibitions, there will be two master talks. Martin Parr, also a Magnum photographer, is famous for his satirical, humorous social documentary. He will discuss his long career in photography and explains changes in his practices over time. Ven. Chang Lin, previously the renowned portrait photographer Alain Yip, will share his philosophy of “Zen in photography” after embracing his monastic life.