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EVENT DESCRIPTION
Lumenvisum presents the 13th New Light Young Artists Exhibition – Exile to the Red Planet, the first Solo Exhibition by Caleb FUNG. Fung uses images to record stonewall trees in Hong Kong. By using photography, Fung tries to rewrite the fate of a Banyan tree that would be removed. Fung’s work combines image technology, traditional and classical photography methods with his observation and imagination, putting his thoughts of fate and hope in his images.
Fung photographed different stonewall trees in Hong Kong. One of them is meaningful to him, because it is planted beside his home, and has grown together with Fung many years. However, the Banyan tree has been growing on a slope, costing an expensive maintenance fee every year. Although the tree was assessed as healthy, with the support of the majority of the residents, the Banyan tree would face its fate of being removed.
In the past, Banyan trees were able to grow on the wall, and the roots could grow between the gaps of stone bricks. Fung used black and white images to photograph stonewall trees, highlighting their tenacious vitality.
Occasionally, there are reports of healthy trees being cut off due to various reasons, such as human safety or urban development. Fung uses photogrammetry and augmented reality technology to relocate a banyan tree in the exhibition space, capturing and presenting the entities that are not on site. They are visible, but intangible.
Perseverance, a Mars rover from NASA landed on Mars in 2020. Through the images and clips sent from Perseverance, Fung thought about the possibility of “transplanting” a Banyan tree to Mars. Fung applied turmeric powder in Anthotype, concocting a rust-red colour simulating the surface of Mars. Finally, the Banyan tree stands firm on another planet.
It is not only some scenes in movie. It is possible that the Earth is no longer suitable for human habitation one day, because of the overdevelopment of human society. Humans’ fantasy of migrating to Mars is the same as the Banyan tree under Fung’s lens: pursuing hope in the unknown.
Curator Kalen LEE Wing Ki, described the exhibition as “an image-epic of the Chinese Banyan Tree in Hong Kong, also it is served as a reflection for HongKonger and our belief systems of today’s situations.” Through Exile to the Red Planet, he hopes the future of HongKonger can “stay strong with the old trees in solidarity and dignity.”
ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER
Caleb Samuel FUNG (b. 1994) is a Hong Kong-based young and emerging photographer who graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts of the Hong Kong Baptist University with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Visual Arts in 2016. Since then, he has been working as an independent photographer professionally.His works are selected for competitions and awards in Hong Kong and internationally, including WMA Masters (Hong Kong), Lumenvisum (Hong Kong) and Prix Pictet (Switzerland). In 2021, Fung's work was exhibited at Peckham 24, London.
About the Curator
LEE Wing Ki (b. 1981) is an artist-researcher-curator born and based in Hong Kong. He read History of Art at the University of Hong Kong and received postgraduate training in documentary photography and photojournalism at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, supported by a British Chevening Scholarship. Lee is currently an assistant professor in photography at the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, and a visiting researcher at the Centre of the Study of the Networked Image, London South Bank University.
About New Light
Initiated in 2010, the New Light exhibition scheme set out to be a platform for nurturing young local photographers as well as introducing new talents to the scene. Each year, a potential artist is selected through open call and provided with support in debuting their solo exhibition in the gallery space of Lumenvisum. Previous “New Light” artists: Clement Chan, Cheung Wai Lok, Dan Leung, Joan Leung, Ula Tsui, Siu Wai Hang, Dorothy Wong, Sharon Lee, Nicole Pun, Toby Wong, Wong Pak Hang, Ng Kai Fung and Caleb Fung.
