Reminiscence

EVENT DESCRIPTION

“Urban Species”, a night-time art exhibition curated by MUSTHAVEKEYS, received positive reviews. Following the just-completed first part “Desire”, the second part of the exhibition, “Reminiscence”, is exhibited from now to 15 October 2023. Natalie Lo Lai Lai, Macy Tse Ming Sze and Yuen Nga Chi deal with the history of the streets in Central and the changes in their outlook through the works and draw from the artists’ personal experiences and through the exploration via different species of the characteristics of places and their association with personal identities, memories and sentimentalities, and the imaginations of Hong Kong.

The exhibition is held in a historic street in Central. Regarded as the “center” of Hong Kong, Central has always given the impression of a busy district located in the center of the vibrant city, thronging with people engaging in all sorts of commercial activities, but also dotted with spaces of different types. Historically, the outlook of Central has always been in a state of perpetual transformation, which is also a reflection of Hong Kong itself. Chancery Lane, where the old and the new converge, faces the old city wall of Tai Kwun, a century-old historic site, and witnesses the changes of the times. At this moment, construction is in full swing at both ends of the street, and soon the street will undergo another metamorphosis, becoming completely unrecognizable, where nothing of the past remains.

Amidst the rapid urban development in Hong Kong, the boundaries of the city and nature overlap, and the relationship between humans, animals, and the city is complex and intricate. In the human-centric city, other species are regarded as mere accessories or even outsiders and are only allowed to survive in the gaps or under certain permitted conditions. Species that find themselves lost in the urban labyrinth, hidden in the dark corners of the city, have always played a side role in our urban narrative. Long-time animal scholar Cathy Huang Tsung-chieh points out in her book The Face of Ethics that both humans and other species need to define each other’s spaces in the crowded urban environment, where boundaries overlap and struggle against the surroundings constantly happen. At the same time, the relationship between humans and nature is fluid, where compromises, adaptations, and transformations are made to meet survival needs, and the two do not necessarily stand in a binary opposition. As a symbol, the faces of other species not only reflect our human desires but also serve as an allegory, the portal and vessel for understanding the city, connecting the players and events of the city, including the anxieties and loss brought about by all the changes of the city. Humans, like animals, must constantly face the challenges brought about by the changes in their surroundings, even transforming themselves to adapt to different environments in order to survive in this world. Through different species, the exhibited works reveal to us human beings as an urban species their desires and states of existence.

As a species mainly active during the day, humans have always adopted a way of living based on the rising and setting of the sun. For humans, the day represents occupation, restlessness, speed and efficiency, while tranquility and restfulness constitute the night. The lack of light at night makes it difficult for humans to discern their surroundings, leading to such associations as enchantment, mystery, ambiguity, fearfulness, and anxiety. Compared to the bright day, where everything is clearly exposed under the sun, the dark night is often referred to as the hidden desires and dark sides within us.