0050PH2S. A Souvenir Photo from the George Eastman Museum

 

A Souvenir Photo from the George Eastman Museum
(PHOTOGRAPH,  5x7 inch, dye-sublimation print in 9x15 paper mount, 2003)

In the fall of 2003, we drove to the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, to see an exhibition by Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison. Naturally, we also took the opportunity to explore the museum’s various displays showcasing Eastman Kodak’s immense contributions to photography.

One section of the museum featured a station where technicians took visitors' portraits using an antique Eastman large-format camera as a backdrop. We couldn’t pass up the chance. About ten minutes after the photo was taken, the technician handed us two prints, already mounted in paper frames—a wonderful keepsake. The images were printed using dye-sublimation, a thermal-based digital printing method. Compared to inkjet prints, dye-sublimation produces results that are closer to traditional photographs.
In the past, when we were still in Hong Kong, I owned a dye-sublimation printer due to work requirements—an extremely expensive machine at the time, costing nearly $15,000 USD. The Forty Poems series, now in the M+ collection, was printed using that very device.

We had previously seen ParkeHarrison’s works in publications, but experiencing the originals was an entirely different encounter. His surrealism is deeply rooted in the world, and his poetic critique of reality is profoundly moving.

In 2004, we undertook a complete redesign of Photo Pictorial, a Hong Kong photography magazine, overhauling both its layout and content. The March 2004 issue featured an in-depth article on ParkeHarrison’s work, written by Holly for the international photography column. Beyond the souvenir photo, this was the most valuable takeaway from the trip.

喬治伊士曼博物館紀念照
2003年秋天，我們驅車往紐約州Rochester 的喬治伊士曼博物館 (George Eastman Museum) 看Rober & Shana Parkeharrison 的展覽。當然也順道參觀館中各項關於伊士曼柯達對攝影百般貢獻的展示。館中有一個部分，有技術人員可為來觀者，在一座伊士曼古老大照相機前拍照。我們沒有放過此機會。照片拍過後十來分鐘，技術員送給我們兩張已簡略裝裱好照片。好一個紀念物。照片是感熱式的數位印刷 (Dye-sublimation)。這種數位照片，比噴墨打印的更接近傳統照片。我在港時因為工作需要，曾經擁有過一部這種印機，不過十分的昂貴，當時接近15,000美元 。M+現藏有我一套「Forty Poems」照片，便是使用該台印機輸出。Parkeharrison的照片，在刊物上已經看過，畢竟看原作的感染力很是不同。他的超現實來得那麼入世，對現實的的批判又是那麼詩意泱然。2004年我們為香港的「攝影畫報」，從版面到內容做了一個顛倒性的全面翻新工程。在2004年3月號，黃楚喬特撰的國際網絡專欄，詳盡寫了Parkeharrison的作品。也是這個紀念照之外，此行的主要收穫。

0049PH2S. Seeing Cindy Sherman at Metro Pictures in New York

 

Seeing Cindy Sherman at Metro Pictures in New York
(PHOTOGRAPH,  3.5x5 inch, c-type photograph by Josiah Leung, 1990)

January 1990. We visited Metro Pictures in New York to see Cindy Sherman’s exhibition. This photograph was taken by Josiah Leung, a friend we met during our time in New York. Later, Josiah returned to Hong Kong to further his career. While in New York, he had been an assistant to Grant Peterson.

Grant was known for his mastery of the 8x10 Deardorff camera, using natural sunlight to create his images. It was said that his photography table could be moved to follow the direction of the sunlight streaming through the windows. At the time, he was nicknamed the Sun King and was a rising star in New York’s photography scene.

In the 1990s, when the Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers organized its Photography Biennial Awards, I chaired the organizing committee. In one edition, we invited Grant Peterson to Hong Kong as an international judge.

New York is a cultural hub, and a photographer’s reputation there often extends beyond the city, we heard about Grant when we were in Hong Kong. However, in North America, fame tends to have a shorter lifespan than in Asia. One can be at the peak of their career for a few years, only to be replaced by another rising talent soon after.


在紐約Metro Pictures看Cindy Sherman
1990年1月。我們在紐約Metro Pictures 畫廊看Cindy Sherman的展覽。照片是Josiah Leung拍攝。Josiah 是我們在紐約活動的日子所認識的朋友。他後來回到香港發展，在紐約的時候，他是 Grant Peterson的助手。Grant 擅長用8x10 Deardorff 照相機，以陽光拍攝。 據說他的攝影枱可以移動，去依順窗戶照射進來陽光的方向。 當時被稱之為陽光之皇 (Sun King)，有一段時間，在紐約紅極一時。在90年代，香港專業攝影師公會籌辦攝影雙年獎，有一屆我當籌委主席，便邀請了Grant Peterson來港作為海外評判。紐約是文化集中地，Grant在行內的名氣，在其他地區亦會不脛而走。但是在北美洲的人氣生命，也較在亞洲的為短。在幾年間你紅極一時，但幾年後又可能被另一個強人所代替。
 

0048PH2S. David Clarke Photographed Ka-sing and Holly at The Half King

 

David Clarke Photographed Ka-sing and Holly at The Half King
(PHOTOGRAPH,  5x7.5 inch, c-type photograph by David Clarke, 2002)

It was 2002 in New York. One day, Holly and I were sitting on the upper deck of a bus when it stopped at a station. To our surprise, we spotted our good friend from Hong Kong, David Clarke, waiting for a bus. Overjoyed, we hurried off to greet him. David told us he had come to New York specifically to photograph the aftermath of 9/11. We arranged to meet for lunch the next day at The Half King, where this photograph was taken.

Later, David sent us the photo from Hong Kong—a picture we both cherished. The Half King, located in Chelsea, was a favorite haunt of writers and photographers. I later heard it closed in 2018 after 18 years of operation, coincidentally mirroring our own 18-year journey running a gallery in Toronto.

At the time, Chelsea was an emerging gallery district. We saw galleries of all sizes sprouting like bamboo shoots after the rain, full of vitality. A fleeting thought crossed our minds—what if we sold our house in Toronto and set up in Chelsea instead? After all, we represented some of the best Asian artists, and contemporary Asian art was at the center of the global art scene then.

But we quickly dismissed the idea—it would have been too bold a move. Our gallery in Toronto had only just begun in 2000. More importantly, we didn’t want to abandon the principles that had guided us all along.


David Clarke 拍攝家昇楚喬在The Half King

2002年在紐約。有一回，我和楚喬坐在巴士上層，車子在站停下來的時候，赫然發現香港的好友David Clarke正在車站候車。我們喜出望外，怱忙下車。David 說來紐約特意去拍911的現場。我們約好打後的一天，在The Half King 午飯。這張照片就是在該午飯地點拍攝。David 後來從香港寄來，是一幀我們很喜歡的照片。The Half King 在 Chelsea，是文化人，攝影人的出沒點。聽說在2018年停業了，經過18年的經營。也呼應了我們在多倫多經營畫廊的18個年頭。那時Chelsea還是個新開發的畫廊地，我們看見這地畫廊有大有小，如春筍般生氣勃勃，忽然動了一下懸念，不如賣掉在多倫多的房子，在Chelsea發展。況且我們手中的都是亞洲最好的藝術家，那個時候正是亞洲熱。很快我們便打消了念頭，這個改動太刺激了，我們在多的畫廊剛在2000年開始營運。不過最主要的，還是不想因此而改變了我們的基理。

0047PC2SK. Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award 1989 香港藝術家年獎

 

 

Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award 1989

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, 2-colour offset, written in 1989)

Flipping through postcards from late 1989, I was reminded that this was the period when I received the Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award for photography. This particular postcard, dated November 1, 1989—exactly one month before my departure for New York—bears a newspaper clipping from the Hong Kong Economic Journal listing that year’s recipients. Among them were familiar names such as Lam Min-yee, Alan Chan, and Anita Mui.

Since I had already planned to leave Hong Kong, I couldn’t attend the award ceremony. However, a television crew filmed an interview before my departure, and a few media outlets reached out for coverage. It was an already hectic time, made even busier by these unexpected engagements. I hadn’t realized then that my nomination came from Kan Tai-keung, and not having the chance to thank him in person remains a regret.

The following year, the photography award went to Christopher Doyle. I wasn’t his nominator, but I was one of the judges.

The front of this postcard features Moon Sun and Myths, a photograph by Holly from her Owltoise series, created in 1985. The series captured objects belonging to our daughter, Iris, and was exhibited at the Photo Centre in Hong Kong that same year.


香港藝術家年獎1989

翻看在89年底的明信片，察覺我獲取「香港藝術家年獎」攝影師獎就是在那個時段。這一張明信片寫於89年11月1日，距離起程往紐約是一個月前的事。在明信片字行我貼了一則信報發刊該年獲獎名單的新聞剪報。同年獲獎也包括熟悉的林敏怡，陳有堅，梅艷芳等人。由於我安排了遠行，不能參加頒獎典禮，不過電視台也在我起行之前，來影室拍了錄像。也有一些傳媒來作訪問。在那些繁忙的日子，更加了一點負荷。那些風華正茂的日子，也是年少不懂事，雖然我是不太在乎獲獎，但獎項是有提名的。後來才得知我的獎是由靳棣強先生所提名，沒有親身致謝，也為憾事。香港藝術家年獎也如毛先生所說「數風流人物還看今朝」，我獲獎翌年，攝影師獎項由杜可風獲得，我不是提名人，但卻是評判人之一。這張明信片的正面是楚喬的攝影「月亮太陽一些傳說」。是她1985年作品「烏頭貓」系列的其中一張。她在這個系列，拍攝女兒思菱的零碎物件，是組作品，1985年6月在香港的Photo Center展出。

0046PL2SK Twenty Three Empty Chairs 23張空椅子

 

Twenty Three Empty Chairs

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, black and white, 1980s)

In the 1980s, we frequently received assignments from Black Star, a photo agency, to shoot annual reports or commercial photographs in Asia, particularly in mainland China. On one occasion, we were commissioned to take a group photo in Beijing. At the time, China had just begun opening up to foreign commercial operations. An international company was hosting a conference in Beijing, gathering key representatives from around the world at a hotel in the city. The group photo was scheduled to take place during a brief fifteen-minute window between the conference and the evening banquet.

We arrived in Beijing that afternoon, took a taxi directly to the hotel, and immediately began setting up—arranging lights, determining positions, and making other preparations. By the time everything was in place, it was time to shoot. The group, comprising over a hundred people, was arranged in three to four rows: seated in the front, standing in the middle, with a raised platform at the back.

Given the tight schedule, there was no room to shoot more than a roll of film, let alone conduct Polaroid tests. We opted for a large-format camera, confident that with careful composition, the entire shoot wouldn’t require more than ten sheets of film. Once developed, the transparencies were promptly sent from Hong Kong to the agency in the United States.

Yet, this Polaroid—a test shot taken earlier in the day—remains with us, capturing 23 empty chairs. Over the years, it has lingered, imbued with a surreal, almost symbolic meaning.
The following morning, we took a taxi straight to the airport and returned to Hong Kong. It turned out to be one of our shortest trips to Beijing.

[23張空椅子]
在八十年代，我們常常接到一間圖片代理公司Black Star委約，在亞洲尤其是在中國內地拍攝年報，或商業用的照片。有一回，一個工作個案是要到北京拍攝一張全體照。當時內地剛對外商業運作開放，有一間國際公司在北京一個會議，分報世界各地的要員，齊聚在北京一酒店。全體照的拍攝時間定於在會議與晚讌交界之間的十多分鐘。我們下午抵達北京，乘計程車直達酒店，便開始架燈，定位等準備工作。當一切準備就緒已是拍攝的時間，全體照共百來人，分三至四排，前坐後站，後面又有高台。這等工作，由於時間短少，多拍一點膠卷也不行，更遑論拍寶麗來測試。所以決定用大片幅相機，只要看得準，拍攝不超過十張片便是。照片拍攝冲洗之後，已全部從香港寄往美國的圖片代理。唯是這楨在下午拍攝作測試用的寶麗來，23張空椅子，留著這麼多年，還存在著它的超現實意義。由於在港忙著，我們拍照翌日早上便乘計程車至機場直接回港。也算是在那個年代，最短的一次北京之旅。

0045PL2SH. A Relationship Like Wool (Part II) 仿如羊毛的關係 （之二）

 

A Relationship Like Wool (Part II)

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, black and white offset print, 1997)

By the time the WOOLMARK project was completed, Holly had already left for Toronto and was unable to attend the exhibition opening. Her collaborating fashion designer was Walter Ma, with whom she had a long-standing relationship, having photographed a number of seasonal collections for him over the years.

For this project, Holly photographed a black coat designed by Ma, embedding within it a photograph of my mother in her youth. In her personal interpretation, she used a childhood photo of me in Guangzhou as the central image, layering it with her handwritten transcription of a poem I had written about my father. She also translated the poem from Chinese into English.

Holly often wove familial relationships into her creative work, extending beyond her own past to intertwine with my history as well.

Relationships, after all, are intricate and multilayered—whether between people, across generations, or even between artists and their clients. They defy simple categorization as either positive or negative, always unfolding in complex and unexpected ways.


仿如羊毛的關係 （之二）

楚喬完成WOOLMARK個案之後已動程去了多倫多，而沒有出席展覽的開幕活動。她合拍的時裝設計師是Walter Ma，她與設計師也熟稔，因為多年來楚喬替他拍過不少季度的時裝系列。在這個個案，楚喬拍了一襲Ma 設計的烏黑大衣，又鑲嵌其中，一幀我母親年青時期的照片。在她個人演繹的那幀，她用了一張我童年在廣州的照片為主本，又將我寫關於父親的一首詩，譯為英文，以手書方式，疊蓋在照片表面。楚喬喜歡以家庭關係融入自己的創作，這個關係網絡，也不止於她的遠年過去，也蓋及至我的脈絡。關係又是那麼迂迴曲折，正如創作人與客戶的關係，你又總不能單從正面或者負面去解讀。

0044PC2SK. A Relationship Like Wool 仿如羊毛的關係

 

 

0044PC2SK. A Relationship Like Wool
(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, black and white offset print, 1997)

If you are a photographer with a strong artistic vision—one whose abilities extend beyond simply following a layout—you will often be invited to participate in promotional projects that are more conceptual in nature and allow for immense creative freedom. These projects are typically unpaid or come with only a modest production fee, sometimes compensated with a luxury product from the client, such as a camera or a high-end watch.

The benefits of such collaborations are intangible and unpredictable—you might create a widely celebrated piece of work, or you might walk away with nothing. Among these collaborations, one particularly rewarding case was a Fujifilm camera I received, which I continued to use daily for over a decade. I believe both sides gained fully from that exchange. In contrast, the Tag Heuer watch I was given remained tucked away, as I was never one to wear a watch. Yet, the image I created for them became my computer desktop wallpaper for over twenty years— good enough for standing the test of time.

In 1997, WOOLMARK organized a similar exhibition, inviting fashion designers and photographers to collaborate. Each team consisted of one designer and one photographer; my partner was designer Benjaminn Lau. I was required to submit one photograph from my own perspective, along with another interpreting Lau’s designs. The exhibition featured large-format prints, approximately 30×40 inches, with sponsorship already secured for the enlargements.

Additionally, a series of promotional postcards was produced. The one shown here is my vision of Lau’s design, titled BL in Cyberspace, 97.



仿如羊毛的關係

假若你是有主觀能力的攝影師，而能力又不只是局限於依草圖辦事，你常有機會被邀請到，參與一些作為宣傳用途，既軟性，而又自由度極高的個案。通常這些個案都是不付費，或提供小小創作物料費用，又或者送你一件客戶的名貴產品，如照相機，名錶等。這些合作關係，互相的裨益又是極之無形，而又不設上限，你也許因此機會而創作了一件令人傳誦的作品， 如果你無特別表現，也許一無所獲。在此關係架構合作的眾多個案，富士送我的照相機，十多年來依然每天使用，大概雙方的裨益都發揮到了極致。Tag Heuer 送我的名錶，由於我不是愛戴錶之人，只是藏之高閣。反而替他們所創作的照片，20多年都是我的電腦屏幕背景圖。可見也經得起時間考驗。1997年，WOOLMARK辦了一個類似的展覽，邀請時裝設計師及攝影師參與。設計師與攝影師二人為一組，與我一組的是設計師Benjaminn Lau。我要提供一張自我發揮的照片，另外要做一張根據設計師提供服飾而拍攝的照片。大會展出的照片好像是30x40 吋，他們已有放大照片的贊助。此外又印了明信片作宣傳，這裏選刊的，是我拍Lau服裝作品的一幀。我的題目是「BL in Cyberspace, 97」。

0043PC2SK. Al Dente: Chewable Images 適口耐嚼的影像

  

0043PC2SK. Al Dente: Chewable Images

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, 4-colour offset printing, 1986)

This was one of my early free-style commercial photography projects. In 1986, the client was Cathay Pacific. The assignments I took on between 1985 and 1986—including the Mandarin Oriental calendar and this project for Cathay Pacific—helped me develop my photographic style. These projects offered a degree of creative freedom, though freedom is never absolute. While there were no rigid constraints on how to express an image, I still had to establish a distinct visual language and deeply understand the client’s needs.

This particular project was part of Cathay Pacific’s in-flight Club des Chefs des Chefs menu series, which featured eight themed menus. I was commissioned to photograph three—Italian, French, and American—while two other foreign photographers handled the remaining five. The client must have been highly satisfied with my work, as I was subsequently entrusted with photographing these menu series multiple times in those following years. Each edition had a unique theme, and I was given full creative control, setting the visual direction in alignment with my style. These projects also brought international design awards to the agencies involved.

During that decade, the in-flight menu projects I photographed for Cathay Pacific became a form of promotion—turning the aircraft cabin into a gallery. Friends would often tell me they had seen my work while flying. Hong Kong people have always loved to travel, and my connection with Cathay Pacific began early, shortly after we launched our photography business. In 1980, I started working on Cathay’s advertisements, which were then handled by Fortune Advertising. Later, when the account moved to Ling-McCann-Erickson, it caused a major industry shake-up. We continued working with them on various projects.

One notable memory was the campaign for the first direct flight between Hong Kong and Toronto. The ad agency’s concept featured two iconic landmarks—the tallest buildings in each city—angled toward each other. I photographed Central Plaza, then Hong Kong’s tallest building, while an image of Toronto’s CN Tower was supplied from Canada. After the ad was published, the Canadian side sued Cathay for infringing the building’s copyright.

Other Cathay Pacific design projects, such as the in-flight menus and Discovery magazine, were handled by different design firms. We collaborated with these firms on various photography assignments, and some of these high-creative-freedom projects also won awards.


Al Dente 適口耐嚼的影像

這張是我較早期的商業攝影作品。1986年，客戶是國泰航空公司。85和86年間，文華酒店月曆，國泰航空公司等工作個案，也促使，也鼓勵我去發展出自己的影像風格。這些個案，都是自由度較大。但所謂自由，也不是絕對，你不被規定說一種語言，你也一定要有自己的語言，以及深知對方的需要。這個作品，是國泰航空，飛機上的餐牌名廚系列，共有八款，我被委託拍攝其中三款，其他五款由另外兩外藉攝影師拍攝。我被分配拍攝意大利，法國，美國。相信客戶非常滿意我的照片，及後幾年，我多次被委託拍攝這些餐牌系列，每一回有一個特定的主題，照片都是全套由我一人負責。而且由我主導，依我的風格向客戶提供影像視覺方向。這些個案也令設計公司獲了一些國際獎項。那十年間所拍攝的航班上名廚系列餐牌，對我在工作上的宣傳也有點幫助，飛機艙恰似成了我的畫廊，常常聽到有朋友說，在飛機上又看到了我的作品。 香港人也非常地喜歡外遊。我們和國泰航空公司也有點淵源，開展攝影業務不久，於1980年便斷續地替廣告公司拍攝這個客戶的照片，當時國泰的廣告由幸運（Fortune）代理。後來客戶轉去了華美 (Ling-McCann-Erickson)，行內一大震盪。我們也為華美拍過一點。有一回，香港多倫多首度直航的廣告，廣告公司的意念是兩個地標建築物，以尖相向。我負責拍攝當時香港最高的建築物中環廣場，多倫多的CN Tower照片由多倫多那邊提供。廣告刊出後，加方控告國泰侵範建築物版權。國泰航空的其他設計物，也交由其他不同的設計公司負責，例如餐牌系列，或航班雜誌Discovery。我們也分別替這些設計公司拍攝國泰航空這個客戶，這些自由度較高的個案，也令我們獲了不少獎項。

0042PC2SH. Holly’s Handwritten Copy of Xin Di’s Poem 楚喬手書辛笛詩

 

 

0042PC2SH. Holly’s Handwritten Copy of Xin Di’s Poem

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, 4-colour off-set printing, written in 1986)

We loved postcards. For that reason, when we were publishing Qiu Ying Shi Kan 秋螢, we even created blank cards specifically for writing. This particular card features a small photograph printed in the lower right corner, reminiscent of traditional Chinese letter paper. The photograph, Sunlight in the Studio, is one of Holly’s works. For a time, we experimented with imitating sunlight in the studio, applying this lighting technique to still life and portrait photography.

When Xin Di sent his poem manuscript to Qiu Ying, Holly copied it onto another sheet before sending it for typesetting, ensuring that his original handwriting wouldn’t be smudged. This was before the era of email and desktop publishing. The red markings indicating spaces between the text were added by the publication designer, Li Kam Fai.

All three of these dear individuals have passed, yet each has left their mark on this postcard in different ways. We have preserved Xin Di’s handwritten manuscript—and now, Holly’s added to the archive.


楚喬手書辛笛詩

由於我們酷愛明信片，辦秋螢的時候，也印了一些空白的明信片作為書寫之用。這一張只在右下角印了一方小照片，恰如古人的信箋。照片是楚喬的作品「影室裡的陽光」。有一段時期，我們佈燈的方法，刻意模仿陽光。無論拍攝靜物，或是人物也是如此。當時辛笛寄詩稿給秋螢，我們為免辛笛手稿被塗污，抄寫在另紙上，才送去植字。那是一個前桌上排版時期，非電郵年代。文中紅色的空位標註，乃秋螢設計師李錦煇手筆。如今三個我們心愛的人均已遠去，在這張明信片，三人以不同的方式，留下不同的足跡。我們保留了辛笛的手稿，也添加了楚喬。

0041PC2S. The Arrangement of Nobuyoshi Araki’s Exhibition 安排荒木經惟的展覽

 

 

0041PC2S. The Arrangement of Nobuyoshi Araki’s Exhibition

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, 2-colour offset printing, written in 1999)

This postcard was written in Tokyo on a June night in 1999, just before my departure. I could only mail it after landing in Hong Kong. It captures a moment from those days when I frequently traveled from Toronto to Hong Kong, often stopping in Tokyo for a few days. The postcard records meetings with friends—on that morning, I visited Mole Bookstore Gallery, and in the afternoon, I met Shinzo Shimao and his wife in Gotokuji.

These postcards, exchanged with Holly, often contained key details documenting related events. For instance, the day before, I had attended the opening of Araki’s exhibition, where we finalized the dates and selected works for his upcoming show in Toronto. He agreed to my suggestion of exhibiting his Erotos series. We also confirmed plans for his Hong Kong exhibition. If I recall correctly, Mio Hani served as my translator on that occasion and agreed to discuss sponsorship arrangements with Dentsu Advertising to bring Araki to Hong Kong.

I wrote the message on a text-heavy, printed design postcard, making my handwriting difficult to decipher. The card itself was from an exhibition at the Kawasaki City Museum.



安排荒木經惟的展覽

這張明信片，1999年6月寫於東京，離開前的晚上。抵達香港才寄出。也即是96年我從多倫多回港，中途停東京，逗留若干天。明信片記錄了與一些朋友會晤，例如當天上午去Mole書店畫廊探朋友，下午往豪德寺訪島尾伸三夫婦。在這些與楚喬通訊的明信片，有時也可找出一些相關事件的重要條目。例如這張明信片也記下，前一天荒木的展覽開幕，在場中與他議定好來多倫多展覽的日期及選定展品方向。他同意我建議展出他的Erotos系列。此外，當時還議定好在香港的展覽，記憶中，那一回是羽仁未央（Mio Hani）替我充當翻譯。羽仁並答應可以與電通廣告公司相討贊助荒木來港展覽的事宜。這張明信片，密密麻麻的寫在一張本來就密密麻麻印滿文字的紙上。明信片來自川崎市美術館當時的一個展覽。

0040PC2S. “November 6, 1998 – Welcome to Japan! – Eikoh Hosoe” 「1998年11月6日，日本歡迎你！細江英公」

 

 

 0040PC2S. “November 6, 1998 – Welcome to Japan! – Eikoh Hosoe”

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, black and white, written in 1998)

By November 1998, we had been living in Toronto for over a year. Our former studio in Hong Kong had been converted into an exhibition space, while in Toronto, we were preparing to establish a photo gallery. Because of these ongoing projects, I had to travel frequently between Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, and Toronto during the first few years after our move.

Oracle, an international organization of photography curators, held annual meetings in different locations. In 1998, the theme was Asian Photography, and the venue was K*MoPA, with Eikoh Hosoe as the host. I was invited to present on Hong Kong photography. The conference brought together over 150 curators from museums and galleries worldwide. As one of the speakers, I was accommodated in the museum’s affiliated hotel. Upon entering my room, I immediately noticed a postcard inscribed with “Welcome to Japan!” and signed by Eikoh Hosoe himself. The image on the postcard was from his 1960 work Man and Woman.

Before the 21st century, Eikoh Hosoe was one of the three most internationally recognized Japanese photographers, renowned for his photobook Barakei – Killed by Roses, featuring Yukio Mishima. The conference schedule was tightly packed, and two days later, we visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography for the opening ceremony of a new exhibition.

On my last night at K*MoPA, I wrote to Holly using the Hosoe-signed postcard, sharing my experience. The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography was already a familiar place to me—my works had been exhibited there in Asian View in 1996, and the museum later acquired them for their collection. Whenever I visited Tokyo, I made it a point to stop by and reconnect with curator friends.

One unique arrangement at TMMP for this gathering was the display of stacks upon stacks of photography publications, all published by the museum, arranged along the theater stage—free for visiting curators to take. These were substantial, weighty books.

Prior to the conference, I had arranged for 200 copies of On Hong Kong, a DISLOCATION special edition, to be couriered from Hong Kong for distribution at the event. However, compared to TMMP’s presentation, our effort felt rather modest.

A major discussion point at the conference was how conventional photography history had been largely written from a North American perspective, often neglecting European and Asian viewpoints due to overlooked materials from these regions. I am certain that after delving into the publications, these 150 curators left with a better understanding of photography in this part of the world.



「1998年11月6日，日本歡迎你！細江英公」

1998年11月，我們已舉家移居了多倫多一年許。香港從前的影室，易改成為展覽中心，又要籌備多倫多的畫廊，由於不少相關活動，來加之後的兩三年，每年均在香港，東京，紐約，多倫多等四地來回幾趟。Oracle 是一個國際性的攝影策展人組織，每年均選擇在不同地方進行年度的交流會議。1998年該組織的年度會議以亞洲攝影為主題，選了細江英公為舘長的K*MoPA美術館作為會議地點。我被邀請作介紹香港的攝影。是次會議有一百五十多人參加，都是在不同各地，美術館或畫廊的策展人。我由於是其中的講者，被安排在與美術館附設的酒店居住。一踏進房間，便看見「日本歡迎你！」細江英公親筆簽名的明信片。是細江1960作品：男與女。在21世紀之前，在國際最為人熟悉的三位日本攝影師，細江英公是其一。他以拍攝三島由紀夫的攝影集：「薔薇刑」(Barakei – Killed by Roses)為人所樂道。會議議程緊密，兩天之後我們便被安排往東京，參觀東京都寫真美術館，及該館新展覽的開幕。離開K*MoPA 之前一晚，我使用這張有細江簽名的明信片，寫給楚喬。也算是共享紀念物。東京都寫真美術館是我熟悉之地，1996年「Asian View」他們展出過我的作品，及後又全部購為藏品。每訪東京，我必訪該館也探望在館工作的策展人舊友。是次在該館活動，還有一項特別安排，在展館劇院，台邊滿放了該館歷年的攝影出版物，任由這伙來自世界各地的攝影策展人自取。每冊都是那麼份量厚重，看你能夠吸納多少。其實，在之前的會議，我已安排了從香港速遞200冊女那禾多特集「香港論」，分贈參加會議之各人。相對東京都美術館的安排，我們的只覺那麼微不足道。是次會議我們討論到，如何改寫攝影歷史一貫以北美洲為主軸的看法。寫歷史的人只是沒有看到歐洲或是亞洲的一面。相信東京都寫真美術館的出版物群，給150人上了實在的一課。

0039PC2S. D+W Configuration

  

 

0039PC2S. D+W Configuration

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, black and white offset printing, 1994)

During my years in New York in the late ’80s and early ’90s, we visited exhibitions almost daily. On one occasion, after seeing a Sigmar Polke exhibition, I struck up a conversation in the elevator with another visitor. His name was David Lui, and we later became good friends. We often spent time together in New York. His work was impressive, though he didn’t seem to gain much traction in the city. I suggested he try his luck in Hong Kong. Eventually, he did—his father, as I recall, owned a textile factory there, so he came from a well-off background. I visited him once after his move.

In 1994, through Yau Leung’s photography magazine platform, we launched a new publication called digi, following the collaborative model of DISLOCATION 女那禾多. I invited David to join our committee. D+W Configuration was an exhibition we held at the Fringe Club gallery during that time. I had completely forgotten about the show—if not for this postcard. David handled all the promotional materials, and the exhibition was primarily meant to introduce his work to a Hong Kong audience. In the first-year bound edition of DISLOCATION, the cover jacket was an original silkscreen by Lui.

He remained active in Hong Kong for a while but later shifted his focus to teaching, spending more time with students than on his own creative work. Gradually, we lost touch.

This exhibition postcard was one I sent to Holly on January 24, 1994, while she was in Berlin. Not long before, she had recovered from a serious illness and surgery. She had received a Goethe-Institut grant and spent several months in Berlin. In the letter, I also responded to her inquiry about the ACC grant application. After her recovery, she moved away from commercial work, devoting more time to her creative practice and managing our publications. Later, she received the ACC fellowship and spent another few months in New York.



D+W Configuration

八九十年代在紐約的日子，幾乎每天都會去看展覽。有一回，去看Sigmar Polke，離開的時候，在電梯與一位也是剛看完展覽的人交談起來。他名字叫David Lui，我們後來成了好友。在紐約不時一齊活動。他作品不錯，但在紐約好像發展不多，我建議他不妨回香港試試看。後來他真的到了香港，其實他的父親好像在香港開紗廠，所以家境不俗。我探過他一回。1994年我在邱良的攝影雜誌平台上，沿用女那禾多的合作方式，辦了一份數碼影像的刊物：秩智(digi)，我邀請David參與。D+W Configuration就是在那個時候，兩人在藝穗會畫廊的一個展覽。不過我也完全忘記了這個展覽，要不是看到這個明信片。這個展覽一概宣傳品的設計都是由他執行，展覽原意也是想把他介紹給香港的觀眾。女那禾多第一年合訂本，封面的原作絲印，便是他的作品。他在港也頗活躍了一段時期，後來主力於教學，常忙於周旋學生之間，少有創作，我們漸也疏遠起來。這張展覽咭明信片，於1994年1月24日，我寫給去了柏林的楚喬。她當時大病手術癒後，獲得歌德學院的獎助，去了柏林幾個月。在信中我也提到她問及ACC申請信。楚喬病癒後，也少於工作，更多時間放在創作及我們所辦刊物的聯絡工作上。及後她獲得ACC獎助，又去紐約留了一段時間。

0038PL2SK. A Trip to Beijing 北京之旅

 

 

0038PL2SK. A Trip to Beijing

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour, 1992)

At the end of 1992, I was commissioned by a production company to join a team traveling to Beijing for a photography project. My assignment required using a large-format camera to capture images of popular landmarks, intended for special effects production. I suspect the project was government-commissioned, as the Deputy Mayor of Beijing personally hosted us. At the time, many high-quality productions still relied on external expertise.

I stayed in Beijing for only four days, departing as soon as my work was done. The postcard I sent to Holly was a Polaroid from the shoot—a photo of the Temple of Heaven. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the image, nor could there be. However, the trip itself was well-organized, including a specially arranged tour of the Forbidden City and a banquet featuring imperial-style cuisine.
Holly and I had visited Beijing before, but a decade later, the city had changed significantly—let alone what it has become today. The highlight of the trip, however, was acquiring several substantial books. In my postcard, I mentioned purchasing a thread-bound edition of 營造法式 by Li Mingzhong. Later, I also bought 點石齋畫報 the complete volume in thread-bound editions, 中國版刻圖錄, and 十竹齋書畫譜, among others.


北京之旅

1992年底，我接獲一間製作公司委託，隨隊往北京拍攝照片。他們所到的都是一些熱門景點，但我拍攝的照片，指定要用大片幅照相機。照片用作製作特技之用，我猜，那是市政府委託拍攝的製作。因為北京的副市長也來招待我們。那個時期，不少好的製作也需要外援。我只在北京逗留了四天，我的工作完畢後便離去。我寄給楚喬的明信片是當時工作使用的寶麗來，這一張拍攝天壇，照片沒什麼特別，再說，也不能特別。倒是旅程有很好招待，安排我們特別參觀故宮，吃仿膳。之前我和楚喬已遊過北京，十年之後也很不一樣，也煌說今天了。不過該行最大收穫是買了不少大部頭好書，在明信片中我說買了線裝李明仲「營造法式」。後來我還買了全套線裝「點石齋畫報」及「中國版刻圖錄」，「十竹齋書畫譜」等。

0037PH2SH. A Letter to Mom 寄給媽媽的信

 

 

0037PH2SH. A Letter to Mom

(PHOTOGRAPH,  4x5 inch, colour, written in 1989)

Less than two weeks before my departure, amidst the busy days, life carried on as usual. On a Sunday, my daughter and I had brunch together at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club. This postcard was written by Iris at the club on December 3, 1989. She was about six years old at the time.

The postcard itself is actually a color photograph taken by Holly.


寄給媽媽的信

動程之前不到兩星期，在忙碌的歲月，也是如常，星期天我與女兒一同在外國記者會吃早午餐。這張明信片，思菱寫於記者會，89年12月3日。她當時6歲許。明信片其實是一張彩色照片，楚喬拍攝。

0036PL2SK. The Busy Workload Before Departing 動程紐約前的忙碌工作個案

 

 

 

0036PL2SK. The Busy Workload Before Departing

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour, 1989)

I wrote this postcard a week before leaving for New York, in the midst of a relentless schedule that had kept me working non-stop for weeks. It features a Polaroid from one of those assignments—a shot from the Giordano advertising campaign. With only two days left before departure, I still had two more images to complete, leaving no room for anything else.
During those hectic days, I wrote several postcards to Holly, documenting the progress and details of various projects. Without these notes, reconstructing this workflow more than thirty years later would have been impossible. Reading between the lines, I can see that I had already started turning down new assignments—a necessity for a professional photographer, where an overloaded schedule means anything overlapping must simply be declined.

Looking back at these postcards, I can retrace not only the intensity of my workload but also my exhaustion and persistent headaches. The only thing that kept me going was the anticipation of our reunion.



動程紐約前的忙碌工作個案

寫這個明信片的時候，是起程紐約之前的一星期。由於手頭幾個工作個案都要離開之前完成，連續地忙碌了幾個星期。這張明信片採用了工作的寶麗來，也即是正在拍攝中，佐丹奴廣告系列的其中一張。跟著的兩天要完成餘下的兩張，便不能再負荷其他的個案了。在那些日子，過去幾天內也寫過好幾張明信片給楚喬，點滴記下不同個案的進度細節。要不然三十多年後今天怎可以梳理出整個流程。從明信片的字行間，也知道當時已推掉一些個案。作為職業攝影師的生活，這也是常常發生的事。當你已有工作個案在手，如果新來的個案要在同一時間進行或完成，那你只得把新來的推掉。在那些寄給楚喬的明信片中，也得知自己當時的極度疲倦和頭痛。支撐著意志的只是將來見面相聚時的喜悅。

0035PL2SK. A Polaroid for Holly in New York 給在紐約楚喬的寶麗來

 

 

0035PL2SK. A Polaroid for Holly in New York

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour, 1989)

This postcard was written on November 25, 1989, while Holly was in New York. At the time, I often used 4×5 Polaroids as postcards since they were readily available in the studio. The photograph featured in this one was an assignment for Peter Wong—something I would have completely forgotten had it not been mentioned in the postcard. It was likely shot for a magazine, telling the story of two people chasing each other across Asia over seven years.

For assignments like this, I typically read the story or its outline first, then interpreted it freely. Having built a strong rapport with the art directors, they sought me out knowing roughly what to expect from my work. Of course, the nature of each project dictated the level of creative freedom I had.

As 1989 drew to a close, before leaving for New York to reunite with Holly, I had to complete two demanding assignments: the San Miguel Beer annual report and a Giordano advertising campaign. Unlike the earlier editorial assignment, these projects left less room for creative improvisation—even though I was hired for my distinctive style.




給在紐約楚喬的寶麗來

這張明信片寫於1989年11月25日，當時楚喬正在紐約。我常常使用4x5寶麗來作明信片，因為這些物料，在影室俯拾即是。照片是為Peter Wong拍攝的，要不是在明信片中提到，我已完全忘記了，那該是為一份雜誌而拍，故事是說兩個人在亞洲先後追逐七年。這類工作，通常我都是先讀了故事，或者大綱，然後自由發揮。因為與美術指導已有很好的默契，他們找我，大概知悉我會提供甚麼樣的東西。當然，不同的工作個案是有不同的自由度。1989年底，我動身前往紐約與楚喬會合之前的光景，起程之前還要完成兩項複雜的工作個案：生力啤酒年報，以及佐丹奴的廣告系列。這些個案就不如前面所說，那麼揮灑自如了。

0034PL2SK. A Polaroid Postcard from New York to Hong Kong 從紐約寄回香港的寶麗來明信片

 

 

0034PL2SK. A Polaroid Postcard from New York to Hong Kong

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour, 1990)

At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, we began exploring the idea of expanding our photography career to New York. By then, we had already completed a good number of well-received projects in Hong Kong. At the end of 1989, we rented a basement studio in SoHo as our photography workspace. Holly and I frequently traveled between Hong Kong and New York—sometimes together, sometimes separately.

On one of these trips, shortly after arriving in New York, I received a fax from designer Wang Xu, who was based between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. He commissioned me to shoot the cover for Design Exchange, an issue focusing on overseas Chinese designers. A large-format, high-quality design publication, Design Exchange was known for its sophisticated layouts and thoughtful content. Whenever a cover required photography, I was often entrusted with the shoot, granted significant creative freedom—a collaborator who could share creative insights with the editor.

Among my various cover shoots, one of my test Polaroids later became part of the M+ Museum collection. For this particular assignment in New York, I incorporated a Tung Shing almanac purchased in Chinatown. Unlike those commonly used in Asia, this overseas edition was tailored specifically for earlier Chinese immigrants. The tools featured in the image—once essential to designers—were all sourced from Pearl Paint, a well-known art supply store in New York. With the rise of digital software, such physical tools have since become relics of another era.

As the focal point of the composition, I integrated a piece of Duchamp’s rotary element. The 4×5 transparencies were sent directly to the client in Hong Kong by courier, but I kept a particular Polaroid, modifying it by covering the background entirely with tape, transforming it into a new creation. I affixed a stamp and mailed it back to Hong Kong as a personal keepsake.




從紐約寄回香港的寶麗來明信片

在80年代與90年代交界，我們有一個念頭，往紐約開展我們的攝影事業。當時在香港，已做了一定數量有個性的工作個案及成績。1989年底，我們在紐約蘇豪區租了一個地庫作攝影工作間。我與楚喬，或一同或個別，常常來回於香港及紐約兩地。有一趟剛巧來到紐約，接到在香港和廣州間設計師王序的傳真，要為「設計交流」拍攝封面，該期內容為：海外華人設計師。「設計交流」是一份大開度，精緻而又很有份量的設計刊物。每期的封面，如果是採用攝影的，通常都是由我負責，而且自由度也很高。當然，這也需要大家有合拍的語言。我為該刊拍攝封面，其中一幀原使用作測試的寶麗來，如今也成了M+美術館的藏品。再回來說在紐約拍的，那以海外華人設計師為主題的照片。照片中的「通勝」是在紐約唐人街購得，這個海外唐人街版本與我們在亞洲所使用的版本很不同，有不少內容只適合海外老華僑使用。其中設計師使用工具，均在紐約 Pearl Paint 店購買。今天的設計師，都是使用桌上軟件，這些硬體物，相信是完全陌生了。我在照片加進了杜象的旋轉物。 眼也睛也。4x5 正片冲洗後已直接寄給香港的客戶，獨是這張測試用的寶麗來，我用膠紙完全遮蓋了原來的背景，它已轉化成為了另一件創作，貼上郵票把它寄回香港，算是留給自己的記念物。

0033PC2SK. A Postcard Sent to Holly from Xinjiang 在新疆寄給楚喬的明信片

 

 

A Postcard Sent to Holly from Xinjiang

(POSTCARD,  4x6 inch, 1987)

Between the 1980s and 1990s, we had published over a hundred postcards. Some featured original photographs, while others were produced in collaboration with professional photo labs as mutual promotions, widely distributed to advertising and design firms. During that time, Holly and I occasionally traveled separately, and we often communicated through postcards. These physical remnants have since become tangible references, helping us piece together specific dates and details when working on archival writings.

In November 1987, the Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture organized a cultural expedition, inviting a group of artists and writers, including Koo Tin-nung, Koo Siu-shen, Bat Tsz-yung, Ha Pak-chuen, Wong Bik-wan, Danny Yung, Donna Lok, Poon Kwong-pui, and myself. The participants spanned various creative disciplines, from visual arts and literature to music and performing arts. Over the ten-day journey, I wrote nine postcards to Holly. Most were store-bought along the way, except for this one—it was handmade.

To me, anything with the dimensions of a postcard—4×6 inches—becomes a postcard once a stamp is affixed. This particular one was cut from the cardboard packaging of a carbon copy paper box. It could even be considered a piece of creative work, made on the road.

Dated August 27, 1987, the postcard was written in the Nanshan pasture of the Tianshan Mountains. That night, we stayed in a yurt high in the mountains, under a sky teeming with stars. I wrote to Holly that the moment suddenly reminded me of my childhood in Guangzhou—how, on summer nights, my neighbors and I would gather on the rooftop to cool off beneath a sky just as full of stars. There, in the heights of Tianshan, I found myself retrieving a poetic memory from decades past.


在新疆寄給楚喬的明信片

在八十至九十年代間，我們印行過百多張明信片，此外又有不少是以原件照片製作，甚至有些與專業冲洗店合作，作為我們影室的宣傳品，廣泛寄去廣告公司或設計公司。在那個年代，我與楚喬分別作了不少較長時間的旅行，大家都喜歡以明信片互相通訊，這些保存下來的具體紙本，今天我們不時用作推敲當年當事的具體時間，甚至種種細節。1987年11月，香港中華文化促進中心辦了一個文化採風團往新疆，邀請了一眾文化人包括: 古天農，古兆申，畢子融，夏碧泉，黃碧雲，榮念曾，駱笑平，潘光沛及我。涵蓋了視覺藝術，寫作，音樂及表演藝術等範疇。 在十天的旅程中，我寫了九張明信片給楚喬。 其中大部份明信片都是在途中所購，唯獨是這張是為手造。 在我的觀念中，任何具體物只要是與明信片的的面積一樣， 4×6吋，貼上郵票那就是一張明信片了。這張明信片，是從一個複寫紙包裝盒的硬紙板所裁製。 也可以被形容為是一項旅途中的創作物。明信片寫於1987年8月27日，天山的南山牧場。我們被安排在山中高處，在蒙古包渡了一夜。仰望上空，滿是星星。我告訴楚喬，當時頓時憶起兒時在廣州，每天晚上在天台與一眾鄰居乘涼渡夜，當時便是滿天星星如豆。在這天山高處，忽然俯拾，數十年前一個詩樣的記憶。

0032PL2SK Qiu Ying Poetry Journal, Issue 30 秋螢詩刊第30期

Qiu Ying Poetry Journal, Issue 30

(PUBLICATION:  Qiu Ying Shi Kan 秋螢詩刊, issue 30. 6x34-inch, 1986)


In my previous piece, I mentioned photographing 麥顯揚 Mak Hin-yeung’s works for Qiu Ying Poetry Journal and the remaining Polaroid from that session. Here is the physical copy of that issue.
Each issue of Qiu Ying Poetry Journal consisted of eight accordion-fold postcards. The first panel served as the cover, with the back of the cover typically featuring a short essay. The remaining seven panels formed the content of the issue, with each postcard usually showcasing a single poem.
Contributors to this issue included Chung Kwok-keung 鍾國強, Chung Ling 鍾玲, Ho Fuk-yan 何福仁, Choi Chi-kiu 蔡其矯, Hon Muk 韓牧, Wong Heung 黃襄, and Ku Kung 顧工. The seven postcard panels were perforated, allowing them to be detached and used individually. On the reverse side of each postcard, space was provided for an address and message, just like a traditional postcard.
For this issue, the back of the postcards also featured small images of seven additional sculptures by Mak. These images not only served as decorative elements but also allowed us to present more of the artist’s work within the constraints of the compact format.

[秋螢詩刊第30期]
以前談過拍攝麥顯揚作品發刊在秋螢詩刊，當時所使用的寶麗來。這裡是該期詩刊的實物。「秋螢詩刊」明信片時期，每期由八張連續在一起的明信片構成。其中第一瓣是封面，封面背後通常發刊一篇短文。其他七瓣乃刊物的內頁，通常每頁發刊一首詩。是期的作者包括：鍾國強，鍾玲，何福仁，蔡其矯，韓牧，黃襄，顧工。七瓣明信片，是可以撕下來分別使用。明信片的背面，也如一般明信片，留有放地址及寫信的空間。這期的背面，我們也放了麥的另外七件雕塑，小小的圖像作為裝飾，也發展出作為在一期細小的刊物，介紹一個藝術家的完整性。

0031PL2SK. Mak Hin-yeung in Qiu Ying 麥顯揚在秋螢

 

Mak Hin-yeung in Qiu Ying

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, black and white, 1986)


In 1978, Qiu Ying Shi Kan (秋螢詩刊) was relaunched and published in poster format. It reappeared in 1985, this time as accordion-fold postcards. During this period, each issue of Qiu Ying Poetry Journal not only featured poetry but also highlighted the works of a selected artist. I believe this publication model subconsciously influenced how we later produced DISLOCATION (女那禾多), the photography journal, where each issue focused on two photographers, embodying the idea of a gallery on paper.
In the June 1986 issue, the 30th edition of Qiu Ying, we featured the sculptural works of Mak Hin-yeung (麥顯揚). At the time, the concept was somewhat challenging—we decided to photograph all seven of his works together in a single shot. When unfolded, the image stretched across the seven panels of the postcard. The poems were then printed in the spaces left between each sculpture. The tricky part was ensuring the layout was precise, as the placement of the sculptures required careful calculation. While it would have been much simpler to photograph each sculpture individually and print them on separate pages, that approach would have lost the immersive and cohesive effect we achieved.
It’s worth noting that this was, of course, before the era of desktop publishing. After taking the photograph, we created a large print to serve as the design template. Unfortunately, that photograph no longer exists—only this Polaroid remains.


[麥顯揚在秋螢]
1978年復刊，以海報形式出版的「秋螢詩刊」，及後又再在1985年復刊，以明信片的形式出現。在這個時期的「秋螢詩刊」都是除發表詩之外，每期均選介一個藝術家的作品。我相信這個發表模式，在潛意識影響了我們後來辦「女那禾多」攝影刊物的方式，每期以兩個攝影師為重點，恰似一個在紙上的畫廊。1986年6月號，「秋螢詩刊」第三十期，我們選介了麥顯揚的雕塑作品。當時的想法也有點挑戰性，把他的七件作品拍在一起拍攝一張照片。照片展開，就是明信片的七瓣。所發表的詩就刊在其間每頁雕塑作品所留下的空間。有其中的難度，就是要把空間計算準確。相對如果每頁單獨各拍一張照片放入，那就簡單得多，但也就失卻現在我們看到的，容入感及整體效果。要留意的是，當然還是一個非電腦排版的年代。照片拍成後，放了一張大照片作設計使用。如今那照片已不存，獨留下這張寶麗來。

0030PL2SH. A Portrait of Lee Ka-sing as a Gallerist 李家昇肖像作為一個畫廊策劃人

 

A Portrait of Lee Ka-sing as a Gallerist
(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, black and white, 2003)


We started from scratch—a fact well-known among many friends in Hong Kong. Over time, the projects we undertook and the initiatives we started unfolded naturally, evolving into a more coherent development. However, when we relocated to a new place, the circumstances were vastly different. People were unfamiliar with our history, and it was impossible to wear multiple hats simultaneously.
In my first ten years in Toronto, I primarily presented myself as a gallerist. Alongside this role, I continued creating new works and exhibiting in Hong Kong and other cities. For instance, in 2000, my photography series “Hong Kong Arts Policy and Strategy at the Turn of the Century” was exhibited at Mizuma Gallery in Tokyo (a series now part of the M+ Museum collection). In 2004, the Foodscape project, a collaboration with Yesi, culminated in a large-scale exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. In 2005, my De ci de là des choses series was featured in a duo solo exhibition with Yesi in southern France.
In 2003, Holly took two portraits of me at different times, coincidentally capturing two distinct identities. This portrait, taken at the gallery in the Candy Factory Lofts, was shot for gallery-related promotional purposes. At the time, the gallery was exhibiting Doll Mouth, a photographic series by our represented artist Diana Thorneycroft.
By 2008, although the gallery continued to operate, we ceased representing other artists entirely. Holly and I returned to being creators—an artist and a writer. A decade later, in 2018, the gallery closed permanently. Since then, our focus has shifted to archiving our own works and documenting art-related activities from the past 50 years. We have also established ourselves as alternative publishers.



[李家昇肖像，作為一個畫廊策劃人]
我們是由零開始，這是在香港的很多朋友都知道的事情。所以後來發展開來，我們所做的不同事情或計劃，大家都不難理解，因為經過歲月，它有著一個較完整的發展脈絡。但是當我們移居異地，那個情況就很不相同，你不能夠一下之間，頭上就戴那麼多頂帽子。我的第一個十年在多倫多，基本上都是以一個畫廊策劃人的身分對外。雖然在另一邊，我仍頻有在香港或其他地區做新作的展覽。例如 2000年在東京Mizuma畫廊展出的 《在世紀末的香港藝術政策及策略》(Hong Kong Arts Policy and Strategy at the Turn of the Century)(該組攝影作品今已為M+美術館收藏)，2004年在香港文化博物館的 Foodscape，及2005年在法國南部與也斯共同的展覽De ci de là des choses   系列等。楚喬在2003年，在不同時間拍了兩幅我的肖像，恰巧分別拍下了兩個不同的身份。這幀肖像，楚喬是為畫廊的對外使用而拍。畫廊當時正在展出我們所代理的攝影師 Diana Thorneycroft「娃娃咀」(Doll Mouth)系列照片。直至2008年，畫廊雖然繼續營運，但我們已完全不再代理其他藝術家，回到作為一個創作人的身份。再推後另一個十年，2018年畫廊完全停運，集中整理我們私下的東西，以及以一個另類出版人自居。

0029PL2SH. A Portrait of Lee Ka-sing as a Creator 李家昇肖像作為一個創作工作者

 

 

A Portrait of Lee Ka-sing as a Creator
(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, sepia-toned, 2003)


This portrait, taken at home, reflects my role as a creator. It was a casual shot with no deliberate theme or message in mind. However, when placed side by side with the earlier photograph, it reveals a distinct contrast, even though both were taken in the same year.
It’s worth noting that this Polaroid was made using a newly introduced sepia-toned material. Polaroid often provided us with samples of their latest products to experiment with whenever they launched something new.



[李家昇肖像，作為一個創作工作者]
這張作為一個創作人的肖像，在家中拍攝。當時只是隨意，並沒有甚麼刻意要帶出的主題。不過當它與前一張照片並排一起，閱讀起來，就顯現出差異的屬性，雖然都是攝於同一個年份。也可以順帶一提，此幀寶麗來是帶棕調的新物料，每當有新產品，物料啇都會提供給我們試用。

0028CP2MH. A Portrait of Ka-sing by Holly for an Advertising Client 楚喬為廣告客戶拍的家昇肖像

 

 

A Portrait of Ka-sing by Holly for an Advertising Client (1998)
(CLIPPING:  Time magazine, 405mm x 268mm, November 16, 1998)


There’s a small story that could be added to Holly’s portrait sessions of me. Not long after we moved to Toronto in 1998, a renowned design firm from Hong Kong sent me an email. They were developing an advertising campaign for NOKIA phones to be featured in the Asian edition of Time magazine. The campaign focused on four creative individuals active in Asia, presented in an advertorial format—a soft marketing approach blending advertising and editorial content.
A writer from New York conducted an interview with me and wrote the ad copy. For Holly, this was her first assignment after relocating to Canada—she was tasked with taking my portrait.
When the ad was published, my portrait was partially framed within a computer screen, and my gaze was digitally altered. What’s even more ironic is that I’ve never had a habit of using a mobile phone—and still don’t to this day.

[楚喬為廣告客戶拍的家昇肖像]
關於楚喬拍攝我的肖像還可以附寫一章。1998年我們移居到多倫多沒久，一間香港著名的設計公司發來電郵，他們正為NOKIA電話策劃一個廣告計劃，刊登在亞洲版的時代雜誌。一項以四個在亞洲活躍的創作人為主題，使用Advertorial 的形式(即廣告與刊物內容混合的一項軟性宣傳模式）。一位從紐約過來的人，負責訪問撰寫廣告文稿；楚喬來加之後的第一件工作差事，她負責拍攝我的肖像。照片刊出後，設計公司把我的肖像，半個套入電腦屏幕，而且，又把我的眼神部分數碼起來。不過，更吊詭的是:我是一個完全不用手提電話的人，現在也是如此。

0027PH2SH. Hengxin, Shaolin Shifu 少林師父幸心

 

Hengxin, Shaolin Shifu
(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, black and white, 2002)

Holly had a close friend from her youth, a classmate from her early years. Slightly older than Holly, this friend was like an elder sister to her. Her family immigrated to New York in the early eighties, and during most of our visits to the city, we stayed at her home, where she cared for us with great warmth. She has two daughters, one of whom has a passion for martial arts. Around the early 2000s, she met Hengxin, a Shaolin Shifu. Together, they established a teaching center to promote martial arts. Their approach seemed innovative and distinct from traditional martial arts schools, and over the past 20 years, their efforts have flourished considerably.

When they first started, Holly invited them to Toronto and took a series of photos, perhaps for promotional purposes. Among our archives is a Polaroid photograph of Hengxin, likely taken by Holly as part of her portrait project.

The photo was taken shortly after we moved into a new unit on the third floor of the Candy Factory Lofts. In 2000, we had purchased a ground-floor unit near the building's entrance to use as a gallery. Later, we acquired a third-floor unit in the same building as our residence. The photo of Hengxin was taken not long after we settled into this high-ceilinged new space.

少林師父幸心

楚喬有個少年時候認識的好友，早年的同學。她比楚喬年紀略長，關係有如親姐姐一樣。她早年一家移民紐約，我們每訪紐約，大都住在她家，照顧我們無微不至。友有二女，其中一個好武術，大約在2000年初認識幸心，他們一同辦教學中心，傳授武術。我想是形式較新，不屬武館的一類。經過20多年，已經發展得很不錯。開鑼之際，楚喬約他們來多倫多，給他們拍了一組照片，也許可供宣傳之用。在我們檔案中，有一楨拍攝幸心的寶麗來照片。應該是楚喬拍來自存，作為她心目中想拍攝一組人像照片的一部分。在2000年我們在Candy Factory Lofts最低層，買下一個近入口處的單位，開設畫廊。後來又在該建築物的三樓，另外購置了一個單位作為居所。是張照片就是剛搬進三樓後不久的時候拍攝。

0026PH2MK Duchamp’s Rotative Object

 

Duchamp’s Rotative Object

(PHOTOGRAPH: 8x10 inches, 1995)


When it comes to circular objects, my earliest memory—aside from holding one during a photograph taken around the age of two—is of reading two lines from T.S. Eliot’s Little Gidding in my youth:
"What we call the beginning is often the end / And to make an end is to make a beginning"
(Four Quartets, p. 42, Faber and Faber, 1946).

These lines inspired me to write a poem about beginnings and endings. Duchamp’s Roto Reliefs similarly sparked my creativity, leading me to incorporate them into several photographs. Besides the image featuring recycled paper mentioned earlier, another photograph from my Forty Poems series bears traces of Duchamp’s rotative object: Face Structure With Spirals, 1995.

As for the recycled paper photo, there’s an additional anecdote. Around 1976, I used two of those photos to design a double-sided name card as a gift for Leung Ping-kwan (Ye Si). One side featured a chopping board, while the other depicted Duchamp’s rotative object. The chopping board image was a tribute to our collaboration on Foodscape (食事地域誌). I had used the chopping board as a starting point to create a visual pairing for his poem Onion, titling the photo Portrait of a Chopping Board.

Ping-kwan was delighted by the name cards, but unfortunately, I have no copies left today. If anyone happens to have preserved one, I hope they can lend it for scanning, so a record of it may be kept.

杜象旋轉物
關於圓形物，較早的記憶除了大約兩歲拍照時手握圓形物之外，年輕時候讀到T.S. Eliot 在Little Gidding 𥚃的兩行: “What we call the beginning is offen the end / And to make an end is to make a beginning” (Four Quartets, pages 42, Faber and Faber, 1946) 觸發我寫了一首關於開端與結尾的詩。杜象的Roto Reliefs 同樣也令我用作拍過好幾張照片。除了之前談過關於環迴再造紙的照片之外，在「Forty Poems」系列中，我的另一張照片也是有著杜象旋轉物的足印: 「Face Structure With Spirals, 1995」。關於再造紙的那張照片，還可以附加一個尾巴記，大約1976年間，我將其中的兩張照片，設計了一個兩面看的名片送給也斯。一面是砧板，另一面杜象旋轉物。其中砧板一圖是記念我與他合作的「食事地域誌」(FOODSCAPE)。我以砧板為起點，發展成為一圖配合他「洋蔥」一詩，照片的題目是「砧板的肖像」（Portrait of a Chopping Board)。也斯看著那些名片當然喜出望外，可惜我如今手上完全沒有存本。寄望誰個手上若有珍藏本，可借用掃描留個記事。

0025OB2MK Ship Indicator Panel

 

Ship Indicator Panel

(OBJECT: Metal enamel panel. 223mm diameter, 80s)


In May 1981, the day after our wedding, we went to Beijing. Part of the reason was to assist a client participating in a computer product exhibition there, and part of it was a honeymoon trip. Later, we went on to Shanghai.

In Shanghai, we visited the Shanghai Museum, which left a lasting impression. Inside the museum, the lights would automatically turn on wherever you went and switch off as you moved away. Opposite the museum, there was an enamel factory. Its gate was ajar, and on one side of the factory yard, a pile of discarded enamel products lay scattered on the ground. Among them were numerous items used as door signs, indicator plates, and other signage.

To a designer, these discarded objects were no less fascinating than the exhibits in the museum. We asked the factory workers if these items were for sale. They shook their heads and told us to help ourselves—they were merely abandoned scraps. We picked out a small pile but had to curb our desire for more, as these were metal objects and quite heavy.

One of the items was a circular ship indicator plate. I’ve used it as a photographic subject several times. Once, I photographed its black reverse side for a cover of DISLOCATION (女那禾多). Another time, it appeared in one of the most recognized images from my Forty Poems series, Movement Control Panel And The Other Arguments, 1995. This photograph is now part of the collection at M+ Museum.

輪船標示版
1981年5月，我們婚後翌日便去了北京，一方面是打點一個客戶在京參加的電腦產品展覽。一方面也算是蜜月之旅。之後我們又去了上海。我們去了上海博物館，這個館令人最難忘，館內你每到一處，燈光會自動開啟，你行開後它又會自動關掉。博物館對面有一個做搪瓷的工厰，閘門撇開，厰一邊的地上堆了不少搪瓷製品的次件。林林總總，有不少是用作門牌，標板等指示用途。對於一個設計人來說，這些都不亞於剛才在館內看到的收藏物。我們問厰內的工作人員，此等物件是否可以出售。他們搖頭，叫我們盡管拿去便是。棄置物也。我們檢了一堆，但也不能有貪念，此乃金屬物，不輕也。這個圓形的，是使用在輪船上的標示板。我用來當作被攝物好幾回。好像有一次用它黑色的背面拍照予女那禾多使用。另一次，最為人知的是「Forty Poems」系列𥚃其中一張照片「Movement Control Panel And The Other Arguments, 1995」, 照片現為M+美術館所藏。

0024PM2LK From Recycled Paper to a Text About the Concept of Cycle

 

From Recycled Paper to a Text About the Concept of Cycle
(ASSIGNMENT: company profile brochure, 15.5x22.5 inches, 1993)

Many of my projects involve early-stage discussions with designers about the development of imagery, or even the entire design direction of the work. One example is a corporate profile brochure that created for Polytrade, a fine paper distributor. The designer for the project was my good friend Lilian Tang, with whom I’ve collaborated on numerous projects.

I suggested making the most of the format by using the full sheet of the paper for a spread, creating an oversized booklet. When unfolded, each spread could also function as a poster. Four creatives contributed to the project, including Lilian herself, along with Li Kam Fai, Holly, and me. Each of us was responsible for a specific theme, and mine was recycled paper.

For my section, I photographed four circular objects and overlaid with a piece of handwritten text. The content of the text had to center on the concept of cycle, which was the most challenging aspect of the task. My usual creative process involves allowing ideas, thoughts, and actions to brew and take shape in my mind before releasing them all at once in one moment. While the result may seem spontaneous, it remains well in controlled—much like writing Chinese calligraphy. Although it appears freehand, it is anything but random.

The text I wrote was inscribed in pencil on a small piece of paper, approximately 2 by 3 inches. It was composed directly from my mind, not transcribed, retaining the flow of thought and its natural rhythm. The difficulty lay in completing the entire text within the constraints of the paper while ensuring no space was left at the end—a visual design requirement. This small piece of paper was later enlarged to about 30 inches wide during production. The text was printed in gold, layered over the photograph.
Unfortunately, I didn’t retrieve the original small manuscript after the design company processed it for printing. The design company printed 50 additional copies for me, with blank backs. I selected 40 of these, numbered, and signed them. This offset printed work, an original, measures 25 by 31 inches.

從環廻再造紙到關於環廻意念的文本

我的工作有不少都是在開始的階段就與設計師商討，圖像的發展方向。甚至，整個設計物的方向。為友邦紙行所做的一份公司簡介冊子便是一例。設計師是Lilian Tang，我們是好友，也合作過不少個案。我建議盡跨張之能事，用整張紙的開度為對頁，做個特大的冊子。分折開來，每通頁又可以是一張海報。四個創作人，包括Lilian本人做封面，其他包括李錦煇，楚喬及我。每人均分配經營一個主題，我負責的是環廻再造紙。我拍了四個旋轉圓形物，版面上再疊上一段手寫的文字。文字的內容要環繞著環廻的意念。其實這個是當中最具挑戰性的部分。我的一貫創作方式是把意念，想法，行使等都放在心中醖釀及組織，然後在一個適當的瞬間，就拼發展現開來。看起來很即興，但還都要在控制的範圍內，這個很像寫中文書法的方式。寫的是意筆，但絕對不是隨意。我寫的一段文字，是以鉛筆寫在一張約2乘3吋的紙上。文字是即時從腦中寫出，而不是抄本。因此行文間也保留了思考的過程及起伏。難度是整篇文字要在該紙上寫完，而且最好是能夠在末端不留空間，這個是從設計的角度，畫面上的需要。這張2乘3吋的小紙，在制作時會放大至橫30吋許。文字印以金色，疊蓋在照片之上。很可惜經設計公司制版之後，我沒有討回這張小原稿。設計公司替我另印了50張，背面空白。我選了40張，編號及簽名。這張柯式印刷版原作，25x31吋。

0023PR2LK Four Stanzas of a Poem

 

Four Stanzas of a Poem

(PRINT: 25x31 inch, offset print, 40 editions, 1993)

In 1993, I held a solo exhibition titled Thirty-one Photographs at the Hong Kong Arts Centre gallery. All the original works on display were C41 color photographs, except for one—a unique offset print titled Four Stanzas of a Poem, measuring 25x31 inches.

Earlier that year, I collaborated with designer Lilian Tang to create an oversized company brochure for an art paper distributor. The piece in the exhibition was, in fact, one of the original pages from that promotional material. It features an enlarged handwritten Chinese text of mine, which, in a way, reflects my thoughts on circular objects. I also placed it at the opening of the exhibition catalogue. Later, it was included as one of the poems in the publication Ten Poets Anthology. The title, Four Stanzas of a Poem, metaphorically refers to the four circular objects in the image.

The text reads:
"I was discussing with a friend the relationship between a river and its water. Our conversation touched on Duchamp, particularly his views on readymades. An object and its environment are like a fish and the river it swims in—you can’t simply separate the two. This later led me to appreciate more of Barbara Kruger. A graphic designer joined the discussion and asked about the concept of recycling images. I explained that transforming a piece of rock into a photograph, or turning a photograph of a rock back into a piece of rock, is simply a matter of sequence. After that, we didn’t delve deeply into the concept of heaviness. I thought he must have seen Magritte, so when I mentioned René, I assumed he would recognize René’s pipe, even though I had left out the title of Magritte’s work. And so, we circled back to the original question of the river and its water.”

1993年，我在藝術中心畫廊的個展「Thirty-one Photographs」，所展出的原作照片均為C41彩色照片，只有一張例外，是以柯式印刷的原作。25x31吋，題目是「詩之四節」。在該年較早的時候，我與設計師Lilian Tang合作為一美術紙代理公司設計了一份極大開度的公司簡介冊子。這個作品其實就是該宣傳物的其中一頁原件。版面有我手寫的一段中文文字放大。這段文字某程度也可說是我對旋轉物的看法。我把這段文字放在我個展的展品冊子卷首。後來，這段文字也變身成為及後出版的「十人詩選」裡的一首詩。題目「詩之四節」(Four Stanzas of a Poem) 泛指圖中的四枚圓形物。文本如下「我和一位朋友討論着關於河水和河流的問題，我提到了杜象。特別是他關於對現成物的看法。物象和它存在時空的關係，像一尾泳在河床上的魚，你總不能夠單獨地將一件事抽離。這也是我後來開始喜歡巴巴拉古嘉的原因。一位設計師加入來討論問到為甚麼叫輪環使用影像的概念，我說將一塊石變成一張石的照片和將一張石的照片變成一塊石是一個先後次序的問題。之後，我再沒有和他深入討論關於重量的種種猜想。我想他一定看過馬格列特，所以，當我說到馬我想他是撇掉了馬的題目也一定懂得馬的煙斗。這樣，又回到我們剛才談到河水和河的問題。」

0022PH2MK On Circular Objects in the Tú Huā Yuán Jì Series (Pictorial Journey to the Origin of Flowers)

 

On Circular Objects in the Tú Huā Yuán Jì Series (Pictorial Journey to the Origin of Flowers)

(PHOTOGRAPH, 2009)


Around 2010, I created a series called Tú Huā Yuán Jì. For each piece, I selected a photograph I had previously taken and paired it with a short passage of newly written text, thereby establishing a relationship between the two. I referred to this approach as "the study of image-text relationships." This series later inspired my subsequent work, Z FICTION.
One piece in Tú Huā Yuán Jì focuses on circular objects and can be seen as a small guide to understanding my journey with circular motifs:
"I became fascinated with Duchamp in the 1980s after purchasing a set of replicas of his works, titled Rotoreliefs (1935), at the Museum of Modern Art's gift shop in New York. In his various works, I later found validations of spinning objects. My subsequent reflections on cycles, theories of endlessness, and similar concepts are, after all, extensions of these reproductions in essence, somehow.”

「圖花源記」系列中關於圓形物

大約2010年間，我做過一組作品「圖花源記」。選取一張事先已拍好的照片，然後寫一小段文字，因而令兩者產生關係。我稱此為圖文關係學。也是因為這組作品，引申到後來創作的 Z FICTION。圖花源記其中有一篇是關於圓形物的，可以說是理解我的圓形物旅程，一個小小助讀：「開始迷上杜象是八十年代有一回在紐約現代美術館小賣部買了他的一組（六張）題目叫Rotoreliefs（1935）的複製品。之後，在他的不同作品裡找到了旋轉物的印證。至於後來我所思考的環迴使用，無終極論等等，都不外是這些複製物的引伸而已。」
 

0021PH2SK Childhood Lee Ka-sing holding a circular object

 

Childhood Lee Ka-sing holding a circular object
(PHOTOGRAPH: 3x5 inch, black and white silver print, 1956)

The family photo mentioned in the title of the self-portrait was taken in 1956, before I left Hong Kong for Guangzhou. Between 1956 and 1962, I lived in Guangzhou with my granduncle and grandaunt. The mentioned photo used to hang on the right wall beside the bed in the bedroom, about eight by ten inches in size, framed with a wooden mirror frame, serving as a focal point of the room. Through the changes of the 1970s, the photo eventually disappeared without a trace. After my granduncle’s passing, I recovered an old photo album from his belongings. Among them was a smaller version of this family photo, about three by five inches. These photos are now mostly marked by the passage of time, riddled with wormholes.

[手拿著圓形物件的童年李家昇]
在自拍照題目中提到的家庭照片攝於1956年，我離開香港赴廣州之前。1956至1962年間，我在廣州與伯爺伯娘同住。提到的那張照片，當時掛在睡房床邊的右牆，約八乘十吋，木邊鏡框，恰如房間的焦點。經過七十年代的變遷，照片後來已不知去向。伯爺離世後，我在他遺物撿回舊相簿，此張家庭照有個小本的，約三乘五吋。這些照片，大都佈滿了蛀蟲的時光。
 

0020PW2LK Lee Ka-sing’s Self-Portrait

 

Lee Ka-sing’s Self-Portrait


(PHOTO-BASED WORK: 32x4 inch, 2012)


In 2012, Anothermountainman curated an exhibition exploring portraits and self-portraits. The portrait of Holly that I contributed had already been published multiple times. Later, I translated this photographic work into text, and recently, Chris Song (宋子江) translated my original Chinese poem based on this portrait into English.
However, my self-portrait from that exhibition has not been published since. The piece consists of 12 individual photographs, each mounted on square wooden blocks measuring 2.5 inches on each side. Together, these blocks were framed as a single piece. After the exhibition, I gifted this work to Anothermountainman as a memento.
I had planned to consolidate this work into a single piece, but other commitments prevented me from doing so. Over time, the original image files seem to have been lost, making the exhibited version likely the only one in existence.
This self-portrait bears a lengthy title:
“Studying a family photograph taken in 1956 of Lee Ka-sing with his parents, he is seen holding a round object in his hand. This might explain the consistent appearance of circular forms in his works over the past 30 years.”


2012年又一山人策劃了一個關於肖像與自拍像的展覽。其中我拍攝楚喬的肖像已發表過多次，後來我又將該個肖像作品轉譯成為文本。最近宋子江替我將該詩中文原文，翻譯成為英文本。但其中我的自拍像，展覽過後卻完全沒有曝光。該自拍像由12件散件照片組成，裱在方木件上，各2.5吋見方。整體外加一框。展覽後此個展品我送予又一山人作紀念。本來打算之後做一個整件式的版本，因為其他事忙而沒有成事。後來連原來影像檔案都好像掉失了，也許當時展出的便成了唯一版本。這個自拍像作品，有一個頗長的題目：「觀察一張攝於1956年李家昇的家庭照（與父母親一起）他手中正拿着一顆圓形物件。這可能是影響了他過去30年間圓形物體不斷地出現在作品的一個原因。」

0019PU2MK I gather the sorrow of darkness into the pages of a book 我想把黑色的哀傷都收納在一枚冊本裡

 

I gather the sorrow of darkness into the pages of a book
我想把黑色的哀傷都收納在一枚冊本裡
(PUBLICATION: an elegy, 6x9 inch, 112 pages, 2024)

After the passing of Holly, I created a work in October consisting of fifty photographs. It was included in TERRAIN, a collaborative project with Gary Michael Dault, in which he wrote fifty pieces of haiku to accompany the images. This became the eleventh volume of TERRAIN. Later, I developed my fifty photographs into a separate book—essentially a poem composed with photographs.
The book is smaller in size, measuring 6x9 inches vertically. Each photograph spans a full spread across two pages. Since the original images were square, a small portion from the top or bottom had to be cropped. Additionally, some details in the center of the images are slightly lost in the gutter where the two pages meet. However, these minor losses in the visuals are not critical—the main focus is the overall impression, the flow, and the emotion conveyed by the work as a whole.
The entire book feels heavy, deep, and profoundly dark. I titled it “an elegy”. The cover features a line of Chinese text: 我想把黑色的哀傷都收納在一枚冊本裡(I gather the sorrow of darkness into the pages of a book). The black cover was created by layering several of the darker photographs on top of one another.


楚喬離去後，我在十月間做了一個作品，共五十張照片。放在與Gary Michael Dault 合作中的TERRAIN，他寫了五十闕俳句。是為TERRAIN的第十一冊。後來，我把我的五十張照片，另外構成一本書，一首以照片寫成的詩。這個書較細小，6x9吋直度，我把每張照片做個通版對頁。原來的照片是方度的，因此需要上或下裁去一點，而且，照片的中部，也會因兩書頁的相連位，而有一點會略去。不過這些畫面上的一點流失，也不是那麼重要，主要的還是整體。整體流動產生起來的感覺。整本書都是深沉，黑重重的，我把題目稱做 an elegy (哀歌)。封面放了一行中文寫的［我想把黑色的哀傷都收納在一枚冊本裡]。黒色的封面，其實是幾張較深沉的照片重疊在一起。

0018PL2SK A portrait of David Tang 鄧永鏘肖像

 

A portrait of David Tang 鄧永鏘肖像

(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour)

A portrait of David Tang by Ka-sing, created for the cover of PEAK. Tang was the founder of Hong Kong's “The China Club" and "Shanghai Tang." (The headshot was provided by Tang himself.)

李家昇為PEAK封面創作的鄧永鏘肖像。鄧為香港「中國會」及「上海灘」創辦人。（鄧的頭像由鄧提供）

0017PU2M Palm Anthology 手掌集

 

(PUBLICATION:  Palm Anthology 手掌集 128mmx188mm, 126 pages)

The Palm Anthology is a renowned poetry work by Xin-Di, first published in 1948. Due to changes in the political climate, it has long been out of print. We invited Xin-Di to inscribe a dedication for us on this pirated edition. Ironically, when Xin-Di later compiled his own poetry collection, he had to rely on these pirated editions to complete the task. These editions not only benefited readers of later generations like us but, in this case, also helped the original author.

手掌集為辛笛著名詩集，於1948年出版，因政治環境變動，早已絕版多年。我們𨘋請辛笛為我們在這個盜印本上題簽，以作紀念。辛笛後來編輯自己的詩選，還是得靠這些盜印本才得完成。它不只惠及了我們這些後輩讀者群，在這個情況，也幫助了原作者。

0016PH2MH Xin-Di and Leung Ping Kwan 辛笛與也斯

 

 

Xin-Di and Leung Ping Kwan 辛笛與也斯
(CONTACT PRINT, 5x8 inch, 1985)

In 1985, the poet Xin-Di visited Hong Kong, possibly to see JOURNEY, an exhibition by Yesi and Donna Lok that presented by the Chinese Culture Promotion Centre. As part of her photography project My Friends, Artists, and Others, Holly invited Xin-Di to her studio for a photo session. The two joint contact prints published here capture the interaction between Yesi and Xin Di before the formal shoot. In Xin-Di’s hand is a pirated copy of his poetry collection Palm Anthology, which we had in our possession.

1985年，詩人辛笛訪港。可能是特意來看也斯與駱笑平一同在中華文化促進中心舉行的「游詩」展覽。楚喬約了辛笛來影室拍照，是她「我的朋友，藝術家及其他」拍攝計劃的一部份。刊出的這兩格直印照片，是正式拍攝前，也斯與辛笛的互動。辛笛手中的，是我們所藏的辛笛詩集「手掌集」盜印本。



0015PL2SH Michael Hui 許冠文

 

0001PH2MK

Michael Hui 許冠文
(POLAROID,  4x5 inch, colour, 1990)

In February 1990, Holly Lee photographed Michael Hui for the cover of the inaugural issue of Next Magazine.

1990年2月，黃楚喬為壹週刊創刊號封面拍攝的許冠文。

0014PL2SKH Ka-sing and Holly 家昇與楚喬 (1985)

(POLAROID, 4x5 inch, colour, 1985)

 

Ka-sing and Holly, 1985. In Holly’s series My Friends, Artists, and Others, this photo might fall under the “Others” category. There is no negative for this image—only a unique Polaroid exists. A playful moment following a photography session, it evokes memories of an extraordinary era.

 

家昇與楚喬，1985年。在楚喬「我的朋友，藝術家及其他」系列，這個也算是屬於「其他」的部分吧。這張照片並無拍攝負片，只有單一寶麗來。拍照之餘的玩樂，那是一個令人懷念的年代。

0013PL2SH Holly Lee self-portrait 黄楚喬自拍像 (1986)

 (POLAROID, 4x5 inch, colour, 1986)

 

Holly Lee’s widely recognized series Pictures of Friends, Artists, and Others includes a self-portrait. Recently, we unearthed a Polaroid test shot of this self-portrait in our archives, taken on June 25, 1986. Within the negative storage box for this series, there are also two 4x5 black-and-white negatives, but they have never been printed—not even as contact prints.

黄楚喬廣為人知的「我的朋友，藝術家及其他」系列，也包括了一幀自拍像。最近在檔案中翻出這張使用作試光的寶麗來照片，攝於1986年6月25日。該照片在系列的底片儲存匣中，藏有兩張黑白4乘5底片，只是從來沒有放出過相片，甚至直印照片也沒有。

0012PL2SK Chang Chao-tang and Antonio Mak 張照堂與麥顯揚 (1985)

 

 

(POLAROID, 3.25 x 3.25 inch, black and white, 1985. ©Lee Ka-sing)

In 1985, we took a trip to Taipei with Antonio Mak. We visited art museums together and had lunch at Ju Ming’s home. Naturally, we also made time to meet other old friends in Taiwan. I can’t quite recall where exactly we met with Chang Chao-tang, but the place had an ambiance very much like a Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng (diner). On this trip to Taiwan, I brought along a Polaroid 190.

1985年我們與麥顯揚有一趟台北之旅。我們一起看美術館，在朱銘家中吃午飯。當然，也少不了約會其他在台的老友。與張照堂在一起的是台北甚麼地方已記不起了，它的環境佈置倒很像香港的茶餐廳。這一次訪台之旅，我隨身帶了一具寶麗來190照相機。