Exhibition Introduction

Michael John Hunter and Falling Army Man Toy sculpture work, 2021

JPS Gallery is pleased to present Michael John Hunter's solo exhibition "The More Things Change", happening at the gallery’s Hong Kong location in LANDMARK ATRIUM.

This exhibition displays Hunter's iconic series of works, boldly challenging our views of what's "real" and "imaginary". Among them are the photographs of Falling Army Man Toy (2021), which was unveiled at Art Central at the beginning of this year and became the topic of the exposition. In addition to receiving academic training in photography, Hunter is also passionate about sculpture. This series shows how the artist can navigate between the two art forms with versatility. By using a technique he called "fake macro photography", Hunter puts enlarged old toy sculptures in a real-life location and shoots it at night with a bird’s eye view, thereby enhancing the photography and showcasing the actual scale of the sculpture.

Falling Army Man Toy, 2021 | C-Type on FujiCrystal Archive 231gsm Paper | 86.5 by 71cm; 95 by 78.5cm (framed) | Edition of 25 plus 3 AP

With a fascination with the details and flaws of objects, especially toys and plastic insects, Hunter meticulously crafts every sculpture. The enlarged toy sculpture is life-like due to it being very detailed.

Toy Glider, 2019 | C-Type on Fuji Crystal Archive 231gsm Paper | 71 by 86.5cm; 79.5 by 95cm (framed) | Edition of 25 plus 3 AP

The artist then installs these sculptures in specific real-life urban locations and photograph them with a five-by-four film camera. The final images are developed after Hunter's careful consideration, and was shot on a platform with a specific height and carefully planned lighting.

Noale, 2015 | C-Type on Fuji Crystal Archive 231gsm Paper | 99 by 122.5 cm; 104.5 by 127.5cm (framed) | Edition of 12 plus 2 AP

Hunter believes that toys are our first contact with art and play an important role in our understanding of art and sculptures. Through his works, the artist creates a new assessment of the concept of "reality". It challenges our sense of scale and perception under the feeling of nostalgia. The presented works invite us to think about the truth through the sculptures and the final photographic works.

Sandpit, 2017 | C-Type on FujiCrystal Archive 231gsm Paper | 120.5 by 147.5 cm; 124 by 150.5 cm (framed) | Edition of 5 plus 2 AP

Exhibition Details

• The More Things Change | Michael John Hunter Solo Exhibition
• Date: 20 August - 26 September, 2021
• Venue: JPS Gallery
• Address: Shop 218-219, 2nd Floor, The Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

  About Michael John Hunter

  Michael John Hunter tried to blur the distinction between reality and illusion, moral and ethical, perception and presumption with different creative media, placing realistic sculptures in the real-life locations to challenge the absurdity of modern living .

Hunter recreates children's toys into giant sculptures with extreme detail, puts them on the street, and photographs the works at night. Through his ‘fake macro photography’ technique, he reveals how imagery can influence one's view of the world.

He graduated with a degree in Fine Art Photography from the University of Edinburgh. He currently lives in London and is active in the film industry.

Source of the above information: Official press release