「凝視」
由2019年至今，香港人的抗爭此起彼落。面對鎮壓，手空無物的抗爭者只能就地取材，掘磚堵路以作反抗。衝突過後，一幅幅的連儂牆被油漆覆蓋，但牆上的痕跡仍見證著這場社會運動反抗的聲音。而街磚間的坑洞雖被混凝土倉促填封，行人道上的裂痕彷彿訴說著，為香港自由而戰之抗爭者的犧牲及努力，不容從我們的記憶中抹去。
這系列的作品嚐試將年青抗爭者的精神及故事，借他們對家的“凝視”，拓印在各處抗爭地，以記錄這場滿載理想、盼望與愛的抗爭。
“Gaze”
The fight for Hong Kong’s freedom blossomed in 2019, giving rise to the largest series of demonstrations in the city’s history. The 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, sparked by the government’s introduction of a bill to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance regarding extradition, galvanized widespread resistance. The became a symbol of the city’s struggle against encroaching control, and they were marked by the fervent determination of its youth.
During the protests, demonstrators extracted bricks from the pavement, using them as a means of self-defense against the advancing Hong Kong police force. The clashes left behind numerous holes in the city’s streets—wounds in the urban fabric that the government hastily filled with concrete. These enduring scars serve as a testament to the resilience of those who fought for freedom and political reform.
Navigating the city in the aftermath of these events, these scars evoked vivid memories, embodying the recollections of political turmoil and the indomitable spirit of Hong Kong’s young freedom fighters. These memories are indelible, much like the gazes of those who participated in the protests—gazes that have left their mark on our city and in our collective consciousness.
In this series of works, I sought to crystallize the spirit and stories of these youthful protestors. I used aluminum foil to rub the floor at sites of political unrest, a medium that captured the sharp textures of the concrete and allowed me to convey my emotions through body movements and gestures. The foil holds the imprint of these scars—scars that are not only physical but also symbolic of the collective memory of our struggle.
During this period, I also captured photographs and conducted interviews with the protestors. These portraits were taken within their own communities or familiar environments, immersing them in surroundings rich with their personal memories—whether tied to daily life, the political upheaval, or their connection to Hong Kong.
Finally, I coated the aluminum foil with silver gelatin to prepare it for the gelatin silver process in the darkroom, making it photosensitive in a manner akin to traditional black and white photographic paper. Using this process, I printed the portraits of the protestors onto the aluminum foil, blending the medium with the message.
Each piece stands as a record of resistance—a resistance built upon ideals, hopes, and love for our home city.