Objects of Abnormality 失常物誌
2021 final year project
︎Conceptual photography
︎Exhibition design
︎Pinhole Photography
︎Exhibition design
︎Pinhole Photography
A conceptual and experimental pinhole photography projects that respond to the social situation of Hong Kong.
︎作品背景
零一九年至今，日常化的抗爭活動和無法終結的疫情，令很多地方成為了香港人共同的情感地標，同時地社會上出現了很多象徵性的物件。當我們重返那個熟悉的地方，或是看到某些物件時，便會喚起那刻的感受與記憶，牽引我們內心的情緒。一連串的社會事件帶來了各種不正常和超現實的狀況，留下一種難以言喻的共同氛圍，令香港人每天活在荒誕之下。在混亂的生存狀態下，作為一個獨立個體，我們更需要學懂保存情緒的多完性，尋找人與城市空間或物件的連結，不要被荒謬埋沒，甚至取代。
《失常物誌》展示了這座處於失去正常狀態的城市。以一些具爭議性的物件作為針孔相機，物件成為了本土文化與歷史的載體。在這個作品中，具爭議性的物件、影像及敍述內容成為一組諷刺社會現況的藝術裝置，與觀看者的記憶連結，牽動他們的情緒，變成這個地方的共同文本。當中的影像並不追求完美性，而是嘗試基於不同物件的視角和形狀呈現香港的情緒狀態—一個彌漫着不確定性、壓抑感和荒謬之城市。整個實驗性的作品，期望能從物件的視角，呼應現實社會，展現各種集體情感和揭示社會幣病，引起觀眾反思，為這城的人帶來一個重新思考物件、個人情感和城市空間關係的機會。
︎概念
︎Project Background
Starting from 2019, most places in Hong Kong have turned into emotional landmarks and many symbolic objects of Hong Kong have emerged, owing to the social protests and the outbreak of coronavirus, which provoke certain kind of emotions when people revisit and recognise that place and scenes. The chain of social events have brought along different abnormal and even surrealistic situations in Hong Kong, putting people under the sense of absurdity and being trapped. Especially in the age of chaos, it is important for us to reconsider our relationship with the urban space and preserve the diversity of emotion as an individual.
︎Concept
Objects of Abnormality reveals the abnormal situations of this city. The controversial objects are converted into pinhole cameras, and become the carrier of its moment in history and culture of Hong Kong. In this work, the object itself is an artistic installation that satirises the current social chaos, together with the produced pinhole imageries, this set of works aim to connect with the memories of audience and evoke their emotions, hence becomes a common language of this place.
︎Concept
Objects of Abnormality reveals the abnormal situations of this city. The controversial objects are converted into pinhole cameras, and become the carrier of its moment in history and culture of Hong Kong. In this work, the object itself is an artistic installation that satirises the current social chaos, together with the produced pinhole imageries, this set of works aim to connect with the memories of audience and evoke their emotions, hence becomes a common language of this place.
The images are rudimentary constructed to depict the emotional state of Hong Kong where uncertainty, oppression and absurdity are permeated. The whole set of experimental work are considered to reveal different kind of collective emotions and existing social maladies from the perspective of objects, providing a chance for people to reconsider the relationship between objects, emotions and urban space.
︎Object 1 "What The Pork?"
The Great Wall Chopped Pork & Ham, a very popular canned food for local people, was one of the food provided by the government during the 48-hour lockdown in Jordan. The lockdown zone has a high proportion of ethnic minorities. However, luncheon meat, which is considered to be a prohibited food in their religious culture, was provided to them at the very beginning of lockdown. Such a problem has exposed Hong Kong government insensitivity to the ethnic minorities group.
As a Hk citizen, I am questioning how such a ridiculous and unintelligible act can appear in a city that is known for its 'Cultural diversity'. Not only the pork food distribution problem, pandemic has also brought about racial divides or the difficulties that ethnical minorities are facing in Hong Kong.
As a Hk citizen, I am questioning how such a ridiculous and unintelligible act can appear in a city that is known for its 'Cultural diversity'. Not only the pork food distribution problem, pandemic has also brought about racial divides or the difficulties that ethnical minorities are facing in Hong Kong.
︎Object 2 "Together, We Fight The Virus"
Under the outbreak of coronavirus, face masks have become our daily necessities, and we also have to get used to the fast-changing disease prevention measures and arrangements everyday. All these things greatly change our everyday lives and habits. We always have to keep a social distance, and have repetitive lives. Going to work and going back home have become the most frequent route. The landscape has no change along the way, and it appears in our mind repeatedly.
Each member of the family can receive one box of 50 adult masks provided by the Hong Kong Government during the compulsory testing. And, I also got one box of ‘Made in Hong Kong’ masks when the outbreak of the virus was severe in the area of Jordan.
Each member of the family can receive one box of 50 adult masks provided by the Hong Kong Government during the compulsory testing. And, I also got one box of ‘Made in Hong Kong’ masks when the outbreak of the virus was severe in the area of Jordan.
︎Object 3 "1997-2047 The Disappearing City"
Fried dace with salted black beans can food is one important memory of Hong Kong people. During the lockdown, it is common to see it inside the bag of food provided by the government. In my work, the can of fried dace is considered as a metaphor of the identity of Hong Kong people.
As what Tse Hiu Hung writes in the book of 《魚缸生物》, when living creature is put into fish tank, it is not the aquatic animal whose body is streamlined and covered with gleaming scales, but it is any creature that is taken away from the original living area and placed naked in glassware.
When fish is put into the can, it is not regarded as a
sea creature anymore. When the freedom of Hong
Kong people is snatched away, we are put under an identity vacuum.
As what Tse Hiu Hung writes in the book of 《魚缸生物》, when living creature is put into fish tank, it is not the aquatic animal whose body is streamlined and covered with gleaming scales, but it is any creature that is taken away from the original living area and placed naked in glassware.
When fish is put into the can, it is not regarded as a
sea creature anymore. When the freedom of Hong
Kong people is snatched away, we are put under an identity vacuum.
Traffic cones are ubiquitous yet unnoticeable objects in our daily lives.
We see them practically every day, but do any of us really know about it? There are an estimated 140 million traffic cones worldwide, and they have been used on roads for 73 years.
They appear on the street in different forms, shapes and positions. Witnessing all the street sceneries at different times and places,
no matter how the weather is. During the social protest and pandemic, traffic cone as an everyday item has its new meanings.
It symbolises restriction, rescue and direction.
Imagine what the traffic cones are looking at on the street everyday.
We see them practically every day, but do any of us really know about it? There are an estimated 140 million traffic cones worldwide, and they have been used on roads for 73 years.
They appear on the street in different forms, shapes and positions. Witnessing all the street sceneries at different times and places,
no matter how the weather is. During the social protest and pandemic, traffic cone as an everyday item has its new meanings.
It symbolises restriction, rescue and direction.
Imagine what the traffic cones are looking at on the street everyday.
