Lumenvisum presents you: What’s Next? – A Joint Exhibition of Young Artists, in November 2021. There are tons of way to embody ideas in contemporary photography. Photographers focus on not only the moment to press the shutter, but also the way to present the concept of works. This year, chosen from different art institutions, seven artists will combine photography with different medium and methods, trying to present their thought on society, and to explore their subconscious mind. These exploratory and experiential creative sprits, have never been so important in Hong Kong nowadays.
The name of the exhibition came from a Cantonese song “What’s Next?” (in Chinese: 跟住去邊度？), written by a Hong Kong stand-up comedian Dayo Wong. Paul YEUNG, the curator of the exhibition, said this song ‘is still somewhat a kind reminder, that when we are torn at the crossroads, we should remain calm and settle our emotions and go back to rethink about our identities, roots of our origin. We can only by then make clear of the future of “What’s Next”.’
Artists: Ada Au, Aria Chan, Chan Ho Wan, Cheung Ching, Maggie Chu, Hui Yuk Yin, Masahiro Nakamura
Curator: Paul Yeung
CURATOR’S MESSAGE
WRITTERN BY PAUL YEUNG (CURATOR)
“Arriving Lan Kwai Fong and planning to go to Sham Shui Po
Or heading to Clear Water and then Shek O
Those same old places, those same old clothing
Those feelings that are so uncountable
Our past on the freeway was all confiscated
Regimes changed, the four elements are void
It’s absolute absurdity but actually quite relieved”
What’s Next by Dayo Wong
What’s Next is a song released by a Hong Kong stand-up comedian, Dayo Wong, in 1992. It illustrated the prevailing social situation in Hong Kong: fear, perplexity, sadness, and feeling lost, but at the same time it offered a few glimpses of the “Here goes nothing” spirit of “co-existence” and “carpe diem” attitude. Dayo kept asking “What’s Next?” that precisely responded the migration waves and issues of 1997. However, when it comes to the world today it is still somewhat a kind reminder, that when we are torn at the crossroads, we should remain calm and settle our emotions and go back to rethink about our identities, roots of our origin and values. We can only by then make clear of the future of “What’s Next”, that just like the works we have in this year’s exhibition.
This year is the third time Lumenvisum organized A Joint Exhibition of Young Artists. We keep exploring and choosing a number of inspiring photography and videography exhibits from different graduation exhibitions of higher education institutions. We hope that everyone can have more insights of the rising artists’ works and thoughts. Barren Rock by Maggie Chu begins its journey from a part of the history of Hong Kong versus England, with little magical realistic creatures made with trimmed pieces of postcards featuring Hong Kong scenery. It pictures the displacement of scattered pieces and celebrating a contemporary fable of Hong Kong. Where? by Cheung Ching combines empty city landscapes and interviews with friends who are migrating, to evoke our imagination of the current situation in Hong Kong and all the past experiences and emotions about this city. Chan Ho Wang’s No Longer Home directs a number of thrilling reflections and warnings of “power dynamics” through stage-like scene design and physical selfies. Hui Yuk Yin’s Divide repeatedly explores the “distorted” relationship of others’ views versus individual’s behavior and identity through photographing the interacting gestures of two female bodies. Ada Au adopted Cyanotype in her work The Shy Plant and printed her childhood medical records and pieces of Mimosa pudica as different pictures, as a way to ease her pain through her continuing craftmanship. Masahiro Nakamura’s Turbulence shows his costumed performance in front of the camera and the wanderings of Hong Kong landmarks, to realize his true Hong Kong-Japanese mixed and gender identities. Aria Chan’s Have Forgotten is a printmaking to reproduce Hong Kong street scenes through the technique of photo etching. She rediscovered her memories and pain deep in her heart: realizing she has not let go of anything.
There is no easy answer for questions about to create or live, to break or retreat, to leave or stay, especially for young artists who just graduated. The road ahead is so long and challenging. So let me share two lines of lyrics as some encouragement:
“Road blocked ahead, it’s too early to go home
What about watching a show and what’s next?”
