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。