TIME/SPACE: BRIEF AS PHOTOS P.5
PREFACE The Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) and Joseph Fung have established quite a longstanding relationship dated back to 1989 when he held his photography exhibition in Pao Galleries. Starting from 1960s onwards, the first generation of Hong Kong contemporary artists, including Fung, are all in common: they are overseas students who are rebellious, avant garde and experimental. These artists brought back Hong Kong with their international vision and strive to make their own innovations; whilst they are mindful of making real changes in the Hong Kong art scene instead of playing anchorites. HKAC was born exactly out of these artists’ outcry and since then we have been walking side by side with them one generation after another. Fung’s works have always been about time, place and affection. He was born in the Mainland China, grew up in Hong Kong and Macau, studied in Taiwan and Chicago. He is the typical type of international Chinese artist running hither and thither within the Sinosphere; whilst his works express his deep passion for the place he calls home. Fung is a forerunner of Hong Kong contemporary arts and he made tremendous effort in both artistic creation and reform in art education in Hong Kong. He advocated in upgrading Photography to degree level in spite of the general perception within Hong Kong society that Photography is only for practical and commercial purposes. HKAC as Hong Kong’s first non-government multi-arts institution, has been diligently promoting the art form of photography. This exhibition serves as the retrospect of Fung’s artistic journey, while at the same time, with the responding works by 10 renowned visual artists of different generations, the exhibition is also a window through which our audience will get a glimpse of the 40 years of development of Hong Kong photography. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate our long term partnership and collaboration with Hong Kong International Photo Festival, and congratulate the curator Blues Wong Kai Yu, the protagonist Fung, as well as all participating artists for the successful exhibition. CONNIE LAM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HONG KONG ARTS CENTRE