Imagine there’s no country Above us only our cities
Para Site is pleased to present Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities, an exhibition opening on 31 July and on view through 6 September. The exhibition is curated by Jims Lam Chi Hang, Head of Production/Associate Curator at Para Site. This is the first in a new series of exhibitions working with emerging Hong Kong curators.
如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
The exhibition features new works by artists living in Hong Kong: Oscar Chan Yik Long, Cheng Ting Ting, Luke Ching, Mark Chung, Chris Huen Sin Kan, Lam Hoi Sin, Lau Wai, Ng Ka Chun, Eason Tsang Ka Wai, Tang Kwok Hin, Morgan Wong and Elvis Yip Kin Bon.
From the moment people are born, they are tied to a nationality. Even though nationality is granted by a greater power, when it comes to daily life, the idea of practicing one’s nationality is no doubt an abstract concept. This exhibition has been developed through a series of discussions between the curator and the artists, starting with the idea that the nation is massive and the individual is tiny, so perhaps stories are best told through the voices of the city. Artists were asked to suspend the idea of nationality, and look back at their past individual experiences within the framework of the current social situation. Reflecting on their identity and attempting to reexamine the footprints of their city resulted in stories, and with various lengths and depths, these stories came together to shape their city. The title of the exhibition comes from 我城 My City (1979) written by Hong Kong writer Xixi in a decade when the economic boom in Hong Kong lead to a rise in social consciousness among the younger generation. The novel vividly depicts the city’s spirit of living in the moment with reality and imagination, a sentiment common among teenagers at the time. But the concepts imagined 40 years ago resonate with Hong Kong’s current situation. In view of this, the exhibition proposes the city as a place of origin, free from the vulgarities and limitations found within the concept of a country. The exhibition also reexamines the spirit once reflected in this novel, and questions its unique linkage that connects the past and current societies.
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This exhibition creates an outline of the city. It starts from Luke Ching’s 7 CCTVs as photographs, which is comprised of a group of seven old closed circuit televisions showing corporate and public logos in freeze frames until the television tubes inside each screen blow out. Even with the televisions turned off, imprints of the logos can still be clearly seen on the screen. Serving as an introduction to the exhibition, the markings of the logos have been reinterpreted, adding more layers to our usual comprehension.
In responding to the unrelenting social issues, Elvis Yip Kin Bon composes with great humor his own texts using newspaper clippings. The work featured in this exhibition is uniquely handcrafted from approximately 300 news articles, faithfully quoting the words of officials. Chris Huen Sin Kan’s and Eason Tsang Ka Wai’s works both refer to Hong Kong’s public space, with imagery that are familiar at first glance. They reveal the hidden relationships between citizens and urban planning through painting and performance respectively. Working with a perfumer, Morgan Wong mixes odors commonly smelled at the Hong Kong border with Mainland China, producing a fragrance that can be experienced away from this highly restricted area. Ng Ka Chun presents a dialogue using two flags, that of the People’s Republic of China and of Hong Kong S.A.R., which are installed on the roof of Para Site’s building. Tang Kwok Hin collects official souvenirs and chairs from Hong Kong’s legislative body directly from their manufacturers, and assembles them into beautiful symbols with hybrid meanings and a product-like quality. Oscar Chan Yik Long writes key words related to Hong Kong’s currently conflicted identity in neon lights and then makes the words hazy under the glowing effect. Lau Wai composes her imaginary space by photographing her passports and incorporating images from her childhood, growing up in the Chinese diaspora.
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Faced with the contradictions from everyday life, some of the artists respond with their personal intimate encounters. Lam Hoi Sin uses a dating app to pursue interpersonal relationships that go beyond geographic restrictions; Cheng Ting Ting creates paintings depicting scenes of horse racing devoid of human presence; and Mark Chung uses found footage to create a large-scale installation arranged like firework displays.
如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Para Site 藝術空間呈獻《如果只有城籍而沒有國籍》， 展覽將於 7 月 31 日舉行開幕，展至 9 月 6 日。是次 展覽由 Para Site 藝術空間的制作負責人及副策展人 林志恒策劃，是與香港新進策展人合作系列所發表 的第一檔展覽。 此次展出 12 位香港當代藝術家的全新作品，包括 陳翊朗、鄭婷婷、程展緯、鍾正、禤善勤、林愷倩、 如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
劉衛、吳家俊、曾家偉、鄧國騫、黃榮法以及葉建邦。 國籍這種縛定，從人的一出生便給繫上了。雖然作為一種上付予下的身份認知， 但要從現實生活中體認並在意識上產生無疑，無非是個過於抽象的概念。「國家 太大，人太渺小，用城市作為嘴巴，故事反倒好說。」作為展覽的題目開首，策 展人希望提出認同香港生活價值就是香港人的概念，透過與藝術家進行的連串對 談，嘗試讓藝術家暫且放下國家身份的既定思維，並在今天的社會氛圍下，回首 自身經驗，在身份覺醒後提出一種「後知後覺」的觀察方式；從個人的生活環境、 成長故事，尋找身份認同的痕跡。城籍是由城市人講香港事，故事的長短及深厚， 取決於我們的角度及視野。隨著一段段故事，透過藝術家的眼光娓娓道來，卻驚 覺驀然回首，是這裡的城市生活肯定了我們的存在。 展題《如果只有城籍而沒有國籍》來自香港作家西西於七十年代所寫的小說「我 城」 。當時正值香港經濟起飛的年代，年青人社會意識提高，小說以此為骨幹， 夾雜著寫實與幻想，藉以描繪香港城市精神的無限可能。無獨有偶，小說四十年 前所描繪的情節與今日的香港不謀而合。有鑑於此，展覽提出成為城籍之人，超 然國家概念的束縛。當以藝術作為中介回看《我城》，其所代表的精神是否依舊 合宜？對過往時代的糾結至今是否仍然存在 ?
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展覽嘗試透過不同作品勾畫城市的輪廓。程展緯的作品 《螢幕保護程式》作為展覽的序曲，一組 7 個舊式閉路 顯象電視，重複定格放映著我們為之熟悉的企業及大眾 標誌。展覽期間隨著電視螢幕顯象管的勞損，即使把儀 器電源關閉，標誌圖像還是清晰存在螢幕上。這些標誌 經歷了時間的洗練，符號變成另一種再現，為我們習以 為常觀看城市的方式，提出不同角度的詮釋，不失為一 個親切的入門練習。
私密的介入回應身處其中的矛盾糾結。林愷倩透過約會 軟件（dating app）檢視自身人際關係超越地理限制的 追求 ；鄭婷婷藉由畫作對賽馬運動作出抽離的表達 ；鍾 正以現成錄像制作出的大型裝置，重新編排一場「自家 制」的煙花滙演。 葉建邦則以幽默的方式面對不可撼動的社會議題進行回應，他選擇以大 量的報章文本拼貼作為他一笑置之的舞台，一組接近三百張的剪報文件 裝置，忠實引用官員的公開發言。禤善勤與曾家偉回到二人各自「似曾 相識」的熟悉場所，公園及茶餐廳，分別透過畫作和行為藝術去重新詮 釋人與空間規劃的隱性關係。黃榮法利用關口繹站內的混雜氣味為媒介， 製作出獨有的香氣。 吳家俊在展場大廈的天台運用旗幟設計出一組對話 ；鄧國騫收集了官方 紀念品，議事廳、立法機關的椅子，讓原本認定及意圖宣揚的美好形象， 演變為矛盾的產物。陳翊朗以霓虹燈管制作出關鍵字，並利用燈的曝光 製造模糊的效果。劉衛拍攝自己的護照及童年照片分拆再重組，拼貼出 屬於她的幻想空間。
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
而面對城市中習以為常的日常現象，一些藝術家選擇以
Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Oscar Chan Yik Long 陳翊朗
Like a Ghost
如是者
neon light installation (proposal sketch) 180 × 125 cm 2015
霓虹燈裝置 ( 作品草稿 ) 180 × 125 cm 2015
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Cheng Ting Ting 鄭婷婷
Racecourse Pace
踱步馬場
watercolor and acrylic on paper mounted on canvas dimensions variable 2015
水彩，塑膠彩紙本畫布托本 畫布托本 尺寸不定 2015
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Luke Ching 程展緯
7 CCTVs as photographs
螢幕保護程式
7 TV sets 32 × 35 × 35cm, each 2013 – 2014
7 部 DVD 播放負片錄像 每個 32 × 35 × 35 cm 2013 – 2014
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Luke Ching 程展緯
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Matrix
母體
double-channel video 50 sec; 42 sec 2015
錄像 50 秒；42 秒 2015
如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Mark Chung 鍾正
Summers Without Fireworks
去年煙花特別少
video installation dimensions variable 2015
錄像裝置 尺寸不定 2015
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Chris Huen Sin Kan 禤善勤
Oh. Victoria (detail)
噢 . 維多利亞
oil on canvas, ink and marker on paper, concrete, bronze, iron and a Hong Kong dollar dimensions variable 2015
油彩布本 , 墨和麥克筆紙本 , 混凝土 , 銅 , 鐡 , 港幣一元
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尺寸不定 2015
Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Lam Hoi Sin 林愷倩
We are all Internet Americans
我們都是網際美國人
inkjet on fabric 99 × 92 cm 2015
布上噴墨打印 99 × 92 cm 2015
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Lam Hoi Sin 林愷倩
OK
OK
lightbox and vinyl dimensions variable 2015
燈箱及貼纸 尺寸不定 2015
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Lau Wai 劉衛
Extract #03
摘錄 #03
archival pigment print on rag paper 67 × 80 cm 2015
典藏級打印
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67 × 80 ccm 2015
如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Ng Ka Chun 吳家俊
Dogvane
風向儀
flags, metallic structure, blower, live broadcasting cctv 4×2×5m 2015
旗織，金屬框架，吹風機， 直播監控影像 4×2×5m 2015
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Ng Ka Chun 吳家俊
Found Object
失物
metallic structure dimensions variable 2015
金屬框架 尺寸不定 2015
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Eason Tsang Ka Wai 曾家偉
Mopping
拖地
video 4 min, 20 sec 2015
錄像 4 分 20 秒 2015
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Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Tang Kwok Hin 鄧國騫
Cold Plank
冷板
office chairs, souvenirs from LegCo of HKSAR dimensions variable 2015
辦公室椅 , 香港特別行政區 立法會紀念品 尺寸不定 2015
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
Lowu Border Crossing. Image by Prof. William Joseph.
Morgan Wong 黃榮法
That’s How I Used to Know I Have In Fact Crossed This River
從前我是這樣確切地知道 我來到這河的對岸
scent art, microencapsulated scent, essential oil, wood, aluminum building frame, paint dimensions variable 2015
氣味藝術 , 微封裝氣味 , 精油 , 木 , 建築鋁架 , 油漆 尺寸不定 2015
Morgan Wong’s work is supported by International Flavors and Fragrances
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黃榮法作品由國際香料公司贊助支持
Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Elvis Yip Kin Bon 葉建邦
Absent of speech from Evening post series
缺席發言，晚報系列
newspaper collage 190 × 120 cm 2014 – 2015
報紙拼貼 190 × 120 cm 2014 – 2015
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如果只有城籍而沒有國籍
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‘Anyone who is against the central government is not allowed to
『不能允許與中央對抗的人擔任行政長官，這是設計香港
become chief executive. This is crucial to the design of the method for
行政長官普選方案的一條底線。守住這條底線，不只是
selecting a chief executive under universal suffrage. Maintaining this
為了國家安全和利益，從根本上講，也是為了維護香港
condition, not only preserves the country’s security and interests, but
利益，維護廣大香港同胞、投資者的根本利益。香港的
the interests of the city, citizens and investors. Hong Kong’s economic
經濟繁榮與發展，從來都離不開內地，離不開中央政府
prosperity and development are always linked to the Mainland, thanks
和內地各地區的支持。香港回歸以來，兩地的經貿關係、
to support from the central government and other regions of China.
社會文化交流、人員往來越來越密切，這種不可逆轉的
Since Hong Kong’s handover to China, the economic partnership,
大趨勢，是香港在歷史性轉折關頭繼續保持社會穩定、
and social and cultural exchanges between the two sides have become
經濟繁榮的重要因素。試想，如果選出一個與中央對抗
closer. Such a major and irreversible phenomenon is critical to keeping
的人當行政長官，與這種大勢背道而馳，大家可以預見，
Hong Kong socially stable and economically prosperous during this
屆時中央與特區關係必然劍拔弩張，香港和內地的密切
turning point in its history. Think about it, if this great phenomenon is
聯繫必然嚴重損害，香港社會內部也必然嚴重撕裂， “東
violated by appointing a chief executive who is opposed to the central
方之珠”還會風采依然嗎？』
government, one would expect that the relationship between the central government and Hong Kong government would become highly strained, which would unavoidably affect their close connection and even ignite serious internal conflicts in the city. If that happened, would Hong Kong still maintain its glamour as the “Pearl of the Orient”?’ Imagine there’s no country, Above us only our cities
Elvis Yip Kin Bon 葉建邦
Speech from Qiáo xiăo yang on 24th March, 2013
喬曉陽在二零一三年 三月廿四日的講話
260 pieces of newspaper clippings 2013 – 2015
260 件剪報 2013 – 2015
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Imagine there’s no country Above us only our cities 如果只有城籍而沒有國籍 Para Site Team
Founding Friends
Cosmin Costinas 康喆明 (Executive Director / Curator)
Mimi Brown and Alp Ercil Burger Collection, Hong Kong
Frances Wu Giarratano 吴天如 (Deputy Director)
Mimi and Chris Gradel
Freya Chou 周安曼 (Curator of Education and Public Programmes)
Inna and Tucker Highfield
Qinyi Lim 林沁怡 (Curator)
Lisina and Nick Leung
Lesley Ma 馬唯中 (Managing Editor)
Edouard and Lorraine Malingue
K11 Art Foundation
Lavina and William Lim
program
Jims Lam Chi Hang 林志恒 (Head of Production / Associate Curator)
Simmy Ling 凌思敏 (Project Coordinator / Curatorial Assistant)
marc & chantal design Yana and Stephen Peel Benjamin Vuchot
Olivia Chow 周宛昀 (Gallery Manager / Curatorial Assistant)
Friends Karim Blasetti
Board
Jane DeBevoise
Yana Peel (Co-Chair)
Doryun Chong
Alan Lau Ka Ming 劉家明 (Co-Chair)
Andrew L. Cohen
Lawrence Chu
Jehan Pei Chung Chu 朱沛宗 (Vice Chairman)
Faux
Chrissy Sharp (Treasurer)
Elaine W. Ng and Fabio Rossi
Sara Wong Chi Hang 黃志恆 (Secretary)
Alan Lo
Nadine Ouellet and David Legg Ocula
Mimi Chun Mei-Lor 秦美娜
Mina Park
Tim Li Man-Wai 李民偉
Stefan Rihs
Alexandra Seno
Su-Mei and Marcus Thompson Frank F. Yang Virginia Yee
Para Site is Hong Kong’s leading contemporary art centre and one of the oldest and most active nonprofit art institutions in Asia. It produces exhibitions, publications and discursive projects aimed at forging a critical understanding of local and international phenomena in art and society.
Para Site 藝 術空間為 香 港首屈一指的當代 藝 術 中 心， 亦 是 亞 洲 歷 史 最 悠 久、 最 活 躍 的 獨 立藝 術 中 心之一。 成 立 宗旨 在 透 過 展 覽、 出 版 刊 物 等 活 動， 開 展 並促 進 在 地 與 國際間的對 話，希冀打造一 個對當代藝 術、 社會現象提出批判性論述及理解的平台。
Para Site fully supports the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong.
Para Site 藝術空間大力支持香港人的民主 訴求。
Para Site is financially supported by the Springboard Grant under the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Para Site 藝術空間獲 香港特別行政區政 府 「藝能發展資助計劃」的躍 進資助。
Acknowledgement
The content of this activity does not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
活動內容並不反映 香港特別行政區政 府的意見。
Design by Jim Wong@Good Morning Morgan Wong’s work is supported by International Flavors and Fragrances
Front Cover 封面 :
Back Cover 封底 :
Cheng Ting Ting 鄭婷婷 Racecourse Pace 踱步馬場 2015
Elvis Yip Kin Bon 葉建邦 Speech from Qiáo xiao yang on 24th March, 2013 喬曉陽在二零一三年三月廿四日的講話 2013 – 2015
22/F, Wing Wah Industrial Building 677 King’s Road Quarry Bay Hong Kong
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