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Mega Family: Imagining Home｜Exhibition Introduction

Hong Kong International Photo Festival (HKIPF) is returning from 8 November to 8 December 2024, with the flagship exhibition Mega Family: Imagining Home at the Hong Kong Arts Centre. Co-curated by Blues Wong and Carol Chow, the exhibition echoes the Festival’s earlier explorations of the theme of “home” in exhibitions 300 Families in 2013 and 1000 Families in 2016. Sponsored by FUJIFILM HK, Mega Family: Imagining Home invites 15 local photographers from different generations to showcase their works about Hong Kong since 2020, reflecting on the redefinition of home and family in the post-pandemic era and serving as a visual documentation of the social changes experienced under the new normality.

Unlike previous years, which featured satellite exhibitions and collaborations with overseas artists, this year’s HKIPF focuses on local culture through this single thematic exhibition. Mega Family: Imagining Home aims to explore the evolving physical, cultural, and even mental landscapes in post-pandemic Hong Kong, examining how the meaning of “home” and “family” shifts with changes in the environment amidst a dynamic social backdrop.

The works of the 15 local photographers weave together a nonlinear, ongoing story of Hong Kong. Each of them offers a unique perspective on the different aspects of “family” and “homeland”, while showcasing the evolution of the photographic medium—from manipulation and mixed media to experiments with artificial intelligence, exemplifying the rhizomatic potentiality of photography in narrating, responding to, and imagining reality.

• anothermountainman (Stanley Wong): i see ikebana. it is ikebana.
• Michelle Chan: A Taste of Home (2024)
• Chan Oi Yan: /imagine prompt Home
• Almond Chu: HOME PARADOX
• Joseph Fung: Wai Yin Association – A Mega Family
• Justin Hui: Searching for Poon
• Lau Chi Chung: The Dayspring of Eternity: May the dreamy nightfall stay forever...
• Jimmy Lee:‥■〕(Laughter carries the warmth we share now)
• Kevin Ling: Wash Out
• Thomas Lin: Sunshine of Yesterday
• So Hing Keung: Reappearance of Buddha’s Light
• Wong Chi Lam: 20422 Kilometres
• Paul Yeung: Parade
• Yu Ho Yeung: Eagle Hunters of the Altai Mountains
• Vincent Yu: 21 Days

Collateral Programmes

This summer, HKIPF collaborated with these 15 photographers to produce 15 videos set against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour and the iconic Star Ferry, documenting the interaction between the photographers and the harbour. On the swaying ferry, the photographers captured the scenery along both sides of the harbour, contemplating the meaning of “home”. From historically significant landmarks like Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Clock Tower to the imposing skyscrapers, planes soaring overhead, and sailors quietly pulling the ferry back to the dock, each frame tells a story of the city. As the sounds of the ferry's horn blend with the crashing waves and the chatter of the crowds, the photographers quietly emerge at the bustling pier, as if reminding us that this is where lives converge.

In addition to the flagship exhibition, HKIPF 2024 has also curated a series of artist talks aimed at providing visitors with deeper artistic insights. The first talk takes place on 9 November, themed around the exhibition title Mega Family: Imagining Home, featuring artists anothermountainman, Joseph Fung, Jimmy Lee, and So Hing Keung, who will share their interpretations of the theme and the concepts and inspirations behind their works.

Concurrently, a special exhibition, titled Chuen Lung Gruppetto, will be held at Koon Man Space from 16 November, 2024 to 28 February, 2025. Curated by Leon Suen, the exhibition delves into the history and culture of Chuen Lung Village through showcasing a selection of photographs featuring its villagers. The term “gruppetto” refers to a musical ornament characterised by a rhythmic arrangement that follows conventions rather than strict rules, making it a challenging technique to master. Chuen Lung, an ancient Hakka village nestled in the foothills of Hong Kong’s highest mountain, was settled by migrants from Longchuan County in Guangdong some 600 years ago. They transformed the barren land into a thriving village, with its legacy passed down through generations. The photographs displayed in this exhibition are drawn from the personal albums of the villagers, showcasing historic images of life in Chuen Lung. While they may not appear academic or systematic at first glance, they possess an intrinsic quality that, upon closer inspection, subtly reveals the enduring spirit of the village and echoes the essence of gruppetto.

On the day of the opening, Koon Man Space will collaborate with Y Space to present outdoor dance performances at various locations in Chuen Lung. These site-specific performances, accompanied by storytelling from villager Tsang Kim Man and researcher Pak Chai, will showcase the history and narratives of Chuen Lung in a multi-layered format. This opening programme is also part of the i-Dance (HK) Festival 2024 – The Mountain.

Exhibition Details

• Mega Family: Imagining Home
• Date: 8 Nov - 8 Dec 2024
• Time: 11:00-20:00 (Daily)
• Venue: Pao Galleries, 4-5/F, Hong Kong Art Centre
• Address: 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

• Koon Man Space: Chuen Lung Gruppetto
• Date: 16 Nov 2024 - 28 Feb 2025
• Time: Thursday (By appointment) | Friday to Sunday (11:00-14:00, 15:00-18:00) | Monday to Wednesday (Closed)
• Address: Chuen Lung Village, 338 Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Curated by

Blues Wong & Carol Chow

Artists

anothermountainman

Michelle Chan

Chan Oi Yan

Almond Chu

Joseph Fung

Justin Hui

Lau Chi Chung

Jimmy Lee

Kevin Ling

Thomas Lin

So Hing Keung

Wong Chi Lam

Paul Yeung

Yu Ho Yeung

Vincent Yu

Source of the above information: Hong Kong International Photo Festival official website