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Substance – Rensis Ho X JCCAC Artists

4 January 2023 - 16 January 2023

Free

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Yrellag Gallery is pleased to present Substance – Rensis Ho X JCCAC Artists. This exhibition is a continuation of the series “Substance” exhibited by photographer Rensis Ho at JCCAC (Shek Kip Mei Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre) in last year October. This time, eight “Environmental Portraits” created in collaboration with JCCAC artists will be exhibited, each revealing a unique story and dialogue between the photographer and the artists. The exhibition will run from 4 January to 16 January. An opening reception will be held at the gallery on 7 January from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The artist will be present at the opening.

“Stepping into JCCAC reminds me of the good times at Oil Street in the late 1990s, ” reminisces Rensis, who visited the Shek Kip Mei Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC) one day and became drawn to its ex-factory building art village vibes. Fully transformed from a cottage industry centre to the revitalized hub of arts and culture that it is today, the industrial building managed to retain much of the architectural design of its former self. Rensis, recalling his 90s studio days at the Oil Street art village, immediately got inspired to create a dialogue with the artists there through his favourite craft: portrait and still life photography. Thus “Substance” was born.

“Be it a person or an object, what matters to me is not about showing off its beautiful side, but about capturing a sincere moment and communicating its inherent, intangible qualities,” explains Rensis. Since the middle of last year, Rensis has made multiple trips back to the art village to work on a series of environmental portraits with 22 artists residing there. The artists were in turn invited to re-create a piece of work using the portraits.

“I truly hope that through this exhibition, more people will get to know this place and recognise the efforts these artists are making in this small corner of our city,” says Rensis.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER





Renowned photographer Rensis Ho has been involved with the Hong Kong photo scene for over 25 years. Rensis wasn't always destined to become a photographer. Before finding his true calling, he studied computer science, became a bank programmer and dabbled in finance in New York before deciding to study photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After returning to Hong Kong in the 1990s, he began his career as a professional photographer. From 4As advertising agencies, banks, fashion and jewelry companies to magazines such as City Magazine, Amoeba, Tatler, Elle, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Ming Pao Weekly and Modern Weekly, Rensis has been able to attract many prominent clients in the fashion and corporate world. However, his greatest passion is still life and portrait photography. He has photographed numerous Chinese and foreign celebrities, including Kate Moss, Isabella Rossellini, Alber Elbaz, Marc Jacobs, Nigo, Sakamoto Ryuichi, Aaron Kwok, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong and Denise Ho, to name a few. He has also photographed album covers for Anita Mui and Soler. In 2007, Rensis Ho held his first solo exhibition "Nike Tech Pack Exhibition by Rensis Ho: Hong Kong Subjects"; in 2010, he was invited to participate in the "Magnificent Seven Photo Exhibition" at Shenzhen Hua Art Museum.