(Press release sent by Cultural Connections on behalf of HKIPF.)
“Twin Peaks: Contemporary Hong Kong Photography”
Showcasing the Diversities in Style and Subject Matter, Reflecting Upon Our City
Eight Groups of Photographers Reaching New Heights
(8 October, 2014) It is the tradition of the Hong Kong International Photo Festival (HKIPF) to have one major exhibition focusing on Hong Kong contemporary photography. This year, HKIPF joins hands with Hong Kong Heritage Museum to present “Twin Peaks: Contemporary Hong Kong Photography”. The title “Twin Peaks” is in a sense self-explanatory: two series from each of the eight groups of photographers and artists are exhibited, with which both brought them remarkable achievements in different periods of time. The eight groups of participating artists include: anothermountainman, Almond Chu, Na Sai Kit, Leo K. K. Wong, Martin Cheung & Topaz Leung, Joseph Fung, Ringo Tang, and Vincent Yu. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Edwin Lai, Blues Wong and Jerry Ho, and will run until 3 November, 2014 at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
| Artist | Works |
| Vincent Yu | “HKG” on Hong Kong’s change of sovereignty is juxtaposed with “North Korea 2012”. The photographer finds “a remarkable similarity between them” and feels “a chill sent down my spine”. |
| Ringo Tang | “Ten Finds in Fragrant City” is a photo documentary project on ten landfills in Hong Kong.“Visible Future” combines photography and moving images to record Hong Kong young people’s views on future. |
| Almond Chu | “City of Ruins” documents the inadequate re-development by the Chinese government after the disastrous Sichuan earthquake in 2008.“Blanc de Chine” and “Canon EOS Pro Project” invites professional models to immerse in Zen and surreal atmospheres respectively. |
| Anothermountainman | “to begin with, there’s no matter”: discarded notice boards of different ruined locations“Lanwei”: abortive building projects due to over-heated economy in Mainland China |
| Ng Sai Kit | “here, once, I, happen to see” defamiliarises well-known localities of Hong Kong in black and white imageries.“A Recap of the Present” connects different flattened urban signs into one plane to create a sense of absurdity. |
| Martin Cheung & Topaz Leung | “Reality” misplaces city landscape next to almost identical fashion portraits to question the notion of beauty.“Sprīdītis”, taken in Latvia, lyrically reveals a woman’s emotional struggles.“Hong Kong Salt” records waves, sand and debris by soaking photo papers into sea water and then flashing the light directly on them. |
| Dr. Leo K.K. Wong | “Religion and Customs” documents Hong Kong’s Buddhism scene with black and white photographs.“Art and Photography” enriches traditional pictorial photography with tele-lens and double exposures. |
| Joseph Fung | “Diptych Series” juxtaposes images of Chinatowns in North America with shops in Yunnan, all taken in 1980s, to reflect upon “images of modern China”.“Butterfly Dream Series” creates images of non-existent scenes with computer software as the artist’s venture into the digital realm. |
Notes to Editors:
Twin Peaks – Contemporary Hong Kong Photography
Through two series of works by each of the eight selected active local photographers or groups, this exhibition seeks to showcase some of the most outstanding works in Hong Kong photography and art, and certain tendencies underlying their growth and developments. The photographers or artists are selected because of their remarkable achievements, and with certain conceptual categories such as ‘then and now’, ‘medium and approach’, ‘professional and personal’, etc., in the hope that the exhibition will bring out the best, and at the same time a wide range of practices in Hong Kong photography.
Curators
Dr. Edwin K. Lai, Blues Wong Kai Yu, and Ho Chun Yu Jerry
Participating Artists
anothermountainman, Almond Chu, Ng Sai Kit, Leo K. K. Wong, Martin Cheung & Topaz Leung, Joseph Fung, Ringo Tang, and Vincent Yu
Date: 4 Oct – 3 Nov (Closed on Tue)
Time: 10:00 – 18:00 (Mon, Wed – Fri)
10:00 – 19:00 (Sat – Sun)
Venue: 1/F, Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Entrance Fee: Free entry for Hong Kong Heritage Museum ticket holders
TALK: How to Understand Hong Kong Photography?
Date: 25 Oct (Sat)
Time: 15:00 – 16:30
Venue: Seminar Room, G/F, Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Moderator: Dr. Edwin K. Lai
Speakers: anothermountainman, Almond Chu, Joseph Fung, Ho Chun Yu Jerry, Alfred Ko, Vincent Yu
Language: Cantonese
Appendix One: Some Works Exhibited at “Twin Peaks”
Ng Sai Kit, work from the “here, once, i, happen to see” series, 1992
Ng Sai Kit, work from the “Re-Representing Scenery” series, 2013
Almond Chu, “Blanc de Chine 2001 Fall/Winter Collection”, 2011
Almond Chu, “Ruined City”, 2009
Leo K. K. Wong, “Ophelia”, 2001
Leo K. K. Wong, “Pure Enlightenment”, 1970
For more works from other artists, visit: http://goo.gl/OD9r7K
Appendix Two: Photos of Exhibition Venue and Opening Ceremony
Officiating guests and participating artists
Dr. Leo K.K. Wong and his “Art and Photography” series
Joseph Fung and his “Butterfly Dream Series”
Vincent Yu’s “HKG”
anothermountainman’s “Lanwei”
Ringo Tang’s “Ten Finds in a Fragrant City”
More high res images: http://goo.gl/ZnnSh6
Appendix Three: About Hong Kong International Photo Festival (HKIPF)
The HKIPF 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 HKIPF 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 HKIPF 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.
HKIPF 2014 Major Exhibitions:
- “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. - “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. - “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. - “Hong Kong Contemporary” – Twin Peaks: Contemporary Hong Kong Photography
Eight 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.