The Correspondent, October-December 2024

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E F O R E I G N C O R R E S P O N D E N T S ’ C L U B

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OCTOBER 2024

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FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Members, On 29 August, two Hong Kong journalists were convicted of a crime for articles they published.

Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, formerly of non-profit digital news outlet Stand News, were found guilty of sedition for their roles in reporting, editing and publishing 11 interviews, features and opinion pieces.

In the face of unprecedented challenges, the FCC will continue to work in service of our mission to support journalists, to facilitate journalism of the highest standard and to defend press freedom in Hong Kong and across the region.

We will also continue to provide a space for the free exchange of ideas and viewpoints. In the last few months we have hosted talks with a diverse roster of speakers including the economist Stephen Roach, New York Times executive editor Joseph Kahn, diplomat Kishore Mahbubani and Huang Jingrui, spokesman for the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, who gave his first public, on-the-record remarks in Hong Kong at the FCC. We are committed to maintaining the Club’s strong tradition of bringing newsmakers and lawmakers into the Club to speak and field questions from our Members.

In addition, we will also continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to secure the long-term future of our Club. By the time you read this, the most visible manifestation of our investment and confidence in the future—the stunning rainbow scaffolding that has been wrapped around the building for five months—will have been taken down, marking the completion of a HK$5 million restoration project to the Grade One heritage building of which we have been proud custodians for more than 40 years.

PHOTO: BEN MARANS

The Stand News Case has long been regarded by many as a litmus test for press freedom in the city. It may still be too early to understand the full impact of this verdict on journalists in Hong Kong, but one thing I already know for certain is that our work has never been more vital.

“We will also continue to provide a space for the free exchange of ideas and viewpoints’’

This year marks 75 years since our Club left Shanghai and relocated to Hong Kong, safely ensconcing itself among the rights and freedoms that have long distinguished the city from mainland China.

Today, our Board of Governors is looking ahead to the next 75 years and the role that the FCC can play in helping to defend those enshrined freedoms that make Hong Kong so special. For decades, the city’s rule of law and freedom of the press have been a key driver of its continued prosperity. Our success will be Hong Kong’s success.

Lee Williamson Hong Kong September 2024

THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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The Board of Governors 2024-2025 President Lee Williamson First Vice President Morgan Davis Second Vice President Tim Huxley Correspondent Member Governors Karly Cox, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh, Kristie Lu Stout, Dean Napolitano, Peter Parks, Laura Westbrook, William Zheng Journalist Member Governors Zela Chin, Joe Pan Associate Member Governors Liu Kin-ming, Lynne Mulholland, Christopher Slaughter, Barbara Yu Larsson Club Treasurer Tim Huxley Club Secretary Liu Kin-ming Professional Committee Conveners: Lee Williamson, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh, Joe Pan, William Zheng Journalism Conference Sub-Committee Convener: Dean Napolitano Press Freedom Committee Conveners: Lee Williamson, Morgan Davis, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh Constitutional Committee Conveners: Liu Kin-ming, Peter Parks Membership Committee Conveners: Karly Cox, Jennifer Jett, Zela Chin, Dean Napolitano Communications Committee Conveners: Zela Chin, Morgan Davis, Dean Napolitano Finance Committee Treasurer: Tim Huxley Conveners: Karen Koh, Lynne Mulholland House/Food and Beverage Committee Conveners: Lynne Mulholland, Barbara Yu Larsson Building – Project and Maintenance Committee Conveners: Liu Kin-ming, Christopher Slaughter Wall Committee Conveners: Kristie Lu Stout, Peter Parks Charity Committee Convener: Morgan Davis

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2521 1511 Fax: (852) 2868 4092 Email: fcc@fcchk.org Website: www.fcchk.org

CONTRIBUTORS John Batten John comments, broadcasts and writes on art, culture, urban planning, heritage and policy issues for Hong Kong newspapers and overseas magazines and is a former art critic and contributor for the South China Morning Post. He is also a director of the arts education group Rooftop Institute and currently President of AICAHK.

Alexandra Hamlyn Brought up in Asia, Alexandra is a graduate of St. Andrew’s University with an MA (Honours) in English Literature and Art History. She has travelled extensively though Asia, South America and Europe and is a freelance writer who focuses predominantly on the world of art and all of its intricacies. She is a mother of three boys and currently resides in the U.K.

Aaron Busch Aaron studied journalism at Curtin University, Western Australia before embarking on a career in radio ournalism print and finall radio announcing.

He currently runs one X account for Hong Kong news @tripperhead with 45k followers, and a nightly Substack newsletter. He is also the X social media manager for the Kowloon Cricket Club.

Hugo Novales Hugo is originally from Chicago and joined the FCC after graduating from HKU's Master of Journalism programme. As the Club’s in-house journalist, he covers events for the website and social media, contributes to The Correspondent, and also helps organise and promote workshops for early/midcareer journalists.

Editor Ann Tsang Email: editor@fcchk.org Publisher Artmazing! Noel de Guzman Email: artmazingcompany@gmail.com Cover image SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film Printing Elite Printing: Tel: 2558 0119 Advertising Enquiries ront fice el 5 1 1511

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The Correspondent ©2024 The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong

The Correspondent ©2024 is published four times a year by The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of The Foreign Correspondents’ Club. All content contained within The Correspondent magazine may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without authorisation.

THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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CONTENTS

THE COR R ESPONDEN T

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OCTOBER 2024

THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE ISSUE 1 From the President 4 Club News 6 From the General Manager

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8 100 Years of Surrealism Few movements in history have had as lasting a legacy and impact as Surrealism, which still has the ability to transform our visual perceptions and way of thinking. In its time, it garnered a remarkable degree of public recognition, and its influence on artists continues to be felt today. This year marks the centennial of the inception of Surrealism with the publication of ‘The Surrealist Manifesto’ in Paris in October 1924. Photographer Man Ray was one groundbreaking photographer who wholeheartedly freed art from preconceptions and the boundaries of reason. His work remains as innovative today as it was over a century ago.

14 Couture Redefined Guo Pei is China’s most renowned couturière and the first Chinese national designer invited to join the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

For almost 30 years, she has dressed royalty, political elite and international stars. Her show-stopping, magnificent creations make her a modern messenger of her cultural heritage. From now through 6 April, 2025, M+ is showcasing Guo’s key collections and early designs, highlighting her unique career connecting China and the rest of the world and the cultural symbols created through her sophisticated and visually dazzling practice.

20 Shadows of The Past As a remarkable visual story-teller, photographer James Chung Man-Lurk captured a charming Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s with his artistic, caring and penetrating perspective. His works offer an alluring and nostalgic album of the city during a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong.

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26 Interpreting Infinity To coincide with the reopening of Hong Kong’s beloved Peak Tram following a HK$799 million upgrade project, The Peak Tramways Company, Limited commissioned a striking public sculpture named ‘Eye of Infinity’ by Australian artist Lindy Lee, adding an artistic new dimension to the overall experience of one of the city’s most historic and iconic tourist attractions 28 A Life In Architecture John Batten delves into the life of architect I.M. Pei, designer of Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower and other prestigious projects, including the Louvre pyramid in Paris.

36 On The Wall 39 A War of Words 40 Speakers’ Corner

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44 In Vino Veritas 46 Food for Thought 48 Reciprocal Clubs: Tokyo American Club 50 New On The Block 54 Click!

56 Don’t Beat About The Busch

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CLUB NEWS

‘ONE DAY’S WORK’: FRESH CHARITY INITIATIVE LAUNCHED

The Club has reignited its efforts to partner with community organisations through a newly launched programme. By Morgan M. Davis partner charity is looking for, ranging from support editing press releases to mentoring teen girls. There are a variety of projects and opportunities for short- and long-term volunteering.

Members are encouraged to commit “one day’s work”, or eight hours in total, to volunteer with either a partner charity or a charity of their choice. This can be broken up into short chunks of time and across more than one charity. The Committee asks that everyone record their commitment through the FCC website to track the Club’s work.

The FCC’s renewed charity work is a demonstration of the Club’s active role in the Hong Kong community, and offers an opportunity for the member base to contribute to the city in a supportive and positive way.

Stay tuned for more information to come throughout the year!

For more information: https://www.fcchk.org/charity/

CREDIT: FCCHK

The FCC’s Charity Committee launched a new initiative at the end of September to partner with local organisations in their efforts to support Hong Kongers, and to encourage Club Members to commit eight hours of their time to volunteer.

The Committee has selected nine partner charities that work across mental health care, education and service to underprivileged communities. These are: Branches of Hope, Bring Me a Book Hong Kong, Enrich, ImpactHK, Integrated Brilliant Education, KELY Support Group, PathFinders, Teen’s Key Hong Kong, and The Samaritans.

These charities will work with the Club in the coming 12 months, and will be featured across various platforms.

Members are encouraged to learn more about their work and can find additional information on the FCC website.

The main focus of the charity initiative is to spur volunteering, and to encourage FCC Members to be active participants. On the Club website, Members will find information about the kinds of volunteers that each

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BOOK YOUR PRIVATE EVENT NOW! Here’s what some Members have said about the private events they have held at the FCC:

CREDIT: FCCHK

“Thank you for all your assistance in the lead-up to our event. The entire team was terrific, and the event overall was a great success. I would wholeheartedly recommend the space for similar events in the future.”

The FCC has long been welcoming correspondents, journalists, businesspeople, lawyers, diplomats, and other professionals who enjoy its warm ambience, friendly service, and culinary delights. Members may host private events at the Club, from intimate family dinners to corporate retreats, weddings, product launches, and many more. With the festive season rapidly approaching, do contact us about hosting your event.

“The attendees had a wonderful time at the event during which the Club provided exemplary service. I will definitely look to the FCC again when planning any future events.”

“Thank you very much for your professional arrangement and hard work. Our event host from Germany was most impressed!”

“Impressive venue choice and service arrangements. Thank you FCC.”

GIFT IDEAS FROM THE FCC A reminder about the special, limited time programme for Members to propose immediate family members to join the FCC at a discounted entrance fee. This applies to parents, siblings, and children (age 21 and up) of current Members whose applications are received between 1 October and midnight on 31 December, 2024. These family members are eligible to join at a 33% discount on the current entrance fee and this promotion applies to Correspondent, Journalist and Associate Member categories. Please contact Carman Chung at membership@fcchk.org or call 2844- 2829 (direct) for application details.

Stuck for stocking fillers? Check out the FCC’s e-shop or purchase merchandise direct from the Club at great prices.

From hoodies to caps, notebooks to coffee mugs, umbrellas to tote bags, and more, prices range from $10 to $800. Grab a gift now while stocks last!

AND THE WINNERS ARE… We would like to thank every single Member who took the time to participate in our Club Survey, and announce the winners as follows: • 1st prize: Free monthly subscriptions for one year Winner: Shi Ting • 2nd prize: $8,000 in credit for a private function at the Club Winner: Kwok Wai Chu, Cindy • 3rd prize: $4,000 dining credit in the Dining Room Winner: Jonathan Paul Crompton

ERRATUM

We sincerely apologise for the incorrect captioning of the above photograph in the Penelope Byrne obituary on page 43 of the July 2024 issue of The Correspondent. The correct caption should be Penny Byrne with Paul Bayfield.

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THE CORRESPONDENT | APRIL 2024

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GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

IMAGE: LAKSHMI HARILELA

WORK IN PROGRESS David, what has happened with the survey results and all our comments?

Well, quite a lot actually!

Many sections of survey scores and related comments were immediately forwarded to the appropriate Committees, who couldn’t wait to get started working with the data! Here are a few highlights of our developments to date and current work in progress: • The Building–Project and Maintenance Committee has examined the scores and comments on facilities and is currently focusing on the Health Club and Workspace data as it continues to develop multi-year plans for our heritage building. Both facilities have a dedicated group of core users and survey data indicates that both user groups could increase significantly if the they were upgraded. It is worth noting that the Health Club is also an important facility for recruiting younger members, who may not have a fitness centre at home and likely can’t afford both the FCC and a gym membership. Meanwhile, at the time of writing, the restoration of our historic clubhouse is scheduled for completion on time and under budget, with scaffolding timed for removal in mid-October. New carpeting has also been installed in Bert’s and on the main staircase.

• The Charity Committee found the feedback on charities very helpful as it undertook the process of fine-tuning the FCC’s community outreach strategy, the first phase of which culminated in ‘Pitch Day’ – featuring nine selected charities – on 28 September. Please see page 4 for highlights of the day.

• The Communications Committee has reviewed the feedback on the Club’s various communications tools – including Members’ preferred channels of communication – and is working with our Marcom team in fine-tuning our strategies to meet our Members’ changing needs.

• Meanwhile, our busy House/Food and Beverage Committee has examined the scores and comments for each outlet and is monitoring ongoing member feedback on – and sales statistics for – our new menus. The Committee is also working with management to understand the

slightly disappointing feedback on promotions and special events – and to develop strategies to improve these. The scores weren’t “low”, but they were a little lower than those for day-to-day Member dining, which is a little unusual and a little counter intuitive – and something we need to understand and improve upon.

• Next on the agenda will be examining the various societies that Members have suggested in the survey. Hiking, a book club and yoga classes were the top three requests! Their “fit” with the FCC and the spaces and resources needed to administer them are among the subjects to be discussed.

• Your management team used AI to sort and summarise the 5,831 comments we received (!), as well as reviewing individual comments in each section.

• Finally, please turn to page 5 where we announce our lucky draw winners!

Festive entertaining at the Club The festive season is approaching, beginning with American Thanksgiving and culminating in our Gala Countdown Party with a James Bond theme, where Martinis will be shaken, not stirred! There are many opportunities for you to entertain family and friends, both at the Club – in one of our outlets or in a private room – and at home through our takeaway service. Salina Chan, our Catering, Promotion & Events Manager, looks forward to working with you on planning your personal or office holiday party, served by our friendly and attentive staff. Please book early to avoid disappointment as our private rooms are very popular at this time of year.

Similarly, our festive season events also sell out quickly, from the Kids’ Party on 8 December to the Christmas Wine Social on 10 December, the Christmas Choir performance on 18 December to the Christmas Day Buffet, and of course, our New Year’s Countdown Party. Please reserve early to avoid disappointment.

Season’s greetings from the staff On behalf of the staff, our best wishes to you and yours for a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy Paula and Irving Klaw and prosperous New Year. n

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100 YEARS OF SURREALISM Few movements in history have had as lasting a legacy and impact as Surrealism, which still has the ability to transform our visual perceptions and way of thinking. In its time, it garnered a remarkable degree of public recognition, and its influence on artists continues to be felt today. This year marks the centennial of the inception of Surrealism with the publication of The Surrealist Manifesto’ in Paris in October 1924. Man Ray was one groundbreaking photographer who wholeheartedly freed art from preconceptions and the boundaries of reason.

His work remains as innovative today as it was over a century ago.

By: Alexandra Hamlyn. Images: Courtesy of the Man Ray Trust

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ada”, a word that doesn’t exist in the English lexicon, yet its syllables as they are stressed and unstressed are so familiar – the pronunciation and volume of it indicates its meaning and reminds us of the ancient cadence of priestly incantation. For many babies, “dada” is one of the first sounds uttered, and in Russian, “dada” means “yes, yes”.

Dadaist art strove to become like music, to exist on its own without reference to anything, and to seek out its own time without recourse to anything else. By reproducing the world in a way that was visual, but not recognisable, Man Ray, as one of the original Dadaists, confronted bourgeois expectations and definitions of art to encourage an emergence of our internal humanity.

The internationalism of the world was extremely proactive at that time, and Dadaism, and everything that it stood for, resisted the status quo of politics, war and imposed boundaries. World War I sparked the fervour with which Dada reinforced its anti-art sentiments, reacting against the notions of national identity, bourgeois class divisions, rational

thought and indeed, civilisation in general. Dadaism was nihilistic, choosing to use a primordial language and means of communication through art, words and photography that existed before the corruption of civilisation. Releasing a primitive state of existence from the binds of tradition and definition, Dadaism sought to celebrate the destruction of these mind-forged manacles of thought and reason.

Photographer Man Ray’s famous ‘rayographs’ exemplified the Dadaist support for chance and fate. By removing the process of creating a photographic image from film and camera, Man Ray was able to produce abstract images from familiar objects. Through this technique, he transformed the banal and ordinary into the extraordinary by altering the order of things and bringing the end point together with the point of origin, bypassing the stages in between and liberating the process from tradition, order and artistic control.

The reality of photography offered many opportunities, especially when combined with a Surrealist sensibility.

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Man Ray, as the only American Dada and Surrealist artist, shared a great affinity with the Freudian concept of the sub-conscious, believing that it could emerge once control was eliminated. Rayographs were the visual equivalent of automatic writing, a Dadaist mode of expression that borrowed from the Shamanistic tradition of channelling a message, whereby the person doing the writing has no control or input into the message itself. Rayographs imbibed this “accident” of perception by transferring the concept of matter over thought directly onto photographic paper.

A personal friend of Man Ray, and himself an authority on and collector of his photography, Timothy Baum sheds some insight onto Man Ray’s evolution as an artist and photographer. “It’s important to know that his great dream about his own life was to be a painter as a young man, and he had all his early exhibitions in New York until 1921, when he moved to Paris. From then on, he remained in Paris, except for the years during the Second World War, when he had no choice but to move back to the United States. During those years he chose Hollywood when most artists went to New York, so as not be part of the art scene that was flourishing in the 1940s.

In 1921, when Man Ray first moved to Paris, he knew how to take photographs, but it was never his main focus.

He had a show of his paintings in 1922, but didn’t sell much at all, and at the point he probably got a little nervous about how he would support himself. His friend and contemporary, Marcel Duchamp, introduced him to a lot of major artists at the time, who asked him to take photos of their paintings.

From there, Man Ray went on to take portraits of the artists themselves - James Joyce, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau and Antonin Artaud were just a few of his sitters.

It was by pure accident that Man Ray began to experiment with what became his rayographs. “One day, he started playing around. He made the bathroom in his hotel a darkroom, put objects directly onto photographic paper, turned the light on and off, and managed to create quite brilliant pieces from this discovery. He attained a certain amount of fame from that,” recalls Baum.

Man Ray’s maverick approach to photography certainly earned him a reputation amongst this peers and fellow artists, but it was also due to Dada founder, Tristan Tzara’s admiration of the rayograph that Man Ray attracted so much attention for his unconventional ways of working.

Photography, a relatively new medium at the time, affected radical change in the art community, primarily because it formed a new visual language that emerged from a single click of a button, revealing an entirely different world that was malleable, even in its ability to exactly capture a single moment.

Himself a poet and writer, Baum shared a community

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Portrait of Man Ray by Douglas Kirkland, 1971

of thought with Man Ray and was the editor of a magazine called Nadada. “I approached Man Ray in 1964 and asked if he would consider doing a cover for the magazine,” Baum recounts. “He replied that if he could be paid for the effort, then he would be glad to because he was getting too old to work for free. I explained to him that I would probably not be able to produce anything but a tiny amount, and he said, let’s wait a while, and then see if we can work on it again in the future.” From there, Baum went to Paris and finally met Man Ray and approached him about sharing ideas with the community. “I was much younger, but we became quite good friends, and I represented him in the U.S. from 1970 until 1976, the year he died. I learned a lot about photography, all of it from him. He understood the entire subject and the whole history of photography.”

Nadada was a poetry and art magazine with an emphasis on Dada and Surrealism, and Baum published the work of many younger writers whose work reflected those directions.

He has continued to publish a series of books under the imprint Nadada Editions up to the present day.

Paul Poiret, a prominent French fashion designer at the time, felt an instant attraction to Man Ray’s early photography, and hired him to take fashion photographs, and the artist thus became more involved with photography and less with painting, and integrated himself further into French society at the time.

When the Dada group ended their work together in 192324, Man Ray joined the Surrealist group spearheaded by

André Breton as its only American.

Eroticism, exoticism, Surrealism and Dadaism were all very potent forces to be working with, especially for someone with such a liberated creative mind whose active purpose was to release art from preconceived notions and definitions. “The creativity was always there, because he was free and open,” Baum explains. “A perfect example of this is the well-known work of Kiki (Montparnasse) with a violin image on her back entitled ‘Violin d’Ingres’ that was taken in 1924. No-one had ever done that before, and Man Ray took it to the next level of where he wanted to be and changed the image. He photographed her from behind, then meticulously drew the violin motifs on her back, and then he photographed her again; it was immediately considered extraordinary at the time.

There is no doubt that Man Ray was ahead of his time, and as Baum says, “His techniques never went out of fashion.

He had such a Surrealist mind and a great imagination that he was far ahead of people in his time. Others didn’t have his crazy wild imagination.”

Man Ray’s bravura as an artist and photographer is certainly a product of his at times extreme ideas about artistic boundaries, transforming the most realist representation of an image into the Surreal.

As Baum fondly remembers, “Man Ray had a free-spirited mind, but he was still a gentleman. With his natural ability to tap into the myriad ways that a camera can intervene with reality, he defamiliarised the familiar and asked everyone to think, and see, in a brave new way.” n

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COUTURE REDEFINED Guo Pei is China’s most renowned couturière and the first Chinese national designer invited to join the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

For almost 30 years, she has dressed royalty, political elite and international stars. Her show-stopping, magnificent creations make her a modern messenger of her cultural heritage. From now through 6 April, 2025, M+ is showcasing Guo’s key collections and early designs, highlighting her unique career connecting China and the rest of the world and the cultural symbols created through her sophisticated and visually dazzling practice. By: Cushla Sayetatt

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n her eye-popping, unrestrained creations, Chinese designer Guo Pei imbues contemporary high fashion with ancient tradition, invoking history and mythology through intricate craftsmanship and avant-garde silhouettes rife with symbolism. After almost three decades in the business, Guo’s fantastical, whimsical and dramatic gowns are now more than ever increasingly sought after as statement-making, one-of-a-kind outfits that will rarely be seen more than once.

Guo Pei was born in Beijing in 1967 as the daughter of an army leader who later was given a position within the state housing authority. In 1982 she enrolled in fashion studies at Beijing Second Light Industry School, a tertiary education centre, which at the time had no knowledge of, or access to Western fashion designers or trends. Paris and Milan were still very much foreign territory and the names Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain were as yet unknown to the Chinese population. In fact ‘fashion’ altogether was not even yet a concept.

Following her graduation in 1986, Guo took a government job designing children’s clothing, which earned her 65 Renminbi (US$10) a month. In 1997, she took her knowledge, passion and hard earned wages and started a bespoke clothing business under the name of ‘Rose Studio’.

Fast forward a decade later to 2007, when Guo began creating runway collections that spoke literally, volumes.

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Dress from ‘An Amazing Journey In A Childhood Dream’ collection, 2008

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Dress from the ‘Legend of The Dragon’ collection, 2012

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Each of the dramatic shows that she has staged to date has been inspired by various themes, the first being rebirth, the second children’s dreams, and another and possibly the most dramatic to date, ‘1002 Arabian Nights’, set to RimskyKorsakov’s ‘Scheherazade’ which featured the legendary then 80 year-old supermodel Carmen Dell’Orefice in the finale.

“Guo Pei’s designs are the best ambassador for her country,” says Dell’ Orefice of her experience of working with the designer. “She draws from the past, expressing history in her artistry and. She demonstrates through perfecting her craft, a deep understanding of the decades, and the world she lives in today. She is an unparalleled artist of this century.”

The designer went on to create the ceremonial dresses used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as the dress worn by singer Song Zuying for her performance of a duet with Placido Domingo during the Closing Ceremony that was embroidered with 200,000 Swarovski crystals, the pink taffeta column embroidered with red Chinese characters

that actress Li Bingbing wore at the 2010 Venice Film Festival and numerous creations made for China’s most recognised actress, Zhang Ziyi. The only person missing who would undoubtedly carry off any one of Guo Pei’s couture masterpieces is Lady Gaga. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.

Nicola Formichetti, Gaga’s stylist, did in fact contact Guo in regards to dressing the ‘Born This Way’ star. Four dresses together with the designer’s stilt-like shoes dutifully arrived in the U.S., but even La Gaga had to concede that she couldn’t move in them the way that she needed to.

Simultaneous with the continued burgeoning wealth in China, Guo has clearly reached a certain status at the right time. At the age of 57, she has come a long way, and both Chinese and Western fashionista eyes continue to watch her closely. In May 2015, the fashion world’s eyes gleefully honed in on the now-iconic imperial yellow cape (from the designer’s 2010 ‘1002 Arabian Nights’ collection) worn by Rihanna to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume

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“She draws from the past, expressing history in her artistry and. She demonstrates through perfecting her craft, a deep understanding of the decades, and the world she lives in today. She is an unparalleled artist of this century.” ~ Carmen Dell’Orefice

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ress rom the ne housand and wo ights collection 010

Institute Gala - a seminal moment that introduced Guo in no uncertain terms to America’s fashion cognoscenti.

“Rihanna and her styling team really pushed the boundaries by daring to wear ‘Yellow Queen’ on the red carpet,” said Guo. “The move made her the unequivocal focus of the red carpet that year and it has also brought my work to the attention of a much wider audience.”

Two months later In July 2015, Guo presented her creations for the first time in Paris, at the Musee Les Arts Decoratifs no less, and her star continued to rise. She made her Paris Haute Couture debut in January 2016, unveiling her ‘Courtyard’ collection to critical acclaim. In the same year, she was also named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and one of the Business of Fashion’s 500 most influential people shaping the global industry.

The ‘Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination’ exhibition currently being shown at M+ offers visitors an up-close look at the astonishing detail in the couturière’s work

–the embroidery, pleats, beading and embellishments handcrafted by some of the 500 artisans she employs. Some of these extraordinary pieces can take up to two years to complete.

Guo Pei has cited John Galliano, Tom Ford and Valentino as designers that she admires, simply stating, “I love these masters’ works!” However, there is little or no evidence whatsoever that Guo’s own designs have been inf luenced by others. Her creations almost always contain Chinese elements, from embroidery to traditional patterns, but they also include modern inf luences, as she seamlessly combines Oriental style with Western cutting techniques.

When asked about the inspiration for her next creations, Guo is somewhat elusive and clearly still feels the need to surprise. “We have become even more aware of ancient cultural connotations; things that I hope to be able to continue to capture in terms of both inspiration and essence…” n

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FEATURE

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SHADOWS OF THE PAST As a remarkable visual storyteller, photographer James Chung Man-Lurk captured a charming Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s with his artistic, caring and penetrating perspective. His works offer an alluring and nostalgic album of the city during a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong.

By: Ann Tsang. Images: James Chung courtesy of f22

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riginally from Xinhui County in Guangdong Province, renowned Hong Kong photographer James Chung (1925 - 2018) first settled in Hong Kong in

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1947.

His first job was working as an apprentice in the art department of a movie theatre, where he assisted in the design and production of promotional posters for the films that the theatre was screening. To this day, this is still considered as a classic Hong Kong art form, as many of these large-scale posters were hand painted.

In 1955, Chung was able to acquire his first Rolleicord Vb F3.5, albeit by through splitting the cost with a friend. In retrospect, this became a priceless purchase, as it marked the beginning of his lifetime journey in photography.

Entirely self-taught, Chung enhanced his photographic knowledge from subject selection to technical skills to dark room techniques through his single-minded persistence in both finding resources and making connections.

Coincidentally, the mid-1950s was a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong, which saw the birth of what became known as ‘salon photography’. In his book entitled Fifteen Years of Photography in Hong Kong, published in 1969, author K.C. Chew wrote: “Hong Kong, a territory of humble size, has made distinguished achievements in the study of photographic art over a short period of just over two decades. In particular, Hong Kong’s success over the last 15 years has been admirable, thus earning it the name of ‘Salon Kingdom’.”

In a research paper ‘Locating Photographic Practice in Hong Kong since the 1960s’ written for the Asia Art Archive in 2009 by Lee Wingki, the author offers a deeper understanding of the nature of salon photography. “A Salon Empire almost becomes a distinctive feature when we take a rear view of a contemporary history of photography in Hong Kong. An amateur photographer, or self-taught enthusiast, produces photographic work and uses that work to enter competitions and exhibitions…Such photographic practice is very often regarded as a leisure (non-occupational), affluent bourgeoisie play (to own an analogue camera in the 1950s was equivalent to a monthly salary of a blue collar worker). Photography clubs, salon exhibitors’ associations and photographers’ associations (often founded by teachers of photography and/or other art and culture interest groups) were platforms that attracted individual practice.

Salon photography is usually characterised by its artistry and technicality – to make a well-developed print for a

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perfect composition for a decisive moment. Visual content of photograph varies from landscape, portraiture, still life and street photography. Salon photographer’s work is often regarded as ‘technically competent’ and ‘a pleasure to see’.”

It was during this period that Chung won the Perulz Film Photography Competition organised by New Evening Post and the silver prize at the Hong Kong International Salon of Photography in 1958 and 1959 respectively, among others.

The ‘salon’ age also saw a remarkably large number of Hong Kong photographers winning the ‘World’s Top Ten’ photographers awards, including Fan Ho and Yau Leung, both friends and contemporaries of Chung.

In addition, the time witnessed the birth of a number of popular photography periodicals, including The New Wave Photography magazine in 1963, for which Chung became Chief Editor, simultaneously working full-time as a movie stills photographer.

Another popular journal, Photo Pictorial, was founded in 1964 to “serve as a platform to showcase photographic work, exchange ideas, provide informal education through feature columns, and promote commercial activity in photography

and photographic equipment,” as described by Lee Wingki in his research paper. The magazine had an unprecedented lifespan, finally shuttering (no pun intended) in 2005.

Chung’s iconic images of Hong Kong highlight his artistic eye in embracing light and shadow, as well as close encounters with people from all walks of life. His aesthetic storytelling approach invites the viewer to travel back in time and immerse in a fascinating era with both poignancy and affection. “James Chung saw beauty in a time when life was extremely difficult,” says Douglas So, Founder and Director of Hong Kong’s f22 gallery. “He really had the eye to play with the composition, the light and the shadows to find the perfect recipe for his photos.”

Chung’s passion was to capture images of real life, and of real people at moments of drama, crisis, tenderness and joy. As the late photographer once said: “From picking up a paintbrush for over a decade to clicking a camera shutter for a few more decades; from embracing pictorialism attributed to art theory training to adopting realistic sidewalk scenes; from depicting ordinary daily life to commercial photography; I have walked through a path from an amateur to a professional.” n

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FEATURE

INTERPRETING INFINITY

To coincide with the reopening of Hong Kong’s beloved Peak Tram in 2022, The Peak Tramways Company, Limited commissioned a striking public sculpture named ‘Eye of Infinity’ by Australian artist Lindy Lee, adding an artistic new dimension to the overall experience of one of the city’s most historic and iconic tourist attractions.

By: Annabelle Houston

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ong Kong’s Peak Tramways’ contribution to the public art movement is a stunning 10-metre tall cast bronze sculpture by artist Lindy Lee, which was installed at the city’s Peak Tram Central Terminus as part of the $799 million upgrade project for the 6th generation Peak Tram. Entitled ‘The Eye of Infinity’, the sculpture or torus is an ovoid form, which according to scientists is the shape of the universe. Through the sculpture, the torus form has been elongated so that it has become an oval shape with a void in the centre. The cast bronze work has a black patina finish and has been crafted with thousands of tiny apertures to allow light to sparkle through. The internal lighting changes throughout the day to reflect the changing light of The Peak, and day transitioning to evening, as well as brightening in intensity to signal the imminent arrival of the Peak Tram at the Central Terminus.

“Traditionally, for hundreds of years, art has been used to define the hub of a community – all over the world, statues and sculptures have been placed in town squares or piazzas, serving as the pivotal point for meetings and gatherings, or the location of a market. Nothing has really changed today, it’s just that our market squares have become shopping malls or office towers, or our place of business,” says art consultant and curator, Alison Pickett, who has specialised in the curation and commission of site-specific sculptures since 1995. “But even though our streets and pavements have become more crowded and confusing, placing art within and around these spaces is simply an extension of carrying on this tradition. Whereas before the statues and sculptures would be of kings or the town mayor, an explorer or a general, today, possibly in the absence of modern-day heroes and the ever changing and evolving genres of art itself, the sculptures have become less figurative and tend to be more abstract and decorative.

But this doesn’t diminish the important role of sculpture and art within public and retail spaces – if anything, it is becoming more and more prevalent.”

Lindy Lee is an Australian artist whose practice explores her Chinese ancestry through Taoism and Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism – philosophies that see humanity and nature as inextricably linked. Her artwork embodies the intimate connections between human existence and the cosmos. With an artistic career spanning over three decades, Lee has a well-established reputation in Australia, and she enjoys widespread international recognition, exhibiting in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

“Hong Kong’s cityscape is unique. The architectural splendour, with its striking verticality, is cradled in lush verdant subtropical mountain rainforest. This rich, green

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natural abundance extends throughout the archipelago of islands which sparkle like jewels in the South China Sea,” notes the artist, commenting on the inspiration for this specific work. “The psyche of Hong Kong is one of ascension, and The Peak is one of the city’s ultimate summits, offering one of the world’s most sublime vistas of city, sea and sky.

There is no city on the planet that embodies the intimate connection between heaven and earth, sea and sky as Hong Kong does.”

Lee explains that the form of ‘The Eye of Infinity’ with its central void, conjures up poetic associations of seed, portal and eye. “The seed speaks of germination and growth - of the saplings that grow reaching for the sky. The seed is an auspicious symbol and a deliberate reference to the abundant mountain forestry and country parks that Hong Kong is deservedly proud of. A portal is a threshold – a transitional space that leads from one place to another.

The Peak Tram is, in essence, a portal that facilitates transition from sea level to summit. The ‘eye’ references more lyrical notions of the gaze. People travel to high places to experience and be inspired by a direct and personal relationship with a vastness that contains all that is in front of and beyond the horizon. Gazing from high places we sense a ‘belonging’ to something magnificent and grand.

Although we might feel small against the scale of the sky, our spirits are not diminished. Instead we are enlarged and released into a connection with the expansive and infinite.”

Working closely with Lee and her studio team based near Australia’s Byron Bay, global art and design studio and manufacturer UAP, in both Shanghai and Brisbane, and art consultants Art Partners collaborated to progress the concept through the technical design development phase to the production and final installation of the piece. The monumental sculpture was cast in bronze using a sandcasting technique, and the varied and complex elements of the artwork were assembled, finished and patinated, all in close coordination with Lee over period of almost three years.

In addition, The Peak Tramways Company and UAP have used ‘Eye of Infinity’ as one of the pilot projects for the Artwork Ingredients List, a newly developed tool that aims to record the materials and energy input required for an art project to be brought to life. This tool facilitates a better understanding of the impact of artwork on the environment, the emissions generated, as well as strategies and tactics required to reduce this impact. This tool is a joint commitment between the artist, the client and all related stakeholders towards a more responsible approach towards the consumption and production of art and other creative manifestations. n

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IMAGE: WILLIAM FURNISS

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THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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Visitors at the opening of ‘I.M. Pei: Life is Architecture’ mimicking I.M. Pei, who is photographed on-site in front of his Grand Louvre project in Paris, circa 1984. Photo: John Batten

A LIFE IN ARCHITECTURE

By: John Batten

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he 1980s were volatile. Amidst uncertainty over Hong Kong’s future prior to the signing of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the FCC’s relocation in November 1982 to its current home, the former Dairy Farm building, offered some stability for a club with an itinerant history. A few months earlier, in August 1982, the city’s social climate had plummeted as the Hong Kong government announced the sale of a key piece of land to the Bank of China, triggering Hong Kong’s dollar and stock market to tumble. The site was symbolically significant: Murray House, the officers’ quarters of the British Army at Murray Barracks at the bottom of Garden Road. The sale was a first step in the dismantling of British military facilities in Admiralty.

The current big show at Hong Kong’s M+ museum is devoted to the work of Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (known universally as I.M. Pei, 1917-2019), designer of Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower and other prestigious projects, including the Louvre pyramid in Paris. The exhibition avoids discussing the controversy surrounding the construction of the tower, but gives an excellent introduction to Pei’s vision in contemporary architectural design and planning that reflect Hong Kong’s own urban development challenges.

Born into a middle-class Suzhou family, I.M. Pei’s father, Pei Tsuyee, was an accountant and career banker for the Bank of China, working in different cities around the country. I.M. Pei was born in Guangzhou and the family

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“Architecture is not about isolated objects in space. It is a civic art that contains and ennobles human activity in an enduring way that uplifts society.” ~ I.M. Pei

then moved to Hong Kong in 1918, where his father opened the Bank of China’s first overseas branch in the city. Away from China’s volatile economy, political uncertainty and regional warlords, he built a stable and profitable foreign exchange business for the Chinese Republican government (with later branches in London and New York).

I.M. Pei’s formative years and early education were spent in Hong Kong. In 1927, the Pei family moved to Shanghai, again for the senior Pei’s work. These early Hong Kong experiences and connections would later be useful, and it is an intriguing fact that I.M. Pei’s young cosmopolitan persona, including learning written Chinese and spoken English, were formed in Hong Kong.

Pei moved to the United States in 1935, studying architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. His teachers included Marcel Breuer, Le Corbusier and Bauhaus school founder Walter Gropius, and he adopted their architectural milieu: a modernist design sensibility of clean rectangular lines.

For a 1946 graduate masterclass led by Gropius, I.M. Pei’s conceptual design for a Shanghai art museum dismissed the Chinese motifs often seen in the period’s Shanghai architecture, as they were “added to public buildings in a superficial way”. The inklings of a personal style were demonstrated in this early design.

He identified two Chinese elements that were to feature in later projects. Visiting his grandfather in Suzhou and the city’s famous gardens as a child, he appreciated, as related

by Gropius, “bare Chinese walls” and “small open patios”.

These design elements were realised when Pei worked for a prominent New York property developer, William Zeckendorf of Webb & Knapp, on large-scale high-rise office and residential designs between 1948 and 1955. These projects included ground-level “social interaction” spaces for art, gardens and open plazas. The company strived for

architectural excellence and profitability and Zeckendorf later quipped that employing Pei “was a matter of de’ Medici looking for a Michelangelo.”

Pei already had a reputation for high quality work when he set up his own architectural practice in 1955. Comprising a multi-disciplinary team working collaboratively, his practice continued designing commercial and residential projects, including for Webb & Knapp. However, their scope expanded in 1966 with his appointment to design the John F. Kennedy Library at Harvard. Immediately, his company was selected to design more prominent and prestigious public and international buildings and museum projects, increasingly using geometric forms in their designs. JFK’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy said that Pei was selected to design the library because his work was “always beautiful”.

Pei’s first project in Hong Kong, Sunning Plaza (built 1977-1982) in Causeway Bay, reflects Pei’s designs for similar U.S. projects. It was a quality commercial office tower and residential block with a small interconnecting outdoor plaza, sadly demolished in 2013. The plaza provided the district with a rare outdoor space in which to sit, eat and drink.

One late-night bar built its identity by providing live music and free peanuts, with the discarded shells thrown onto the ground, trampled underfoot by customers.

I.M. Pei’s landmark Bank of China Tower (built 19831989) with its tall triangular form is one of Hong Kong’s defining images. Seen in advertising and travel promotions, it ranks alongside Lion Rock, the view from The Peak and the city’s double-deck trams as an image that immediately defines the city.

The Hong Kong government’s announcement to sell the Murray House site was controversial. It was accused of favouritism towards China, as the land’s selling price was considerably less, and payment terms were spread over thirteen years, overly generous compared to a recent sale to

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FEATURE

Zeckendorf later quipped that employing Pei “was a matter of de’ Medici looking for a Michelangelo.”

the MTR Corporation for a similar-sized parcel of land in Admiralty. The official spin surrounding this, and similar later land deals, would become familiar - culminating in the agreement to build a new airport at Chek Lap Kok: each deal was promoted as “confidence” by the Mainland in Hong Kong’s future.

The Admiralty area, reflected in its name, had been the centre of British armed forces and government activity in the colony and region since the earliest days of colonisation.

The Bank of China land sale was the first in the slow transformation of the area’s return to predominantly civilian use. The large Victoria Barracks army site became Hong Kong Park in 1991. H.M.S. Tamar’s naval facilities were returned, and after extra land reclamation, became the new government headquarters and Legislative Council complex in the early 2000s.

Surrounded by major roads and on a sloping site, the Bank of China Tower’s location was described at the time of construction as “difficult”. According to Sandi Pei, I.M. Pei’s son who worked on the project, and the M+ exhibition curators, Pei “…negotiated with government officials (and) by exchanging a public area in one (western) corner for another space, the site was reshaped into a parallelogram with the tower framed by triangular gardens.”

As the building took shape, its fung shui was questioned, together with the intention of having such angular, knifelike architecture. Pei dismissed such talk, reflecting his banking client, and its majority shareholder, whose Mainland campaigns argued against such old-fashioned superstitious ideas. Undeniably, the unique sharp-edged form of the building is strong – especially seen from near the Chief Executive’s residence.

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Working with long-time structural engineering collaborator, Leslie E. Robertson (1928-2021), I.M. Pei developed the building’s form by constructing four steel corner columns, onto which weight transfers from its distinctive triangular/diamond framework. The building’s great height and angular appearance gives it great presence, alternatively contrasting and blending against Hong Kong island’s mountain-backed and harbour-fronted urban topography.

If there were initial spatial restrictions, these are not obvious now. The tower’s footprint on the renegotiated, reshaped site aligns with Central and the surrounding roads and it has good ground-level pedestrian access and an imposing presence. Its architectural height of 315 metres, together with its two distinctive antenna masts, gives a total height of 367 metres.

Despite its height, the Bank of China Tower does not dominate Hong Kong like tall buildings in other cities – such as Taipei 101 in Taiwan. The building backs onto The Peak, and with mountains and other high-rise buildings running through Hong Kong Island, views of the tower are blocked from even nearby Sheung Wan and Happy Valley. It is the building’s architecture that has a strong, now iconic, presence.

The early controversies are now largely forgotten; however, I.M. Pei ensured the tower’s place in the city’s imagination because he strongly believed that “architecture is not about isolated objects in space. It is a civic art that contains and ennobles human activity in an enduring way that uplifts society.”

I.M. Pei: Life is Architecture, M+ museum, Hong Kong, until 5 January 2025

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Bank of China Tower under construction, photographed by Frank Fischbeck.

Courtesy of Special Collections, The University of Hong Kong Libraries

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FEATURE

IMPRESSIONS

To complement his article on I.M. Pei, John Batten recently photographed many reminders and impressions of the Bank of China Tower seen on the streets around Hong Kong.

“The Bank of China Tower’s angular form is a universal strengthening solution for structures in construction jobs.

Bamboo and ground steel-support scaffolding is seen everywhere in Hong Kong: whether it’s a big or small job, cross-bracing using triangle, diamond or ‘X’ formations support this scaffolding work or used in the architecture of other buildings. A practical graphic design element used on the city’s streets is cross-hatching, seen as road markings and on signage. And, in the city’s public spaces - on streets, and in laneways and parks - nonchalantly placed objects such as ladders and warning tape can be found. Finally, the Bank of China Tower can be seen in abstracted, mirrored glimpses from adjacent buildings.” ~ John Batten

IMAGES: JOHN BATTEN

Bamboo scaffolding in laneway, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong, 27 May 2024

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ON THE WALL: OCTOBER 2024

CREDIT: LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP

GOING FOR GOLD: THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 2024 PARIS GAMES

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he Paris 2024 Olympics. An event where the past, present and the future came together to celebrate the pinnacle of human sporting achievement.

At the heart of it and there to capture all the unforgettable moments were the photographers of Agence France-Presse, the trusted eye of their “Home Games”.

With more than 70 accredited photographers using some 200 cameras and 40 robots, AFP distributed to clients around 100,000 images, selected by 25 photo editors from more than 1.4 million frames taken during the Games.

Some of AFP’s images will remain forever in the history of great sports photography: “Levitating surfer”, “BMX meets the obelisk”, “North and South Korea selfie”, the French judo team celebration or “Biles on the bar” are just a few among hundreds of memorable photos taken by AFP photographers that will endure in the collective memory.

CREDIT: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Mladen Antonov AFP Photo Editor-in-Chief, Asia Pacific

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka Long celebrates after winning against Italy’s Filippo Macchi in the men s oil individual gold medal bout during the aris 0 l mpic ames at the rand alais in aris on ul 0 .

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THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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ON THE WALL: NOVEMBER 2024

PHILIP NEWSOME: MACAU GRAND PRIX PHOTOGRAPHS 1954-2023

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hese days the Macau Grand Prix is quite rightly regarded as one the world’s most prestigious motor races, an essential entry in any up-and-coming driver’s curriculum vitae. The alumni of past winners features some of the greatest names in the history of the sport, most notably Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Many top drivers have tried to win in Macau and yet failed, demonstrating just how difficult it is to come away with the title of Champion.

Future Formula One World Champions Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Häkkinen, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Niko Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen have all taken on the daunting Guia circuit and come unstuck in their quest for victory.

Only Ayrton Senna and Michael Shumacher have won the Macau Grand Prix and gone on to be Formula One World Champions, which in itself speaks volumes.

The event began in 1954, the world emerging from the darkness and misery of World War II, with bright young men and women desperate to enjoy life again. For those first years, the Macau Grand Prix, despite its grand title, was a very local affair, predominantly run by, and for, motoring enthusiasts in Macau and neighbouring Hong Kong. Gradually, through

the late 1950s and early 1960s, news spread and entries started to appear from further afield and ultimately all across the world. Over the years the Grand Prix developed into an international event run to a number of different formulae.

The biggest change saw the introduction of Formula Three in 1983. Ayrton Senna’s win that year put the event firmly on the global map and it has never looked back since.

My book records seven decades of the Macau Grand Prix.

As much as it is a homage to this truly wonderful event, it is also a celebration of motorsport photography. It is fascinating to look back at some of the earliest images in this book and see how many photographers were present to record events - motorsport and photography have co-existed right from the time cars first took to the track. While Macau itself has, of course, changed massively and access to certain parts of the circuit has diminished over time, it remains a gloriously photogenic backdrop to the on-track action. There really is nowhere quite like it.

Philip Newsome Author, Macau Grand Prix Photographs 1954-2023

CREDIT: PHILIP NEWSOME

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ON THE WALL: DECEMBER 2024

BASIL PAO: SURREALISM

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urrealism, emerging in the early 20th century, marked a revolutionary movement in art and literature that sought to unlock the unconscious mind. Founded by André Breton in 1924, surrealism challenged conventional perceptions of reality, drawing on dreams, fantasies, and the bizarre. Its roots lay in the aftermath of World War I, a period marked by disillusionment and a quest for new forms of expression.

The movement gained momentum through iconic figures like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Max Ernst, each contributing unique visions that blended the real with the fantastical. Through unexpected juxtapositions and dreamlike imagery, surrealism aimed to disrupt rational thought and provoke deeper emotional responses.

As the century progressed, surrealism evolved, inspiring various movements, including abstract expressionism and pop art. Its legacy endures, influencing contemporary artists and thinkers who continue to explore the interplay between dreams and reality. Today, surrealism remains relevant as it encourages individuals to question societal norms and delve into the unconscious, highlighting the enduring power of imagination in understanding the human experience.

Celebrating a century of surrealism, in his latest exhibition at the FCC, photographer Basil Pao offers his personal take on the movement. n

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LIVE AT THE FCC

A WAR OF WORDS

IMAGE: SAUL LOEB/AFP

By: Mithil Aggarwal

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ast month, the clinking of beer glasses and spontaneous roars were not from a rowdy audience at the Rugby Sevens, but from those who turned out for the FCC’s live streaming of the Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

It was shortly before the kick off at 9:00 am on September 11 (Hong Kong time), but the scheduled face-off had already drawn a sold-out crowd at the club. All the tables in the Main Bar/Lounge had long been reserved before the morning of the debate and the best seats had already been taken an hour before the live broadcast began. “I am really hyped,” said Helena Hu. “I’ve had three lattes already!”

Pierre Papworth, an FCC Member from London was sipping his lager as the two candidates faced off in what was a much-anticipated debate and one of the first unscripted discussions for the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s a very democratic crowd,” Papworth said.

The event opened with Harris initiating a forceful handshake with Trump, immediately taking the upper hand (no pun intended). The crowd settled down and all eyes were transfixed on the projector screens thereafter.

The FCC had also live streamed the previous Presidential Debate on 27 June, when President Joe Biden was still in the race. But that disastrous showing (for Biden) was not as well attended.

“They’re curious about Harris. Back when Obama ran, there was curiosity about him too,” said James Lockett, Chairperson of Democrats Abroad, the Democratic party’s arm for Americans living outside the U.S., who was present to help both Republicans and Democrats to register to vote.

The curiosity among non-American voters seemed at first mostly for entertainment - and with the hurling of personal attacks as well as outlandish claims like Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio - the audience got more than they came for.

Lockett commented that the audience’s interest was an indication of the role the U.S. plays in the world. “Something happens in the world, guess who goes in first?”

The debate touched upon key issues for voters in the upcoming election, including wars, race, the January 6 insurrection, immigration, foreign policy, the economy, climate change and abortion, amongst others.

At the time of publishing, it remains unclear if the two candidates will face off again. Trump has stated categorically that a second debate will not happen (likely because Harris was deemed to have triumphed in this one), but no-one can predict his next move.

Debate or no debate, the colourful war of words between the Presidential candidates is unlikely to subside any time soon, but if Trump caves, the FCC will bring its Members the sequel. n

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SPEAKERS’ CORNER: JUSTICE RICHARD BERNSTEIN

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

The first blind Justice to be elected to the Michigan Supreme Court by voters in 2015, Justice Richard Bernstein, with the assistance of the U.S. Consulate, recently completed a tour of Hong Kong. While meeting with Consular staff, local radio stations and journalists - and even joining a run with Fearless Dragons, a long-distance running group for people with visual and hearing impairments - he also spoke at an FCC Club Lunch alongside President Lee Williamson.

By: Hugo Novales

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n easy life does not always correspond to a good one.” Standing at the FCC podium, Justice Richard Bernstein began his speech with the above these words, going on to recall stories of pain, triumph and “true reason for being”.

Attending law school, becoming elected and re-elected to serve on Michigan’s Supreme Court, and completing multiple endurance races - all while being born visually impaired - has been no easy mission. But he chose to persevere, to overcome the challenges he faces every day, and become a tireless advocate for disability rights.

“Life is all about doing things because you’ve got to want it. You have to believe in it, choose it, and you’ve got to decide that you’re going to make this happen,” he said.

Justice Bernstein spoke in-depth about both his professional life and athletic endeavours, as well as his role as an advocate for disability rights.

FCC President Lee Williamson, an avid runner himself, asked Bernstein about how he was able to complete 23 marathons and a full Ironman competition, which comprises a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and another full marathon. “Ultimately, if you do everything one day at a time and one step at a time, things usually tend to find their way, as long as you don’t get overwhelmed by the process that lies before you.”

Williamson highlighted the New York City accident that Bernstein was a victim of before his 18th marathon.

A cyclist struck him in New York’s Central Park while travelling at over 35 miles an hour, shattering the Justice’s pelvis. The accident required 10 weeks of hospitalisation, during which time he had “to learn to live a new life, a life where you have to feel and experience pain on a daily basis. But you come to learn that life is about the little things, not the big things.”

Shortly after being released from the hospital, it was time for the New York City Marathon - the Justice’s first, after his catastrophic injury. “As we ran through the streets of New York, the pain was becoming unbearable;

it was literally becoming insurmountable, and it reached such a degree that as we crossed the 59th Street bridge and began running up 1st Avenue, it became almost impossible to breathe because I was in such agony,” he recounts. “But then you come to realise your inner struggle, and as you go through that, you hopefully find a sense of peace with your new life, your new body, and your new circumstance. Those who will do what is hard are those that will achieve nothing less than what is truly great.”

The Justice went on to discuss his role within the Supreme Court of Michigan and how he performs it, given his disability.

“After being elected, you have to figure out on your own how to make it work and how to ultimately get the job done. Every week, there are 25 cases that we’re responsible for, and these cases define people’s entire lives - their entire existence, their freedom, their independence. They define whether people will spend their life in prison or ever see freedom again.”

Justice Bernstein is not able to use Braille in his cases, as the material is simply too voluminous. He also cannot use technology because it diminishes the ability to relate or connect to what his colleagues are saying. So he is forced to have to memorise all the cases that come before the Court. “I have to learn them to such a degree that when I’m told that this is a specific case that involves two homicides, I can recall the case in its entirety, and not only that, I have to also recall all of the common law cases that correspond to the case that I’m having to decide. Our lives are determined by the experiences that we’re given, and it has been said before, but it is up to us to use those experiences to do something impactful.”

The conversation then transitioned into Justice Bernstein’s role in disability rights and lawmaking. As a Supreme Court Justice of Michigan, the cases he presides over can impact the rest of the country.

“After being elected, you have to figure out on your own how to make it work and how to ultimately get the job done.”

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IMAGES: FCCHK

The Justice gave the example of how a transportation system is built. Whether it’s an airport or a transit system, he believes that the accessibility to these modes of transport needs to be considered right from the outset of the conception of the project. Mandates from U.S. Congress or the Supreme Court could also be applied, yet he clarified that most of the decisions that will affect average Americans are made at the state court level.

These state and federal dynamics also came into play during Justice Bernstein’s experience with Michigan’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With each state being able to determine how to use its own laws, resources, and police force to combat the pandemic, Bernstein said the U.S. Bill of Rights is ultimately the core consideration for how Michigan, or any other state, should implement new laws. During the pandemic, certain states created more restrictions than others, which tread a fine line between protecting citizens

and preserving the Bill of Rights. These decisions weren’t easy, yet they are precisely why Bernstein believes that the courts are where they need to be made, instead of by the executive or legislative branch.

“It’s really the job of the courts to be unpopular; to make decisions that people don’t like. And it’s the job of the courts to do things in difficult times that people really hate,” he said.

When questioned if he would be willing to become a non-permanent overseas judge in Hong Kong if he were asked, Justice Bernstein responded with a resounding “yes”. “Absolutely! In our court, we have a lot of time off. We pretty much get July and August off, and also February. I would actually have the time to do it, and would be honoured to do so if asked.” n Learn more about Justice Bernstein by watching the full discussion on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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SPEAKERS’ CORNER: KISHORE MAHBUBANI

THE POWERS THAT BE A distinguished diplomat, academic, and author, Professor Kishore Mahbubani has dedicated five decades of his life to public service. Twice Singapore’s Ambassador to the United Nations, he also served as President of the U.N. Security Council in 2001 and 2002. Mahbubani recently published his tenth book, ‘Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir’, and in September he spoke on the subject of U.S.-China relations at a lunch engagement at the FCC. By: Hugo Novales

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rofessor Kishore Mahbubani has spent decades examining the complex dynamics of global geopolitics, particularly the relationship between the United States and China. As a former Singaporean Ambassador to the United Nations and the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Mahbubani’s numerous books provide knowledgeable insights into the historical and cultural contexts that shape contemporary international relations.

In his address to the audience at the FCC, Mahbubani dissected the structural strengths and weaknesses of both China and the U.S., emphasising the ongoing and accelerating rivalry between the two nations. He warned of a “great tragedy” unfolding in the next decade if both sides fail to manage their relationship constructively.

His perspective is not based on media reporting, but on his studied understanding of the historical and cultural contexts that have shaped contemporary international relations.

According to Mahbubani, the fractured U.S.- China relationship is not simply a struggle between two governments, but a confrontation involving the lack of knowledge and understanding of the world’s oldest continuous civilisation - China. He pointed out that many American policymakers overlook China’s 4,000year history, often framing the discourse between the two countries within a narrow lens of ideological conf lict with the Chinese Communist Party. This historical ignorance, he argues, leads to a lack of strategic depth in American policy, which if not addressed, has the potential to exacerbate the existing tension.

He also highlighted the psychological impact of the ‘Century of Humiliation’ (from the Opium Wars to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949), a period that still deeply inf luences modern Chinese identity and policy-making. This also provides insight into China’s assertive stance in the face of perceived threats from the U.S. Mahbubani outlined several strengths that China possesses, including its vast population, a strong work ethic, and a long history of resilience in the face of challenges, which contribute to the country’s ability to mobilise resources and innovate rapidly. Conversely, he

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noted significant weaknesses, including demographic challenges - China’s population is aging in parallel with declining birthrates – as well as the alienation of the American business community, which has historically served as a buffer against aggressive U.S. policies.

On the other hand, Mahbubani acknowledged the U.S. as a historically powerful society with a culture of innovation.

He praised the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans, which has led to the creation of globally influential companies like Microsoft, Apple and Amazon. However, in terms of foreign policy, he warned that the U.S. must develop a comprehensive plan in order to engage with China effectively. “As the United States applies pressure and imposes sanctions and tariffs, the Chinese simply say: ‘Well, you’ve done this before; we understand that you’re trying to dominate us, and we’ll make sure that this time you don’t succeed,’” he noted. “The United States has launched a contest against China without working out a long-term strategy, and anyone who has studied history knows that if you decide to go into a contest with another power and you don’t have a strategy, you’re shooting yourself in the foot, and I say this with some confidence because the person who gave me this insight was Henry Kissinger in one-on-one conversations that I had with him - first in 2018 and then in 2022, a year before he died.”

Another major weakness for the United States, Mahbubani contends, is its metamorphosis into a “functional plutocracy” that has stagnated the financial status of the bottom 50 percent of Americans for several decades. The alienation of this group, especially the white working class and their “white-lash” against the rising power of racial minorities, is what Mahbubani believes led to Trump’s election in 2016 and his potential re-election in 2024 - which would then make Trump America’s number one weakness.

Mahbubani also explained how Americans’ emotional responses to internal politics have also carried into U.S.China relations. Noting historical U.S. legislation such as the Chinese Racial Exclusion Act of 1882 and recurring themes of “yellow peril” in American entertainment, media, and various fictional characters, he believes that it’s important to dig deeper into the American psyche and unroot the emotional aspect that continues to affect U.S. policy towards China.

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When questioned about his opinion of the Western media’s coverage of China, Mahbubani was unequivocal in his response. “I think it would be fair to say that the Anglo-Saxon media provides a distorted perspective of China, and I would say that if you talk to the average American, they genuinely believe that the Chinese Communist Party has locked up 1.4 billion people in a jail where they are being oppressed. The truth is that the Chinese people have experienced greater improvements in their standard of living in the past 30 to 40 years than they have in the past 3 to 4,000 years, and the sense of pride that the Chinese feel in terms of what they have accomplished is absolutely amazing.”

A significant part of Mahbubani’s critique involves the role of media in shaping perceptions of China in the West. He argues that the Anglo-Saxon media often presents a distorted view of China, reinforcing negative stereotypes while failing to acknowledge the progress and achievements of the Chinese people. This misrepresentation not only affects public opinion but also inf luences policy decisions in the U.S., leading to a cycle of misunderstanding and hostility.

Many of Mahbubani’s critics label him as “pro-China” and “anti-U.S.” for his various comments on relations between the two countries Given these comments, FCC President Lee Williamson asked about whether or not Mahbubani believes in the “intrinsic value of democracy”

in the current geopolitical climate.

His answer was a clear yes, but not without a few caveats.

“Western liberal democracies today are in serious trouble,” Mahbubani opined.

He believes that as society evolves and becomes smarter, people will want more of a say in their government’s decision-making, which will ultimately lead to democracy.

However, Mahbubani stated the West has ignored warnings from over 2,000 years ago, from Greek philosopher Plato who was of the firm belief that governing requires knowledge and expertise. In his view, most citizens lacked the necessary understanding of complex political and philosophical issues, and as such, feared that the uneducated masses might make impulsive choices, leading to chaos and instability. It is precisely this concept that Mahbubani believes led to Donald Trump’s election in 2016 and his ongoing re-election campaign to become 47th President of the United States.

“When the West goes through this worship of democracy, it is actually doing a lot of damage because democracy is a very difficult political system to manage,” Mahbubani concluded. n Learn more about Kishore Mahbubani by watching the full discussion on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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IMAGE: TERRY O’NEILL

IN VINO VERITAS

DECEMBER COCKTAIL PROMOTION

IAN FLEMING’S “VESPER” MARTINI

By: David Brightling

s we count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining in 2024 – culminating in our James Bond themed New Year’s Countdown Party – December will feature the Vesper Martini, introduced by Ian Fleming in the first Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953.

Although the name is linked to the femme fatale of the novel, Vesper Lynd, it originated from an evening visit Fleming paid to a distinguished gentleman in Jamaica, who – referencing the hour of the day and the church service with which it is linked – invited his guests to “Vespers” (cocktails).

Not all of the ingredients in the original are still made, with Kina Lillet now being replaced by Lillet Blanc, in a very potent recipe.

• 45 ml gin • 15 ml vodka • 7.5 ml Lillet Blanc • 1 drop of Angostura Bitters Served “shaken, not stirred” of course, with a lemon twist. Enjoy this delicious, ever so slightly sweet cocktail as you count down to the New Year.

OFF THE VINES

From now until 14 November, we are featuring the six most popular wines from our Italian wine tasting held in September.

Vigneti Salento, Primitivo di Manduria Zolla Puglia 2021 This wine is ruby red in colour with a violet hue.

It has intense aromas of red cherries, blackberries and hints of spice and leather. These aromas follow through on to the palate, which is rich and velvety with generous tannins and great length.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

Claudio Quarta Greco di Tufo DOCG Campania 2023 Deep straw yellow in colour in the glass, on the nose this wine has aromatic notes of peach, apricot, meadow flowers and chamomile, which are repeated on the robust, fine-grained and highly elegant palate.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320

Zaccagnini “Tralcetto” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Abruzzo 2021 An intense ruby red colour with violet reflections in the glass, the bouquet reveals an intense and characteristic aroma with notes of jam of small red fruit, bitter almond and spices. The taste is full, wellstructured and warm, with a great taste-olfactory persistence. A strong body, but well balanced by the perfect tannic qualities and the wood for aging.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320

La Magia Vermentino IGT Tuscany 2023 This Vermentino by La Magia is a white wine with a fresh and Mediterranean spirit that is produced in the territory of Montalcino. It has a very aromatic bouquet, composed of fruity notes of peach and citrus, with a pleasant f loral fragrance and vegetal shades of aromatic herbs and sage. The mouth feel is lively and sharp, maintaining a good balance between freshness and enveloping, ending with a warm finish.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

Zenato Valpolicella DOC Superiore Veneto 2020 A classic expression of a deftly balanced Cabernet from this acclaimed region. Aromas of blackberries and dark cherry open in the glass, while on the palate, this wine is medium bodied with silky tannins and great structure. Brimming with layers of Mission plum and cassis, it reveals touches of caramel and cocoa that complement a long, detailed finish.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

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Villa Antinori White IGT Tuscany 2022 Straw yellow with greenish hues in colour, the nose is intense with notes of orange blossoms that lead over to fruity aromas of pineapple, golden apple and banana. The palate is fresh, defined by mouth-filling flavours and a mineral finish.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320 Please note all wines are also available for takeaway.

THE CORRESPONDENT | JULY 2024

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THE BEST WINES TO PAIR WITH TURKEY

IMAGE: LAKSHMI HARILELA

By: Michael Chan, FCC Food & Beverage Manager

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hen it comes to pairing wine with turkey, the options are delightfully diverse. The mild flavour and juicy texture of turkey make it a versatile canvas for a variety of wines. Whether you’re planning a Thanksgiving feast or a special Christmas dinner, here are some wine options available at the Club that will elevate your turkey dish to new heights.

Chardonnay Chardonnay is a classic choice for turkey. Its crisp acidity and mineral undertones complement the succulent flavours of the meat. Old World Chardonnays, particularly from France, offer citrus-driven notes, while New World varieties from the USA, Australia, and South America bring out juicy, stone fruit flavours.

Recommended Bottles: • Louis Latour Bourgogne Chardonnay Burgundy, France ($350 per bottle) • J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay Arroyo Seco California, United States ($275 per bottle) Pinot Noir For red wine lovers, Pinot Noir is a no-brainer. Its bright acidity and versatility make it a perfect match for turkey and its accompanying sides. Old World Pinot Noirs, with their earthy, mushroom, and tart cherry flavours, pair beautifully with turkey. New World versions, known for their fruitforward profiles, are equally as delightful.

Recommended Bottles: • Pierre Chainier Les Calcaires Pinot Noir Loire, France ($210 per bottle)

• De Loach Pinot Noir Heritage Reserve California, United States ($370 per bottle) Riesling Riesling is a fantastic option for those who prefer white wine. Its cool, crisp, and light profile balances out rich dishes, keeping your palate refreshed. Both dry and off-dry Rieslings work remarkably well. From crisp, green apple flavours found in a dry style to the lush peachy sweetness in an off-dry version, Riesling is a versatile choice.

Recommended Bottles: • Domaine Mersiol Riesling Alsace, France ($330 per bottle) • Prinz Von Hessen Riesling Troken Hessenstein Riesling Rheingau, Germany ($310 per bottle) Sparkling Wines Don’t overlook sparkling wines! Champagne and other sparkling wines add a festive touch to your meal. Their bright acidity and effervescence cut through the richness of the turkey and its sides, making them a delightful pairing.

Recommended Bottles: • Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV Champagne, France ($585 per bottle) • Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Brut NV Champagne, France ($980 per bottle) Pairing wine with turkey is all about balancing flavours and enhancing the dining experience. Whether you prefer white, red, or sparkling wines, there’s a perfect match out there for your turkey dish. Cheers to a delicious and memorable meal! n

THE CORRESPONDENT | JULY 2024

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

IMAGE: LAKSHMI HARILELA

’TIS THE SEASON

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t’s almost that time of year again, and as always, the culinary team at the FCC is preparing in earnest. The Club’s holiday season events are perennially popular, and this year promises to be no exception. The festivities kick off with our Kids’ Christmas Party (8 December), followed by the Christmas Wine Social (10 December) and the annual Christmas Choir performance featuring a repertoire of festive favourites (18 December).

Christmas Eve brings a celebratory four-course set menu (with vegetarian options) at $748 per person served in the Main Dining Room.

The Club’s bountiful Christmas Day buffet includes appetisers, an assorted sashimi and sushi corner, oysters and poached seafood on ice, a carving station featuring roast prime rib of beef and traditional roast U.S. butterball turkey with stuffing, a host of main courses and desserts, as well as an action counter preparing pan-fried French toast with apple compote. Priced at $668 per person.

If you’re planning to entertain at the office or at home, the FCC makes it easy with our Christmas takeaway menu featuring both hot and cold items, including all of your festive favourites – from Honey-glazed U.K Bonein Ham, Madeira Sauce and Apple Sauce to Roast Butter Ball Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing, Cranberry and Giblet

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Sauce to mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas log and much more. The takeaway service is available from 16-30 December.

Conditions: * A minimum of 3 working days’ notice (not including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) is required for all orders. * No orders will be accepted after 27 December 2024, and all items are subject to availability. * Orders must be picked up by members at Bert’s from 11:00 am - 9:00 pm between 14-30 December only. * Please place orders with the Purchasing Office by phone on 2521 1708 or by email at purchasing@fcchk.org. All orders will be confirmed by email with reference numbers. * Please contact the Purchasing Office if you do not receive confirmation within 2 days. * No cancellations will be accepted once your order has been confirmed.

Then of course, there’s our annual New Year’s Eve Gala Countdown Party on 31 December, this year with a 007 James Bond theme. We look forward to seeing you at one or all of these events. Book now to avoid disappointment! n

THE CORRESPONDENT | JANUARY 2024

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THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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FCC RECIPROCAL CLUBS

THE TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB Your FCC Membership gives you access to almost 100 reciprocal clubs around the world. To explore the full list, please visit the FCC website and when you decide on a club to visit, simply approach Ivan Kwan at the front desk and he will prepare a letter of introduction for you, usually via email, allowing you to connect directly with your reciprocal counterparts. By: Ray Tsang Images: Courtesy of the Tokyo American Club

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y FCC membership gives me access to a long list of reciprocal clubs worldwide. On a recent trip to Tokyo, I took advantage of this marvellous benefit and arranged a three-night stay at the Tokyo American Club (TAC). I looked forward to visiting the TAC as it is highly regarded by the Club Leader Forum, an authoritative private club consultancy. I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.

I am partial to the TAC for the following reasons.

First, the clubhouse has great architectural merit. It was designed by the renowned architecture firm Pelli Clarke & Partners, which is responsible for creating many spectacular landmarks in major cities around the world. The clubhouse has a somewhat brutalist look to it from the outside due to the liberal use of raw concrete. There are, however, numerous glass panels strategically installed to allow ample sunlight into the building. The overall interior design is modern and stylish and is focused on comfort as well as practicality. The single most striking feature of the clubhouse is The Atrium, which is several storeys high, very grand, spacious and bright with natural light. Every time I passed by The Atrium,

I found myself pausing for a moment to admire its beauty and grandness.

Second, the TAC offers a full array of amenities that is rivalled by few private clubs elsewhere. Eight food and beverage outlets, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, two golf simulators, three squash courts, a six-lane bowling alley, an indoor regulation-size basketball court, a well-stocked library, classrooms, a business centre, a grand ballroom, a spa, and patios with unobstructed views of the iconic Tokyo Tower.

There are so many things to do at the Club that one can easily be tempted to spend the entire day there instead of going out to explore the city. During my time at the TAC, I particularly enjoyed hanging out at the sports bar to watch the Paris Olympic Games over cold draft beers, shooting hoops at the basketball court for my daily exercise, and smoking cigars on the terrace after dinner. A first-time visitor may experience difficulty navigating the clubhouse as it is expansive, covering multiple storeys over two wings, with a somewhat confusing network of interconnecting passages leading to different areas. When I first arrived, I spent a good

Guest Studio

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The Atrium

hour roaming around the clubhouse and exploring every corner with great interest, allowing myself to get familiar with the layout of the whole place.

Third, the TAC offers accommodation. There are seven guest studios, all very spacious and well-equipped. It costs around ¥75,000 (approximately HK$3,900) per night. I was in Tokyo for two weeks, and for the first ten nights I occupied a small hotel room in Ginza. I like Ginza for its cigar-friendly cafes, wide range of restaurants, and quaint whisky bars which stay open until the wee hours, but I didn’t like my hotel. It was small with no amenities to speak of, and my room was so cramped that there wasn’t even a closet or a space to stow my suitcase. So I was very glad when I finally moved to the TAC for the remainder of my trip. The guest studio assigned to me was much bigger than my room in Ginza. There was a desk, a sofa, a big closet, and a living area. The bathroom alone was almost the size of my previous room and I could move around comfortably in my guest studio. When I got bored, I could head to the clubhouse for entertainment - read in the library, have a swim, work out in the gym, or play some indoor golf.

Fourth, the TAC is situated in a safe, upscale and convenient area called Azabudai, an affluent neighbourhood comparable to Mid-Levels in Hong Kong. It enjoys a high degree of safety since it is home to many foreign embassies. In fact, the TAC is right next door to the Russian Embassy, which has local officers guarding the perimeter round-the-clock. The TAC is within walking distance of Roppongi, an entertainment district full of chic restaurants, happening bars, and a vibrant nightlife, with a strong cosmopolitan vibe.

Finally, the warm hospitality of the TAC means that you can count on the staff to be super friendly, courteous and helpful. They all speak good English, so you will have no problem with communication.

I have nothing but praise for the Tokyo American Club.

It is a top-notch establishment and I highly recommend it to my fellow FCC Members. n Tokyo American Club 2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku 106-8649 Tokyo, Japan www.tokyoamericanclub.org

THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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NEW MEMBERS

NEW ON THE BLOCK

The FCC is delighted to welcome its new Members who come from a range of sectors, further adding to the diversity of our Club. Here’s a summary of who they are and what they do.

ASSOCIATE

JOHN DANIEL HIGGINS

HSBC & The Stallery Originally from Galway, Ireland, I moved to Hong Kong in 2013 after a stint in Vancouver, Canada.

I currently work in HSBC’s Treasury department and also act as a director of a contemporary art gallery in Wan Chai’s Stone Nullah Lane called The Stallery. I’m fluent in Irish Gaelic and grew up in the countryside surrounded by wildlife and history, which I now appreciate more living in the city.

My most memorable travels were in Syria in 2009, and more recently, canoeing on the Zambezi.

I’m excited to join the FCC and make new connections, eat my way through the menu and come home with interesting stories to tell my orange Maine Coon cat Mao Mao. www.linkedin.com/in/john-higgins-07618817/

ASSOCIATE

WILLEM A. HOEKSTRA

Crisis Management Consultancy Continuity Group Asia In 2004, a faulty sprinkler installation flooded the global ABN AMRO Bank trading floor at its headquarters in Amsterdam. This eye-opening event marked my first encounter with corporate crisis management and the beginning of a career in operational resilience, business continuity, and crisis management. Working with banks and other companies over the years has never been boring, with unexpected and often crazy incidents, large and small, both natural and man-made.

You may recall, for example, Fukushima, Mankhut, mass demonstrations, Covid, or all sorts of cyber attacks. I’d be collaborating with corporate crisis teams to plan and coordinate a response that would minimise the financial, reputational, and legal impact, while keeping all stakeholders happy.

I have called Hong Kong home since 2009 and have never regretted moving here. As a hobby, I fly small aircraft as a private pilot over the South African skies. www.linkedin.com/in/willem-anne-hoekstra-0877652

ASSOCIATE

www.linkedin.com/in/kishan-karia-70b35851?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

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IMAGES: SUPPLIED

KISHAN KARIA

Senior Wealth Manager St. James’s Place I was born in London (U.K.), but as a child, I spent many school holidays visiting different countries, in particular Uganda and India, where my parents are from. My father was very well-travelled and wanted to make sure our family had the opportunity to learn about new cultures, broaden our horizons and meet new people. To me, Hong Kong is a melting pot and I have been lucky enough to build valuable friendships and connections in the past seven years in a city that I call my second home. This extends into my work as a Senior Wealth Manager where I get to meet extraordinary people every day. I also get the opportunity to make an impact in their lives doing what I do best, which is helping them think of the things that they don’t have any interest or time for.

Beyond work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids, playing and watching football, particularly Arsenal, and planning our next escape.

Fun fact: I once drove an auto-rickshaw (tuk tuk) covering over 2,500km in two weeks with two friends from Pokhara in Nepal to Kerala in India to raise money for charities working in both countries.

I have spent many evenings as a guest at the FCC, but my wife and I are very excited to be new members and we look forward to getting to know many more of you.

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ASSOCIATE

LAM HAK CHUNG, PATRICK

Chief Principal ELCHK Lutheran Academy In order to inspire the young generation to develop a growth mindset through exploring the world, I have been the designer of student projects and a tour leader of expeditions across seven continents (1997 - present). Expeditions include the first group of Asian students to Antarctica in 2010, the first group of Hong Kong students to the Arctic in 2011, and numerous tours to Siberia.

The projects I have overseen include the first satellite designed and made by Hong Kong students and the first solid propellent rocket made and launched by Hong Kong students, both in 2024.

I enjoy exploring cultures (including viticulture), hiking, running, geology, paleontology, and meeting people from all walks of life. www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lam-dr-p-45073541

ASSOCIATE

LEE WAI YI, ANGELA

Executive Coach, Author, Leadership Facilitator A.L Consulting Angela has been the Founder and Director at A.L Consulting since 2014. Her mission is to create a sustainable future by helping others to enhance their strengths and talents. This includes developing next-generation leaders through inspiring, coaching, mentoring and facilitating others on their journey. The objective is to enable them to be successful while being authentic and passionate in who they are and what they do. She is a strong advocate for authenticity and leadership through an uplifting and refreshing journey of self-discovery/awareness to ultratransformation! Her first published book ‘Love to Lead, Lead with Love - Finding Your True North in Life’ is now available in three different versions - hard copy, online copy, and selfrecorded audio book.

Angela has an MBA in International Business. She is also a certified Team Coach, Halftime Coach and Drucker Educator. She speaks fluent Cantonese, English and Mandarin. Her top three values are authenticity, love and wisdom. Angela enjoys travelling, hiking, Pilates and reading. www.linkedin.com/in/angela-lee-54527

ASSOCIATE

MICHAEL JAMES MCDERMOTT

Vice President / Executive Producer Gung-Ho Media Ltd I am a film/tv producer based in Asia for the past 30+ years. Originally from Los Angeles, I moved to Asia after college. Among the many tv/film projects I have been a part of are Her, directed by Spike Jonze; Not One Less, directed by Zhang Yimou; and The Amazing Race, a U.S. reality TV show. Last year I produced an art film commissioned by M+ and Tai Kwun called ETC, for artist Sarah Morris. My first taste of Hong Kong came in the 70s via Revenge of the Pink Panther, which was shot partly in Hong Kong, and co-starred my godfather. Additionally, I love tennis and am looking for people to play with in Hong Kong.

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www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mcdermott-b468a08/

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NEW MEMBERS ASSOCIATE

NG CHEUK YAN, GARY

Senior Economist Natixis I have been crunching numbers and writing macro and thematic reports as an economist at Natixis for nearly a decade, while also interacting with the press. This year, I also joined the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) as a research fellow to further expand my coverage of the geopolitical and technological relationship between Asia and Europe. Working in a French bank, I have unexpectedly picked up a penchant for wine tasting, so I am now working towards my WSET qualification. Having spent half of my life in Australia and Hong Kong respectively, it is great to be part of a multicultural community of intelligent minds at the FCC. www.linkedin.com/in/garyng-econ

ASSOCIATE

JUERGEN SCHUSTER

Mechanical Engineer HS&A Ltd. I am a Mechanical Engineer working in the construction industry in Hong Kong and Asia. As a façade specialist, I accepted an opportunity in 2002 to move from Germany to Hong Kong, just before SARS. My wife Kannie, an Avatar® Master, was born in Hong Kong and our son Sebastian arrived in 2006. I balance office life by running, cycling (although this is somewhat treacherous on the local roads), and a bit of swimming.

I have been reading the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung daily since I was a university student, enjoying independent and balanced journalism as an important pillar of a healthy society. My dream is that Haruki Murakami will talk about his new book at the FCC. www.linkedin.com/in/kishan-karia-70b35851?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

OTHER NEW MEMBERS Chan Au Ming, Andrew Fan King Chi, Angie Fung Hoi Shan Michel Jacques Joseph Godin Charlotte Jane Kirkcaldie Charlotte Lee Rupert Talmai Morgan Raveena Raghunath Anne Jacqueline R. Schmoker Dave Sebastian Tam Chi Tao, Anson Alexander Carsten Uhlmann Maxime Roger Viens

Hong Kong Seng Kung Hui The Core Securities Company Ltd. Aon Hong Kong Ltd. Retired HSBC Oxford Asset Management Ltd. LGT Bank (Hong Kong) Sassy Media Group Abbey Import Ltd. Reporter AIA Group Ltd. HSBC HSBC

Clergy Solicitor Director

Associate Associate Associate Associate ASP Co-CEO Associate Associate Director Corporate Private Banker Associate Editorial Assistant Journalist CEO Associate Bloomberg News Correspondent Wealth Mangement Manager Associate Lead Architect Associate Credit Advisor Associate

MEMBER MOVEMENTS FULL NAME

COMPANY

POSITION

CATEGORY

British Consulate General HK U.S Consulate General HK & Macau Gard (HK) Ltd. U.S Consulate General HK & Macau

Diplomat Conular Attache Senior Claims Advisor Diplomat

Diplomatic Diplomatic Corporate Diplomatic

REPLACEMENT James Christopher Knight Wang Steven Shenghan Paul Andor Marskar David Schlaefer

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THE CORRESPONDENT | OCTOBER 2024

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Elizabeth Liu Satwant Khanalia Chan Shuk Han

U.S Consulate General HK & Macau Consulate General of India HK The Univ. of Manchester Worldwide Ltd.

Diplomat Diplomat Director

Diplomatic Diplomatic Corporate

Helicon Enterprises Co. Ltd. M Restaurant Group TMVL Consulting Ltd. Johnson Lind Consulting Eurasia Supply Chain Mgmt. Ltd Danish Christian Daily Securities and Futures Commission Cato Overseas Ltd Achilles Physiotherapy Centre Claire Smyth Counselling South China Morning Post Herbert Smith Henry Chiu & Partners Disha Limited The Good Lab Independent Investment Ptn. Ltd. Luya and Co. Ltd. Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York Right Here Right Now Ltd. ICBC Asia Ltd. Morley Chow Seto Palazzari & Turries

Chairman Associate Retired Associate CEO M Restaurant Group Associate Entrepreneur Associate Director Associate CEO Associate Correspondent Correspondent Director Associate Regional Managing Director Associate Owner Associate Counsellor Associate Asia Correspondent Journalist Partner Associate Freelance Economist Associate Solicitor Associate Director Associate Head of programmes Associate CEO Associate Freelance Associate Director / Coach Associate

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain Nuovo Grafica Publications Ltd. Turner Int’l. Asia Pacific Ltd. -

Freelance writer Self-employed Partner Publisher Executive Director Retired

ABSENT Wolf Peter Berthold Carolyn Sue Barwick Michelle Anne Garnaut Tuomas Frans Henrik Lilleberg Christopher Lind Johnson Pekka Elias Antero Heikari Pia Elers Caspersen Stuart Roseman Mark Joseph Hayden Cheung Kit Ting May Marie Claire Smyth Bhavan Jaipragas Gareth Huw Thomas Lam Ho Por Kelvin Ho Hoi Fai Priya Subberwal Luk Warren Hua Robin Neill Lambert Carsten Reinecke Elizabeth Luya John Stephen Barclay Mary Marjorie Devereux Zheng Kan Christopher Neil Morley Lam Chak Long

Director Managing Director Managing Director Partner M&A Transaction Analyst

Associate Associate Associate Associate Associate

REACTIVATED Linda Victoria Jenkins Edward Chi Jason Carmichael Chan Chi Chai Sally Young Brett Anthony Rohrsheim

Correspondent Associate Associate Correspondent Associate Associate

CHANGE OF CATEGORY - ACTIVE MEMBER Shivan Hemandas Sujanani Andrew H. Bullett Elizabeth Almond

Hemandas & Company -

Director Barrister Freelance

Deceased Associate Deceased

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CORRESPONDENT Please contact fcc@fcchk.org

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CLICK!

TASTING THE DIFFERENCE presentation from guest speaker, Mr. Suresh Kanji, General Manager of Town House HK, which provides luxury homeware and tableware to hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, and wine cellars. Mr. Kanji shared his expertise on how the shape and size of wine glasses can dramatically alter the f lavour, aroma, and overall experience of different wine varietals.

Members were then guided through a tasting of four distinct Riedel glassware models for Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

It was an evening filled with the elevated appreciation of delicious wine and food, and the FCC is grateful to Mr. Kanji and all Members who attended this sophisticated event.

THE GRAPES OF ITALY

On 12 September, the Club hosted an evening of fun and f lavours at the Italian Wine Social in the Dining Room and The Verandah, where Members tasted and graded wines from over 25 Italian producers whilst enjoying a bountiful Italian-themed buffet dinner.

IMAGES: FCCHK

In June, the Main Dining Room at the FCC introduced new Riedel wine glasses to enhance our Club’s appreciation of fine wine.

When you order wines by the glass or bottle, our trained team will pair your selection with the most suitable Riedel glasses, each of which is designed in a specific shape and size to match specific wine varietals and fully enhance the aromas, flavours, and overall character of your chosen wine.

In addition, on 25 June, the Club hosted an exceptional Riedel Tasting Dinner, when more than 50 members gathered to learn about the importance of glassware in the world of wine appreciation.

The evening began with a warm welcome from FCC General Manager David Brightling, followed by an insightful

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VIVA ESPAÑA! On 6 August, the FCC hosted an immersive Spanishthemed dinner event, transporting our members to the vibrant f lavours and lively ambiance of Lleida, in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region.

The culinary star of the evening was Guest Chef Edgard Barahona, the talented Culinary Director of Hong Kong’s Pica Pica and BÀRBAR restaurants, who delighted diners with his signature Spanish dishes, each item a masterful blend of traditional techniques and contemporary flair.

Complementing the exceptional food was an engaging wine tasting led by Paul Heavey, WSET Wine Educator & Sales Director of the Anecoop Bodegas winery. Guests savoured the characteristic flavours of the featured vintages as Heavey shared insights into Spain’s diverse wine regions.

We were honoured to have Vice Consul María Suárez Fernández from the Consulado General de Espana join us for the dinner, which was a veritable highlight of our culinary calendar.

IMAGES: FCCHK

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS

On 4 September, our Membership team held an Induction Ceremony for a fresh batch of new Members. These gatherings happen at the FCC on a regular basis to welcome newcomers and introduce them to Board Members and the

Club staff. As is tradition at the Club, the event featured an introductory speech from FCC President Lee Williamson.

We look forward to welcoming more new faces in the near future. n

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DON’T BEAT ABOUT THE BUSCH

ASIA’S MEGA CITY

M

ega events” is a uniquely Hong Kong buzz phrase.

We’re always talking about mega events, especially after Singapore so rudely stole everyone’s Taylor Swift concerts.

We tried hard after the pandemic with limited success (see April’s Don’t Beat Around the Busch for the Messy Messi affair), but as the months roll on, Hong Kong is slowly seeing a revival.

With the announcement that Coldplay will perform at the new Kai Tak Stadium in April 2025, the term “mega events” is resurgent.

The Hong Kong government has a dedicated website for mega events, so I thought I’d peruse what we have on offer.

2024 has 19 pages of mega events! 210 to be precise! Which is odd as that it doesn’t quite feel like that.

Major sporting events like the Hong Kong Tennis Open and Hong Kong Golf Open are in there of course, the Hong Kong Rugby 7s isn’t just a mega event, it’s a M status event (Mega mega?), and music events like Clockenflap and Creamfields make the list. But what else is a “mega event”?

In July, Hong Kong hosted ‘World of Snacks’ for seven days, which sounds delicious but not overly mega.

Back in April we had ‘Hong Kong Reading Week’, a “mega event” held at all public libraries. Can an event be “mega” if you’re constantly being told to be quiet by a cranky librarian?

Lovers of vinyl were surely over-the-moon when the ‘Record Store Day Hong Kong 2024’ was held on April 20. I have friends that love a good LP, and I even met someone this year who owns a record store, but surely this is more a niche event than a mega one.

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We must wait with bated breath until December for the International Ombudsman Summit, a three-day extravaganza at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. An Ombudsman’s dream no doubt, but possibly not that mega.

Our odd listing of almost every event in Hong Kong as MEGA went viral in September when a photo from Asia World Expo appeared online, with American popstar Olivia Rodrigo’s concert at AWE Hall 1 (not a mega event, strangely enough) listed next to the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum, a listed Hong Kong mega event.

The photo, posted to the aptly named Chaotic Hong Kong Expats (I know the people who run that account; they are truly chaotic) Instagram account, had over 2 million views on X, and made it as far as U.S. television, appearing on the late-night CBS comedy show After Midnight. Incredibly good news for 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum as they probably have never had such a level of publicity. It was certainly a mega event I hadn’t heard of before.

Perhaps when we get more actual mega events, ‘Cinema Day’ will no longer get mega status. Sad. But until we get more events like Coldplay, I guess we’ll just have to make do.

Ok, must dash now, I need to prepare myself for the ‘Special exhibition about the cultural and artistic exchanges between China and France mainly in the 18th century’, another mega event! n Aaron can be found online on Twitter/Threads/Instagram at @tripperhead, and the free nightly Hong Kong news Substack at tripperhead.substack.com

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