Voyage Through Time

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Curated by Edward Stokes and presented by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (HKMM)’s curatorial team, Voyage Through Time is a new exhibition of captivating photographs taken in Hong Kong between the 1940s and 1970s by celebrated photographers Hedda Morrison, Brian Brake and Edward Stokes. These photos portray Hong Kong’s harbour, its port, shipping, maritime life, and boat people.

A Visual Voyage Through the Post-war History of Hong Kong

The three well-respected photographers come from diverse backgrounds but share a common passion: they all found fascination in Hong Kong’s people and places. The exhibition features 40 framed photos, illustrating 30 years of Hong Kong’s development from the end of World War II to the late 1970s. During these decades, Hong Kong emerged from the impacts of a long war, overcoming challenges and setbacks to experience a gradual economic and social resurgence to become a vibrant international port city.

Each Photograph Tells a Hong Kong Harbour Story 

From the post-war era to its rise as a modern metropolis, these photos vividly capture a slice of Hong Kong’s history. Each photograph tells a unique harbour story.

Hedda Morrison captured post-war maritime Hong Kong with her camera. In one photo, Wan Chai can be seen, still barren after the war, overlooking Victoria Harbour. Life for most people during this period was extremely hard. Many people were gaunt from hunger.

Brian Brake’s photos were mainly taken in the 1960s to mid-1970s. During this era, port facilities and city’s skyline saw significant development, and the lives of its people became less hard.

Edward Stokes’ photos were taken in 1979, a pivotal time when Hong Kong transitioned to its emergence as a modern metropolis. There is one photo that depicts two boys who look adequately fed, and almost certainly going to school – an unthinkable benefit for virtually all boat children in 1946.

Digital Display “Past and Present” – A View Through Two Generations

Another highlight is the digital display showcasing the contrasting “past and present” photos of the Harbour, its maritime life and environs. The black-and-white photos were taken by Hedda Morrison in 1946–1947. The colour photographs were taken a few years ago by Rogan Coles. During 2024, Anton Aleshin took remarkable drone photos of the harbour and shipping.