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Dorothee Sauter: Geology, Cooking Heart, Curious and other stories Vernissage: Friday 11 June 2021 16h – 20h Exhibition: 12 – 26 June 2021 Thursdays - Saturdays 13h – 19h Pfeffergässlein 25 (via Nadelberg 33), 4051 Basel, Switzerland Curator: Angelika Li Enquiry: info@onkili.com ​ ​ ​ Dorothee Sauter’s solo exhibition “Geology, Cooking Heart, Curious and other stories” (Basel, 2021) offers an extraordinary landscape populated by ambiguous free life forms. One may wonder if the scene is terrestrial or underwater? A myriad of mind games. The enigmatic sculptures stand as a cluster with their own wills: breathing, yelling, grasping; mouths, eyes, ears; protuberances, limbs, phalli; outward, inward, gesturing an urgency of energy discharge, if not explosion. Our eyes drift along these tentacular movements which suggest a potent life force with immense resilience and willpower. The colours are unmanipulated raw pigments from different continents, disarming in their utmost honesty. Placed together they create an almost-palpable fluctuation in atmosphere and temperature. Are they vessels carrying distant ancestral memories, dwellings inhabited by organisms beforetime, rhizomes in evolution, symbols of fertility or a group of quasi-objects extending from Bruno Latour’s concept of a ‘parliament of things’? Sauter wittily muddles our sense of time, shifting prehistory and future. Staying curious, Sauter’s technical interest is geared towards the properties and transformation of clay minerals, metal oxides and the vitreous state of rocks, with aspirations to bring together testimonies from completely different geological time periods into her work. To Sauter, her sculptures are films for the mind’s eye: fragments of memory whether conscious or subconscious, moments in a lecture, images in the newspaper, something she has seen but cannot fully understand, stimulation by science and literature. Her goal is not only the finished sculptures and vessels, it is also her developing process: the peculiar poetry of becoming, the dance between intent and chance. ​ Excerpt from the curatorial essay by Angelika Li ​ Click here for the List of Work ​ ​ Photo: Nici Jost Photos: Marco Schibig Photos: Nici Jost Artist Website Launch ​ Complementing Dorothee Sauter's first solo exhibition in Basel which opens on Friday 11 June, we are very happy to announce the launch of her artist website, a collaboration between the artist and the curator: Dorothee Sauter: Geology, Cooking Heart, Curious and other stories ​ Angelika Li Basel, Spring 2021​ ​ Geology is a constant topic for Swiss artist Dorothee Sauter. Growing up surrounded by forests in Aarau, Switzerland, she is the eldest of four daughters whose father was a chemist and mother was a teacher. At an early age, Sauter developed a curiosity about nature and the evolution of life, thinking of the oscillation between the prehistoric and the contemporary. “What is the origin of life?” is Sauter’s question. Intrinsically scientific and humanistic, her thinking processes imagine the times before human existence. The primal living substance – earth – has become Sauter’s main source and medium in her quest. Sauter describes her working method as ‘thinking with the hands’. For her, the working process with clay is a balancing act between control and letting go, giving freedom to the material to work with, sculpting her emotions. Throughout the act of morphing, her hands leave marks on the material that constitute memories, both tangible and intangible; sealed and irreversible. During her formative years in the 1970s, Sauter was exposed to diverse cultures and practices of ceramics: from the distinctive regional techniques in Switzerland, to the well-preserved ancient wood-firing heritage in Sifnos, Greece, to the Asian aesthetics, philosophy and practice inspired by traditional Japanese porcelain-making in Henrichemont, France. She studied under professor Setsuko Nagasawa from Kyoto at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs (section céramiques) in Geneva, a school open to new influences and international exchanges at the time. Sauter’s quest did not just stop there. Instead, she embarked on multiple journeys to the United States from the 1980s which marked pivotal points in her artistic development. She advanced her study on sculpture at the San Francisco Art Institute; explored cutting-edge techniques in Sun Valley, Idaho; and was exposed to the freedom of expression and experimentation of the Californian ceramicist community. In the American Southwest a new horizon on prehistoric cultural resources led her into an archaeological investigation on the Mimbres pottery culture and Anasazi cliff dwelling architecture, providing a prelude to her pursuit of landscape architecture starting in 2000. Along Sauter’s journey are the inspirational lives and work of feminist revolutionaries including Iris von Roten, Simone de Beauvoir, Eva Hesse, Lynda Benglis and Donna Haraway. Fresh from her graduation, Sauter worked at the first woman-led pottery workshop in Switzerland founded by Margrit Linck where she engaged in utilitarian ceramics in the Bauhaus style. While running her own studio in Bern, Switzerland, Sauter was also sporadically teaching and working on public works commissioned by the City of Bern. Her work began addressing the social structures and norms she encounters: gender identity, woman’s role and domesticity. She reengineered everyday utilitarian objects associated with gender stereotypes in the domestic realm, for instance in ‘Leibesrolle’ (1989) and ‘Pfeifenwunsch’ (1990), into large-than-life-size sculptures with mutated bends, edges, and twists against their functionality. Rounded parts become piercing angles, acting as a rebellious statement, if not a forceful protest. These feminist narratives were demonstrated in her exhibition at Kunsthalle Bern and two-person exhibition with Silvia Bächli in Burgdorf in the early 1990s. As a young mother, Sauter was eager to find out more about human biology – again: “What is the origin of life?” – and this directed her to the medical archive at the University of Bern where she found research materials on the phenomenon of sperm deformity and its relation to sickness, inflammation, damage and death. This extends to the curiosity about what constitutes a ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ life form in morphology. The research was instrumental to the ‘Spermien’ series (1992) and shed light on the ‘Einzelstück (Hand) aus Verhinderung’ series (1994), a connection between the hands and the cerebellum (the “little brain”) that controls our muscles, movements and balance. Eva Hesse’s influence on the pursuit of new material is evident. In Sauter’s “Red Vinyl” series, she revisits her childhood and the recurring subject of gender identity. Casts from domestic objects of deceased women and her sons’ toy cars, representations of body parts and human organs oscillate between death and birth, beauty and vulgarity, pop up conspicuously in her solo exhibitions at Galerie Francesca Pia, Bern in 1996 and the University of Illinois in 2001. Sauter experiments with non-traditional materials such as a bold red plastic which is challenging to handle and provocative to the senses, especially to the olfactory. The radical colour and texture resonate flesh and blood, a rebirth of forgotten domestic objects. In 2000, together with her family, Sauter moved to the United States, and it was also when her cultivated passion for landscape architecture brought her into a master’s programme at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Particularly significant for Sauter’s artistic transformation were the practicum at Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park in Gujarat, India in 2003 and her involvement in the renovation in 2005 of Houston's Emancipation Park, one of the oldest public parks in the city, before she started practicing in a landscape architecture office in Houston. She returned to Switzerland in 2016, living in Basel with a studio in Rheinfelden. Sauter’s solo exhibition “Geology, Cooking Heart, Curious and other stories” (Basel, 2021) offers an extraordinary landscape populated by ambiguous free life forms. One may wonder if the scene is terrestrial or underwater? A myriad of mind games. The enigmatic sculptures stand as a cluster with their own wills: breathing, yelling, grasping; mouths, eyes, ears; protuberances, limbs, phalli; outward, inward, gesturing an urgency of energy discharge, if not explosion. Our eyes drift along these tentacular movements which suggest a potent life force with immense resilience and willpower. The colours are unmanipulated raw pigments from different continents, disarming in their utmost honesty. Placed together they create an almost-palpable fluctuation in atmosphere and temperature. Are they vessels carrying distant ancestral memories, dwellings inhabited by organisms beforetime, rhizomes in evolution, symbols of fertility or a group of quasi-objects extending from Bruno Latour’s concept of a ‘parliament of things’? Sauter wittily muddles our sense of time, shifting prehistory and future. Staying curious, Sauter’s technical interest is geared towards the properties and transformation of clay minerals, metal oxides and the vitreous state of rocks, with aspirations to bring together testimonies from completely different geological time periods into her work. To Sauter, her sculptures are films for the mind’s eye: fragments of memory whether conscious or subconscious, moments in a lecture, images in the newspaper, something she has seen but cannot fully understand, stimulation by science and literature. Her goal is not only the finished sculptures and vessels, it is also her developing process: the peculiar poetry of becoming, the dance between intent and chance. ​ ​ "Clay is full of sculptural possibilities - with its malleability and its ambivalence between permanence and transition, its reflection of nature and existence, especially of life cycles. Pottery is an ancient craft that explores these qualities directly with the use of hands and fingers. While working with the wet material, repetitively poking, hitting, squeezing, in a process that connects the living and the dead, I let the hands guide me. I describe my daily work as thinking with the hands."

​ VIDEO TALKS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Hong Kong Video Night Freilager-Platz, Münchenstein/Basel 20 May 2022 On the Museumsnacht Friday 20 May, PF25 and Atelier Mondial present the European premiere of 'This is Not a Game' (2021) by the artist-in-residence Angela Su who represents Hong Kong in the 59th Venice Biennale and also . A conversation will take place between the artist and PF25 co-founder and curator Angelika Li and director of Atelier Mondial Alexandra Stäheli after the premiere. The screening programme includes more than twelve video works dating from 1989 to 2021 by a stellar lineup of Hong Kong artists: Luke Ching, May Fung, Kongkee, Law Yuk Mui, Leung Chi Wo, Lo Lai Lai Natalie, MAP Office and Yim Sui Fong. Across different generations through their Hong Kong eyes, this collection of videos offers a diverse range of perspectives, landscapes, narratives and imaginations of their city. ​ Hong Kong Video Night Programme 20 May 2022 ​ 1900 - 1915 European Premiere 1. Angela Su ‘This is Not a Game’ (2021), 11 mins 16 secs ​ 1915 - 2000 Artist Conversation with Angelika Li, PF25 cultural projects founder and curator Alexandra Stäheli, director of Atelier Mondial ​ 2000 - 2222 Screening 2. Kongkee ‘River ’ (2020), Animation, 5 mins 3 secs 3. Kongkee ‘I just can't find myself, most of the time ’ (2020), Animation, 1 min 56 secs 4. Lo Lai Lai Natalie ‘Cold Fire’ (2019-2020), 10 mins 18 secs 5. MAP Office ‘The Book of Waves ’ (2018), Animation, 2 mins 6. Yim Sui Fong ‘Black Bird Island ’ (2017), 6 mins 32 secs 7. Lo Lai Lai Natalie ‘Weather girl Halo Daisy ’ (2016), 6 mins 32 secs 8. Luke Ching ‘Pixel ’ (2014), 43 secs 9. Leung Chi Wo ‘Suck/Blow’ (2003), 4 mins 10. Law Yuk Mui ‘On Junk Bay, The Plant ’ (1990-present), 2 mins 56 secs 11. May Fung ‘Image of a City’ (1990), 11 mins 12. May Fung ‘She Said Why Me ’ (1989), 8 mins ​ Total of the video: 12 (approx. 71 mins) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Angela Su. ‘This is Not a Game’ (2021), 11 mins 16 secs Kongkee. ‘I just can't find myself, most of the time’ (2020), Animation, 1 min 56 secs Kongkee. ‘River’ (2020), Animation, 5 mins 3 secs Lo Lai Lai Natalie. ‘Cold Fire’ (2019-2020), 10 mins 18 secs MAP Office. ‘The Book of Waves’ (2018), Animation, 2 mins Yim Sui Fong. ‘Black Bird Island’ (2017), 6 mins 32 secs Lo Lai Lai Natalie. ‘Cold Fire’ (2019-2020), 10 mins 18 secs Luke Ching. ‘Pixel’ (2014), 43 secs Leung Chi Wo. ‘Suck/Blow ’ (2003), 4 mins Law Yuk Mui. ‘On Junk Bay, The Plant’ (1990-present), 2 mins 56 secs May Fung. ‘Image of a City’ (1990), 11 mins Law Yuk Mui. ‘She Said Why Me’ (1989), 8 mins VIDEO TALKS ARCHIVE HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS #1 May FUNG x LAW Yuk Mui Screened in Basel on 25 February 2020 ​ As part of the Berlin exhibition at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, 2020 HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS #3 Kongkee x Yukihiro Taguchi in conversation with Angelika Li at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin on 3 October 2020 ​ As part of the Berlin exhibition at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, 2020 ​ HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS #2 LEUNG Chi Wo x Valerie Portefaix/MAP Office in conversation with Angelika Li 20 September 2020 ​ As part of the Berlin exhibition at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, 2020 HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS #4 Lo Lai Lai Natalie x Yim Shui Fong with Angelika Li 2 July 2021 ​ As part of 'Through the Clouds' at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, July 2021

2023 Seminar zum Politischen Theater, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Juli 2023 in Berlin Photos: Mirjam Wulff installation photo by Tashi Brauen 2022 2021 Contact info@onkili.com

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 about HiT HOMELAND in TRANSIT is a curatorial project conceptualised by Angelika Li in 2018 soon after her move from Hong Kong to Switzerland in 2017. "Where are you from?” This simple question opens up thoughts and conversations about the notion of homeland and triggered the idea of the curatorial project HOMELAND in TRANSIT. On the surface, the word 'homeland' recalls a physical and permanent form, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its shifting nature. The inaugural exhibition in 2019 channeled narratives of ‘homeland’ from Hong Kong perspectives: borders, boundaries, roots, diaspora, cultural identity, colonial ideologies and beyond. Transiting through an extraordinary year... ​ HOMELAND in TRANSIT 2020 ​ Transitioning into a fresh decade and a new lunar zodiac 12-year cycle with unknown possibilities, we expand our community and explore new forms of exchange: first with a VIDEO TALKS series launched in Basel presenting works by Hong Kong artists May Fung and Law Yuk Mui in February before the CV19 regulations were introduced in Switzerland. Due to CV19, all of our programmes and activities scheduled for Asia have been postponed. ​ Entering autumn, the Berlin exhibition featuring Hong Kong artists Kongkee, Leung Chi Wo, May Fung, Law Yuk Mui and MAP Office together with Berlin-based Japanese artist Yukihiro Taguchi opened at the gallery of our partner Momentum in Kunstquartier Bethanien on 1 October through 29 November. The VIDEO TALKS with Kongkee and Taguchi moderated by the founder of the project Angelika Li on 3 October accidentally coincided with the Germany Reunification Day. Further discussions followed with the audience after the talk with ad-hoc interviews conducted, views of 'homeland' shared and some local Berliners' experiences collected. Our project is indebted to their valuable contributions and grateful for their participations. Thank you very much! Vielen Dank! ​ Concurrently during the Berlin exhibition period on 30 and 31 October, five video works with strong notions of water by Kongkee, Taguchi and MAP Office were interwoven with and BY THE RIVER RHINE at the outdoor video installation at a heritage-listed building on the well-known Florastrasse in Kleinbasel under the rare blue moon on 30 & 31 October. To the neighbours' surprise, the building has temporarily turned into a house with moving images running and moving around on the exterior. If one went closer to the building, sounds from the videos could be heard which added other layers to their immediate environment by the River Rhine. Another accidental coincidence was the rare blue moon rise which was not known during the planning phase and it miraculously offered the most dreamlike backdrop for Kongkee's two works from his 'Moon in the River' series. Our team hoped that this project also did act as a tool to cheer up and inject some energies to the communities around the area during the pandemic times. In November, Kulturkreis Zollikon has announced that 4 - 21 March, 2021 are the new dates for our exhibition HEIMAT im WANDEL at Villa Meier Severini co-curated by Martin Brauen and Angelika Li. The new programme from the organiser and the event with Asia Society Switzerland will be updated in due course. A new chapter of exhibition is being targeted to happen in Basel in June, 2021. *updated as at 8 February 2021: The exhibition has been further postponed to 5-22 May 2022. ​ Stay tuned for more updates of our new journeys in 2021. We wish you all a healthy and fruitful year ahead! ​ ​ ​ 2020 PROGRAMME OUTDOOR VIDEO SCREENING BY THE RIVER RHINE 30 - 31 OCTOBER FLORASTRASSE 45 BASEL, SWITZERLAND ​ ​ HOMELAND in TRANSIT BY THE RIVER RHINE ​ Artists Kongkee MAP Office Yukihiro Taguchi ​ Curator Angelika Li in collaboration with Donald Mak and Edward Wang on Visual Design 30th – 31st October 2020 19-22h Florastrasse 45, 4057 Basel ​ We screen five video works by three artists from Hong Kong and Japan: ‘River’ and ‘I just can't find myself, most of the time’ (2020) from Kongkee's 'Moon in the River' series; ‘Magu ’ (2012) and ‘Terasu ’ (2015) by Yukihiro Taguchi and ‘The Book of Waves’ (2018) by MAP Office which delve into the notions of self-searching, identity, memory, and our resilience as humans. The intrinsic and characteristic element of Hong Kong – Water – occupies a strong presence around the heritage-listed house at Florastrasse 45 which, as a vessel, perpetuates the stories and energies to the River Rhine and the next destinations. Come join us in this experience where art, architecture and water interweave in the continuing exploration of HOMELAND in TRANSIT. The total duration of the videos is approximately 20 minutes and all can be viewed from the outside. ​ Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visitation is limited to 15 persons. We kindly ask you to click this link and select a 30 minute timeslot for your visit. ​ We will be respecting current COVID-19 regulations. Please wear a mask. Thank you for your understanding and support in maintaining our mutual health and safety. ​ EXHIBITION+ VIDEO TALKS 1 OCTOBER - 29 NOVEMBER KUNSTQUARTIER BETHANIEN BERLIN, GERMANY ​ ​ HOMELAND in TRANSIT next stop: BERLIN Angelika Li, Basel, Autumn 2020 The word ‘homeland’ evokes a physical and permanent form on the surface, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its complex and shifting nature. The inaugural exhibition of HOMELAND in TRANSIT in 2019 channeled narratives of ‘homeland’ from Hong Kong perspectives: the floating islands, borders and boundaries, unfolding histories of diaspora, the metamorphosis of cultural identity, colonial ideology and beyond. In only a few months, our world has changed dramatically and each word in this title has developed a wider scope of meanings and expanded relevance: we feel an urgent need to further communicate and encourage more exchanges and discussions. The HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS launched in Basel in February 2020 continues the exchange and leads to the next exhibition taking place at MOMENTUM, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin in October 2020 with time-based works by 7 artists from Hong Kong and a Berlin-based Japanese artist exploring the notions of migration, self-searching, cultural identity, memory, and our resilience as humans. An intrinsic and characteristic element of Hong Kong - water - occupies a strong presence. Continue to the curator's notes Artists May FUNG Kongkee LAW Yuk Mui LEUNG Chi Wo MAP Office (Valerie Portefaix & Laurent Gutierrez) Yukihiro TAGUCHI ​ Curator Angelika Li Exhibition: 1 October - 29 November, 2020 1 October – 1 November 2020: Wednesday – Sunday 1-7pm 2 – 29 November 2020: Due to the November Lockdown, the gallery is open only by appointment on info@momentumworldwide.org VIDEO TALKS: 3 October, Sat 1600-1900 Angelika Li in conversation with Kongkee and Yukihiro Taguchi Scroll down for the link ​ Venue: MOMENTUM , Kunstquartier Bethanien, Mariannenplatz 2, Berlin ​ Co-presented by ​ ​ ​ ​ MAP OFFICE ‘The Book of Waves’ (2018), animation, duration: 2 min. 250 hand drawings on computer screen inspired by Ha Bun Shu by Mori Yuzan, 1917 Sound recorded around Shek O Headland, 2018. MAP Office’s ‘The Book of Waves’ (2018) brings to mind the often forgotten natural geography of Hong Kong, which consists of more than 260 individual islands, though it is better known as a densely populated modern cityscape. Engulfed in the sound of waves recorded from Hong Kong’s Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay, MAP’s video animation of 250 hand-drawn waves and ripples in the nihonga style takes as its starting point the ‘Ha Bun Shu’ of Mori Yuzan, an archive of waves drawn from the Edo period. To achieve the quality of an animation, the artist duo had to imagine what the missing links of waves would be in order to weave the stories together. The traditional technique of handwork merges with new technology through the form of animation. MAP construct their own representation of the oceans around the world, which is the core of their current research. Not only does this work reflect the ocean condition, it also metaphorically represents the life of our city as ups and downs, calm and unsettling, in between the foreseeable and unpredictable. The water element recalls the controversial scientific theory by French scientist Jacques Benveniste that water retains its own memory. If these are all true, can we presume that water also carries evidence of our history? MAP OFFICE 'The Book of Waves' (2018) Inkjet print on 160gsm Japanese Art Paper. Paper: 27 x 16.2 cm. Box: 28.4 x 17.6 cm. In a box, numbered, with certificate. Viewing upon request by appointment. Edition of 3/7 LEUNG CHI WO ‘My name is Victoria’ (2008) video, duration: 21 min. 30 sec. Edition of 5 Leung’s practice primarily draws from references and archives with history as a subject matter. He often digs up small details and reveals unknown facts. Eleven years after Hong Kong’s sovereignty changed hands from Britain to China in 1997, the artist created this work in 2008 to explore the perception and interpretation of the name ‘Victoria’. This video work unveils an unfamiliar route in the city: starting from Victoria Road in Kennedy Town, the border of Victoria which was the former capital of the crown colony, to Aberdeen where the British, under the reign of Queen Victoria, landed for the first time in Hong Kong in 1841. Through an open call on the internet, the artist collected forty women’s stories behind their name ‘Victoria’ which are narrated by a soft female voice in a distinctive British accent with music by Franz Schubert playing in the background. The light-hearted atmosphere in the video juxtaposes the heavy cultural and political issues the work is concerned with. The name ‘Victoria’ carries a majestic air and represents a time in the past in the Hong Kong context. In these stories, one notices how different generations think about naming and in the artist’s curiosity on how a name is re-interpreted over time and across cultures and beliefs play. Once a foreign name is transplanted, new meanings are born. Leung brings up these multiple layers of naming with irony and wit. The proper phonetic transliteration for Victoria in Cantonese is ‘Wai Dor Lei Nga’ which connotes a majestic and elegant air. But it is commonly written as ‘Wik Dor Lei’ literally meaning ‘Region of Profit’ which reflects certain local values and also contradicts or even ridicules the regal background of the name. How does history and the knowledge of history shape our perception and self-recognition? LAW YUK MUI ‘On Junk Bay, The Plant’ (1990-present), duration: 2 mins 56 secs. Cyanotype of plants from Junk Bay Moving from Victoria Road to the opposite side of the Victoria harbour of Hong Kong – we find Junk Bay, now known as Tseung Kwan O (TKO). The earliest inhabitants of the area can be traced back to the 13th Century and major settlements dated back to the late 16th Century when small fishing villages were formed. With its geographical advantage, shipping industries emerged in the 1960s until 1982 when the local government kicked off the development of TKO as a new town which saw a chain of humongous reclamation constructions. Notably, the government never addressed the old name ‘Junk Bay’. In ‘On Junk Bay, The Plant’ (1990-present), Law Yuk Mui leads us to revisit the geographical history and metamorphosis of Junk Bay, where the artist used to live. Her lens captures the natural landscape of the area mixed with the history of its phenomenal land development through reclamation where foreign plants were transplanted and re-rooted. Through her investigation of Hong Kong cartography and passion in geology, the narratives delve deeper into the contemplation of migration, native vs foreign, borders and the relationship or negotiation between human and nature. Using plants as metaphors, foreign plants are like migrants and refugees transplanted to a new land, as in her parents’ migration from China to Hong Kong. As the speed in Hong Kong is always so fast, the artist strategically paces the video in slow motion to prolong 15 seconds of real life to create time to engage the audience with her subject matter. The distorted sound is excerpted from Hayao Miyazaki’s animation ‘Castle in the Sky’ with its tree trunks growing into the sky offering a sense of future and hope. MAY FUNG ‘Image of a City’ (1990), video, duration: 11 mins With rapid urbanisation in Hong Kong since the 1970s and an influx of migrants from China, how do we perceive the changes of our city and our own identity? May Fung is one of the most influential video artists at the forefront of experimental practice for over three decades in Hong Kong. Her work often interweaves local history, cultural landscapes, politics and poetics. Her two works ‘Image of a City’ (1990) and ‘She Said Why Me?’ (1989) offer images of Hong Kong through a time tunnel from the 1967 Hong Kong riots to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests with footage drawn from the Hong Kong Government Record Service. Cityscapes marked with architectural references that reflect the parallel worlds of both Chinese and British, the artist channels out her emotions and memories along the pivotal transformations or negotiations between the two worlds in one city. The anxiety and frustration expressed in the works have become self-fulfilling prophecy. What the footages depict keep resurfacing through our timeline, as seen in the recent movements in Hong Kong and other parts of the world. Recordings of scholar Ackbar Abbas’ lecture on the notion of ‘culture in a space of disappearance’ guides us through ‘Image of a City’ (1990): “Hong Kong…has never seized being a port, a door, a threshold, a passage way. It is a space in transit. Everything is provisional, temporary and ad hoc.” Overlapping the voice of Abbas in the video is Margaret Thatcher’s speech on ‘one country, two systems’. Abbas described Hong Kong as “not so much a place as a space of transit,” whose residents consider themselves as transients and migrants on their way from China to the next place. What is disappearing? Is it something visible or intangible? Is it our heritage and identity or sense of belonging? Is it the memory of our past or our imagination of the future? MAY FUNG ‘She Said Why Me’ (1989), video, duration: 8 mins The narratives of disappearance and the cityscapes linger with a strong sense of frustration and self-searching in ‘She Said Why Me’ (1989) in which a blind-folded female protagonist starts her journey from a Tin Hau temple where traditionally fishermen in Hong Kong worship and pray to the deities for protection in the waters. The artist uses the temple as a form of attachment to her heritage. Interwoven with historical footages with focal points or quasi surveillance on women, the protagonist transits into the modern cityscape of Central finding her way along the monuments that represent the colonial era. At one point, she loses her blindfold yet she still moves like a sleep-walker. When she comes to realise her blindfold is no longer there, she starts running aimlessly, but from what and where to? Seemingly lost with a sense of displacement and despair, the woman acts as the artist’s outlet of emotions, vents out her emotions and frustrations about her gender, cultural identity, the transformation of our city during this self-searching process. At the pivotal junction on Queen’s Road Central, she turns and stares back sharply at the camera with anger and fear: ‘Why me?’ She then finds her way, though blindfolded, back to where she came from. That leads us back to the sea, the notion of water. Kongkee ‘I just can't find myself, most of the time' (2020) Animation, 1 min. 56 sec. Greek philosopher Heraclitus had a famous analogy about life: “You cannot step twice into the same river”, which recalls the Chinese philosophy of change in the Yijing (I-Ching or Book of Changes): the only certainty is change, as such each moment is unique. Kongkees latest animations, created in 2020, are anchored by these concepts. Time cannot travel backward, everything is always in a state of becoming. During the process of making animation, with the help of software and tools, characters can flow fluidly back and forth in time, as though existing beyond time itself. Travelling between dimensions, pasts and futures and grabbing hold of the most precious moments; however, the ending has always already been drawn out for the animation characters. In “reality” we are unable to see the future and there is no way of reading the script of our lives. We are part of the current of time. There is a feeling that our destiny, unfinished, is still to be written. Both videos shown here are silent, focusing the viewers on the movements and visual expressions of the artist. Kongkee uses I can’t find myself, most of the time (2020) as a mouthpiece to project his state of mind. The motion and gestures of the walking man are those of a sleepwalker or someone in a state of dreaming. To the artist, dreaming also feels like walking through water. The walking man has a strong sense of direction but where is he heading? Could it be read as an analogy of the discoordination between the mind and body, consciousness and physical strength? In the water and above the surface, time is lapsing between the two realms. The work becomes a meditation for the artist to release his emotions from what can perhaps be felt – distress and powerlessness. Like a self-reflection, with his head being trapped in a box through the complex process of thinking, he does not seem to be able to escape from the situation. YUKIHIRO TAGUCHI ‘Magu’ (2012), stop-motion video, duration: 4 min. 49 sec. ‘Magu’ (2012) is a stop-motion animation set in Male, Maldives by Yukihiro Taguchi who deals with objects and memories of a place of transit. Male is the capital of the island country Maldives and it is a famous transit hotspot for tourists travelling to the other islands. The majority of its inhabitants consists of locals and migrants. Roaming around the island, the colourful island fabrics are rhizomic and absorbing imprints from daily elements of the vibrant island life - wall textures, manhole covers, iron grills and street signs - and the interactions in the local environment in every aspect. These fabrics become records of memories and spirits of the place and people. During Taguchi’s stay, he learns from the locals that certain colours represent certain cultural, political or religious ideals and identities, and some colours should be avoided. Colours carry different cultural, social and political meanings with them in every culture. This notion of colours also broadens the discussion of Leung’s exploration in ‘My name is Victoria’. Kongkee 'River' (2020) Animation, 5 min. 3 sec. In Kongkee’s River (2020) the familiar daily objects in Hong Kong are floating in the same direction as in I can’t find myself. The colours are vibrant yet the manifestation of the beaten, powerless or lifeless objects evoke fear, melancholia and darkness. What are their stories? Where are they going? Fear often comes from the unknown, uncertainty and instability. Based on the artist’s sensitivity in terms of challenging global situations, people are getting closer and building solidarity, exporting and importing ideas. Along this line of thought, the idea that construction is built on destruction is once again obvious. In reality, we are quite uncertain as to what is coming in the future and can we really write the script and storyboard of our lives like in an animation? In the artist’s words: “there is a feeling that our destiny, unfinished, is still to be written.” One might easily be drowned in this melancholic blackhole of current affairs and situations in her or his homeland. Humans are resilient. By going forward, one shall see hope. In the darkest hour, the slightest ray of light will illuminate the darkness and show us the way. YUKIHIRO TAGUCHI ‘Terasu’ (2015), stop-motion video, during: 4 min. 44 sec. ‘Terasu’ is a Japanese word meaning ‘to illuminate’. Taguchi contemplates on the notion of darkness and light. It was during the winter time when he was invited to create a site-specific project in Arnsberg, Germany. What would the strategy be when the sky goes dark so early? Taguchi applies his survival instinct to use fire and he starts by the most primitive method – hand drilling. The artist draws with the fire across the town in lines and signs, creating soul-like energies. Like a magic touch harmonising the contradictory the yin and yang, using fire to draw a boat and a waterscape. At the end, the fire is transferred onto torches, and the people from the town draw the signs that represent themselves and their place. These are records of the collective memories and solidarity of people. ​ VIDEO TALKS online ​ ​ ​ LEUNG Chi Wo x Valerie Portefaix/MAP Office in conversation with Angelika Li 20 September 2020 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ May FUNG x LAW Yuk Mui Screened in Basel on 25 February 2020 ​ Kongkee x Yukihiro Taguchi in conversation with Angelika Li VIDEO TALKS in Berlin on 3 October 2020 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXHIBITION HEIMAT IM WANDEL 05-22 MAY, 2022 (POSTPONED FROM 2020) VILLA MEIER-SEVERINI ZOLLIKON, SWITZERLAND PROGRAMME UPDATES TO COME SOON. PROGRAMME (POSTPONED FROM 2020): ​ The inaugural exhibition in 2019 of the curatorial project HOMELAND in TRANSIT channeled narratives of ‘homeland’ from Hong Kong perspectives: borders, boundaries, roots, diaspora, cultural identity, colonial ideologies and beyond. In the new chapter in 2020 with the German title HEIMAT im WANDEL, Martin Brauen and Angelika Li form a curatorial partnership to interweave the different perspectives and experiences of Bern-based Tibetan artist Sonam Dolma Brauen and six Hong Kong artists Hung Fai, Lee Ka Sing, Leung Chi Wo, MAP Office, Lulu Ngie and Wai Pong Yu. The word ‘homeland’ has complex meanings: a clearly defined place/space, a tradition/culture that you share with others, a common history, belonging to a certain community in which you feel at home - and thus also feelings such as security and trust. It evokes a permanent form on the surface, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its shifting nature. The definition of ‘homeland’ fluctuates under socio-political pressures which can lead to alienation and discontent, and potential fragmentations in our societies. Despite many differences, Tibet and Hong Kong share something in common: the sense of homeland of its inhabitants is constantly being questioned and reinterpreted. How do artists perceive these transformations and how do they represent it in their art? Venue: Villa Meier-Severini, Zollikerstrasse 86, 8702 Zollikon, Switzerland ​ Exhibition organised by Kulturkreis Zollikon Artist Biographies Press / Enquiry HUNG Fai 熊輝 VESSEL IV 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 136 x 69 cm Sonam Dolma, Yishen 28, 2014, 94 x 138 cm MAP Office (Laurent Gutierrez, Valérie Portefaix) HONG KONG IS OUR MUSEUM 2006 White neon mounted on WAI Pong Yu韋邦雨 LAKEDREAM 2 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 68 x 100 cm Sonam Dolma, Yishen 71 2016 Acrylic on Canvas 34x34 cm Sonam Dolma, Abschied No 3 2017 Acrylic on Canvas 140 x 100 cm WAI Pong Yu韋邦雨 A RHYTHM OF LANDSCAPE 9 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 57.5 x 68.4 cm LEE Ka Sing 李家昇 THE PART OF HISTORY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TOLD 2010 Photographic work 40.64 x 50.8 cm Lulu NGIE倪鷺露 RECOGNISING IT 2019 Ink on paper mounted on silk 215 x 95 cm LEE Ka Sing 李家昇 EVERYBODY SAID CAMEL WAS THE FATHER OF GPS 2011 Editions: 4/10 & 5/10 Sonam Dolma, Gone with the wind LEUNG Chi Wo 梁志和 MY NAME IS VICTORIA 2008 Video: HDV, PAL, 21 min. 30 sec. Artist book: 15 x 21 cm Sonam Dolma, My Fathers Death WAI Pong Yu A MOMENT OF TRUTH 57 2019 Archival Ballpoint Pen on Japanese Art Paper 29.7cm x 21cm WAI Pong Yu A MOMENT OF TRUTH 55 2019 Archival Ballpoint Pen on Japanese Art Paper 29.7cm x 21cm Upper: WAI Pong Yu A GOLDEN BOUGH 3 2019 Archival black water pigmented ink, silver ballpoint pen, w WAI Pong Yu A Golden Bough 3, 2019, deta MAP Office (Laurent Gutierrez, Valérie P I lost myself River Magu Terasu Book fo Waves Berlin Video Talks Flora Zollikon Full blue moon VIDEO TALKS FEBRUARY 2020 BASEL, SWITZERLAND We are very proud to present video works by Hong Kong artists May Fung and Law Yuk Mui in the first HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS. The two artists will appear in Basel by means of video during the sharing session. ​ May Fung’s two works offer images of Hong Kong through a time tunnel from the 1967 Hong Kong riots to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests with footage drawn from the Hong Kong Government Record Service. Recordings of scholar Ackbar Abbas’ lecture on the notion of ‘culture in a space of disappearance’ guides us through ‘Image of a City’ (1990) while the narratives of disappearance linger with a strong sense of self-identity-searching in ‘She Said Why Me’ (1989). Image of a City (1990), video duration: 11 mins She Said Why Me (1989), video duration: 8 mins Law Yuk Mui’s ‘On Junk Bay, The Plant’ (1990-present) leads us to revisit the geographical history and transformation of Junk Bay, later known as Tseung Kwan O, a reclaimed-land area in Hong Kong where the artist used to live. Her lens not only captures the natural landscape of the area but also the history of its phenomenal land development through reclamation where foreign plants migrated, were transplanted and re-rooted. Through her investigation of Hong Kong cartography and passion in geology, the narratives delve deeper into the contemplation of migration, native vs foreign, borders and the relationship or negotiation between human and nature. ​ On Junk Bay, The Plant (1990-present), video duration: 3 mins ​ About the Artists ​May Fung is a video artist at the forefront of experimental practice for over three decades in Hong Kong. She is also a filmmaker, curator and art critic. Her work often interweaves local history, cultural landscapes and politics. ​Using image, sound and installation as her mediums of preference, and adopting the methodology of field study and collecting, Law Yuk Mui often intervenes in the mundane space and daily life of the city and catches the physical traces of history, psychological pathways of human, the marks of time and the political power in relation to geographic space. Law often digs beyond the surface, through which she would recover fragments of narratives and micro histories. ​ ​ Limited seating of 30. RSVP is essential. Location provided upon RSVP. Please bring a non-native plant. The HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS programme is in partnership with cmbb (culture matters beyond borders, Hong Kong) 1/1 ​ Thank you very much for joining us at our first HOMELAND in TRANSIT VIDEO TALKS which was launched in Basel on Tuesday 25th February in which we presented Hong Kong artists May Fung and Law Yik Mui’s video works. Many congratulations to the two artists on the first presentation of their works in Switzerland. ​ A big thank you to the audience who brought us non-native plants and shared with us their stories to make the video installation of Law Yuk Mui’s ‘Junk Bay, The Plant’ (1990-present) more alive. Stay tuned as the installation will continue to grow in Basel. ​ Thank you again to the two Hong Kong artists May Fung and Law Yuk Mui for making a video conversation for our VIDEO TALKS in Basel, especially during this difficult time of the coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong. Our thoughts go to the Hongkongers. ​ 28th February 2020 MAY FUNG x LAW YUK MUI in Basel Junk Bay She Said Why Me Image of a City Contact Us

BIOGRAPHY​ ​ Angelika Li, a Hong Kong curator based in Basel, is dedicated to exploring the essence of places and the connections through culture, heritage, and stories. As the co-founder of PF25 cultural projects, a Kulturverein bridging Basel and Hong Kong, she actively fosters a continuous dialogue between international communities. Her research focus encompasses diaspora, identities, colonial ideologies and displacement, integral to the ongoing exhibition series 'Homeland in Transit'. The series was inaugurated in Basel in 2019 and has expanded to cities including Berlin, Freiburg, Murrhardt, Zurich, Zollikon and Ishigaki, reaching its 11th edition in 2024. Other projects as a curator include Isaac Chong Wai’s performance ‘Difference/Indifference’ (2022) at the Basler Münster; the public programme for 'Brice Marden: Inner Space' at Kunstmuseum Basel (2022); Ellen Pau’s debut in Basel in ‘Speculative Generations of Flora Zero’ (2023); Dorothee Sauter's solo exhibitions 'Tumbling through time' (2024) and 'Geology, Cooking Heart, Curious and other stories’ (2021); Hedy’s Leung’s ‘Menhir Tapestry 1’ (2023) for Radio X X_ARTS Festival opening performance, and ikebana performance with a panel discussion ‘Ethno-Botanic Resonance’ (2024) in collaboration with Chelsea Physic Garden and London Metropolitan University. Angelika is actively engaged as a speaker, receiving invitations from institutions such as Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Asia Society Switzerland, sinokultur, Kunstverein Freiburg, University of Hong Kong, and Chinese University of Hong Kong. She holds a BA in History of Art and Architecture from the University of Reading and an MA in Cultural Management from the Chinese University in Hong Kong. Notable among her curatorial projects in Hong Kong are The Mills Heritage Project 'Chim↑Pom – It’s the Wall World' (2015), the urban murals by VHILS on The Mills façade (2015), 'Tracing some places. Leung Chi Wo' (2015), and 'Social Fabric. New works by Kwan Sheung Chi and Mariana Hahn' in collaboration with David Elliott (2016). ​ Before moving to Switzerland in 2017, she was the founding director of MILL6 Foundation in Hong Kong bringing it to ICOM museum status and achieving the Award for Arts Promotion by Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2016. Angelika was on the public art advisory panel of Mass Transit Railway Hong Kong between 2013 and 2017. Previous curated projects in Hong Kong includ e The Mills Heritage Project 'Chim↑Pom - It's the Wall World' (2015), the public art by VHILS at The Mills (2015), ‘Tracing some places. Leung Chi Wo’ (2015); ‘Social Fabric. New works by Kwan Sh eung Chi and Mariana Hahn’ in collaboration with David Elliott (2016), ‘Old Master Q: What The @#$% Is Going On? Original Works by Alphonso Wong’ (2014); ‘Beyond the Paper Screen - An Exhibition of Japanese Erotic Prints from The Uragami Collection’ (2013), ‘NEW INK: an exhibition of ink art by post 1970 artists from The Yiqingzhai Collection (2013)'. ​ THE EXHIBITION SERIES 'HOMELAND IN TRANSIT' 2022 - 2024 RECEIVES SUPPORTS FROM PRIVATE DONORS AND MANY THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS FOR YOUR INVITATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS IN DIFFERENT EXHIBITION CHAPTERS AND VIDEO TALKS Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt A window in the middle of the world GALERIE FÜR GEGENWARTSKUNST FREIBURG VENUE PARTNERS

Sogetsu Ikebana Demonstration by Hedy Leung Vitrahaus, Vitra Campus, March 2023 Sogetsu Ikebana by Hedy Leung Giardina, Messe Basel March 2023 as part of the Ikebana International Switzerland Basel and Zurich Chapters Annual Exhibition Ikebana gives life to the present moment. Every moment counts, not one moment repeats itself. Ikebana is an encounter between humans and plants. Flowers and stems are given a new life when they are arranged in a vessel or a space. Ikebana allows flowers and vessels, which exist on their own, to become one. A different harmonious beauty is created. Ikebana is a tactile art. Enjoying visual movement through our hands, it allows us unique opportunities to experience the flower, the vessel and space. In the practice of Ikebana, we will explore the flower’s rhythm flows in our imaginations and the inspiring energy between the organic vessels and the plant arrangements. ​ ​ ​ Hedy Leung Qualification 2022 member of the Sogetsu Teachers' Association Sogetsu Ikebana Teachers' Diploma 3rd Grade Sankyu Shihan member of Ikebana International Switzerland (Basel Chapter) ​ 2017-2022 studied under the tutelage of sensei Mr Ho Hin Shing (1st Riji), Hong Kong ​ Exhibition & Project 2022 PF25 cultural projects 'hands project ' project concept and sogetsu ikebana demonstrations and workshops 2023 Ikebana International Switzerland annual exhibition, Giardina, Zurich Atelier Mondial & PF25 artist-in-residence October ​ Location Basel, London, Hong Kong ​ Coming Workshops Enquiries Basel Mar 2023 Sogetsu Ikebana by Hedy Leung About the artist ​ ​ Hedy Leung is a member of the Sogetsu Teachers' Association and Ikebana Internat ional Switzerland (Basel Chapter) . She learnt under the tutelage of sensei Mr Ho Hin Shing (1st Riji) since 2017. In 2022, she received the Sogetsu Ikebana Teachers' Diploma (3rd Grade Sankyu Shihan). Hedy is a certified senior Chinese medicated food dietician with the recognition of the International General Chinese Medicated Meal of Self Recovery Association as well as the Commercial Vocational Skill Certificate from The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, The PRC. In 2020, Hedy graduated with the Diploma Program in Practical Chinese Medicine (Chinese Medicine Nutritional Studies) at The University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education. She has a bachelor degree of Social Science in Psychology Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University. Hedy has completed the BioGeometry Advanced Training in 2021 (Levels 4-6: Energy-Quality Balancing & Measurement, Environmental Energy Balancing and Design Principles).

Difference / Indifference a performance by Isaac Chong Wai at the Cloister of the Basler Münstser, Basel, Switzerland commissioned by Kunsttage Basel 2022 curated by Angelika Li ​ Isaac Chong Wai’s new performance piece Difference/Indifference, commissioned by the Kunsttage Basel and curated by Angelika Li, invites people to contemplate on history and compassion. Are we only observing or are we acting upon what we see and feel? Chong’s artistic research focuses on mourning and commemoration. Through meditative movements in this silent performance, solidarity is built among individual performers. This performance will take place in the same space as Bettina Eichin’s work ‘Markttische’, 'Market Tables' in English (1986) in the Cloister of the Basler Münster. People are invited to ponder on the notion of in our present time to reflect on the transnational memories on the environmental damage and suffering of people in the presence of Bettina Eichin’s work which commemorates the ‘Schwarzerhalle’ industrial site tragedy in 1986. ​ Workshop & Rehearsal

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2021 PROGRAMME EXHIBITION HOMELAND IN TRANSIT: THROUGH THE CL OUDS 17 SEPTEMBER - 2 OCTOBER Pfeffergässlein 25, BASEL, SWITZERLAND Vernissage: Thursday, 16 September, 17 - 21h Exhibition by appointment only: 17 September to 2 October info@onkili.com and +41 7678 1 7678. Pfeffergässlein 25 (via Nadelberg 33) 4051 Basel, Switzerland Covid-19 safety: masks required inside the gallery 1/5 ​ ​ ​ Curatorial essay 'Through the Clouds ' by Angelika Li Basel, 2021 ​ Homeland in Transit 2019 – 2020 – Now In the short time since the inaugural exhibition of ‘Homeland in Transit’ in 2019, our world has changed dramatically and each word in this title has developed a wider scope of meaning and expanded relevance. From the extraordinary situations of 2020, we set sail along the forces of water – an intrinsic and characteristic element of Hong Kong – through the notions of migration, self-searching and our human resilience to further our expedition. The new expansion of 'Through the Clouds' opens in Basel in September 2021. Following exhibitions in Murrhardt and Berlin during June and July that featured works by Hong Kong artists Luke Ching, Lo Lai Lai Natalie and Yim Sui Fong, curator Angelika Li has invited German/Swiss duo Copa & Sordes, Swiss sculptor Dorothee Sauter as well as Hong Kong painters Hung Fai and Wai Pong Yu to join in this latest chapter. With diverse mediums including paintings, ink on paper, sculptures, videos and installations, this transit further explores the boundless idea of the cloud as part of the hydrological cycle along with the wind and rain. How does this cycle impact on and reflect our current climate and situations? From different perspectives in Hong Kong and Europe, how do the artists perceive the transformations, if not turbulences? Are we going through a test of our resilience in unpredictable environments? Are we bound within the new realities or breaking through? Are we like clouds, going where the wind blows, by chance? ​ Scroll down to continue. ​ Click here for the Exhibition Map + List of Works . ​ ​ 01 Luke CHING 程展緯 Pixel 像素, 2014 Video, 43 secs Edition 2/5 02 YIM Sui Fong 嚴瑞芳 Black Bird Island 黑鳥島, 2017 Video, 6 mins 32 secs Edition 1/3 03 LO Lai Lai Natalie 勞麗麗 Weather Girl , Halo Daisy 天氣女郎, 2016 Video, 6 mins 32 secs Edition 2/5 04 LO Lai Lai Natalie 勞麗麗 Cold Fire 冷火, 2019-2020 Video, 10 mins 18 secs Edition 2/5 05 WAI Pong Yu 韋邦雨 A Rhythm of Landscape 9, 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 57.5 x 68.4 cm Photo: Eddi 06 HUNG Fai 熊輝 Wild Grass 17, 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 150 x 108 cm Photo: Eddie Lam 07 Hung Fai 熊輝 Vessel IV, 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 69 x 136 cm Photo: Maris Merzulis 08 Installation view of works by Dorothee Sauter. Photo: Maris Merzulis 09 Copa & Sordes 181010, 2018 130 x 100 Acrylic on cotton 10 Installation view of works by Copa & Sordes. Photo: Maris Merzulis 11 Luke CHING 程展緯 A big tree makes good shade and the shade gathers people 樹大可成蔭 樹蔭好聚人, 2021 Leaves installation in Wolkenhof 12 YIM Sui Fong 嚴瑞芳 The Unlocked Space 大門沒有上鎖, 2017 Video Installation. Photo: Electra Winter installation in Berlin ​ ​ Wolkenhof - Berlin - Basel June – July - September In this chapter ‘Through the Clouds’, we first arrived at Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt, a window amidst the world, situated in a natural reserve forest area near Stuttgart, with two interfaces: one to the real world, one to the virtual . The exhibition was physically located in Wolkenhof, in the home of the painter Heinrich von Zügel (1850-1941), a founding member of the Munich Secession and pioneer of German Impressionism. In the 19th century, Wolkenhof was a meeting place for artists and the name literally means 'Clouds Court' in German. The environment of Wolkenhof and its name serve as points of departure for this transit through the dynamics of the hydrological cycle: clouds, wind and rain. The boundless nature of clouds has inspired many in the arts across different cultures. Clouds appear in many poets’ work including ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ (1798) by English poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) who personifies himself as a melancholic cloud that aimlessly drifts ‘high o’er vales and hills’. His poem illustrates that we do not realise the significance of the simplest things until they are gone forever. By using daffodils as a metaphor for the voice of Nature, the poet reminds humankind of its restorative power and value. Are the clouds floating in hopes that they will discover fulfillment in life? ​ I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (1798) William Wordsworth (1770-1850) I wandered lonely as a Cloud That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden Daffodils; Beside the Lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:— A Poet could not but be gay In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the shew to me had brought: For oft when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude, And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the Daffodils. In a very different context and in his tempestuous style, Chinese poet Xu Zhimo (1897-1831) opens his poem ‘By Chance’ (1926) with ‘I am a cloud in the sky…’, expressing the inevitable nature and qualities of change, unpredictability and impermanence between the cloud and water, I and you, ‘the sea in the darkness’ and ‘the glow that sparked between us as we crossed our paths’. The clouds lightly float in the sky, yet their movements, direction or destination cannot be decided according to its own will, without other forces, such as the wind. By Chance (1926) XU Zhimo (1897—1931) I am a cloud in the sky, A chance shadow on the wave of your heart. Don't be surprised, Or too elated;In an instant I shall vanish without trace. We meet on the sea of dark night, You on your way, I on mine. Remember if you will, Or, better still, forget The light exchanged in this encounter. ​ The sense of floatingness and helplessness echoes Hong Kong novelist Xi Xi’s (1937-) ‘The Floating City’ (1986), with René Magritte’s ‘The Castle of the Pyrenees’ (1959) on a big rock suspending in the air above a rough sea as the visual imagery accompanying the opening chapter. The imagery accentuates the feeling of loneliness, isolation, rootlessness and escape: ‘The floating city appeared suddenly before everyone’s eye in the middle of sky like a hydrogen-filled balloon on a clear, bright day many years ago. Rolling clouds swirled by above; waves crashed on the swelling sea below…There had been a violent collision of clouds lighting up the sky with flashes and roars of thunder… Suddenly the floating city had dropped from the clouds and hung in midair.’ The floating city and its people have no control over their destiny, they can only fluctuate as external factors change. ​ The Floating City (1986) Xi Xi (1937 - ) ‘…People who want to have a look in the clouds can climb the ladders or go up by balloon, while visitors to the sea can use parachutes or go by helicopter. However, over half of the people in the floating city want to grow wings themselves. All in all, these people find it scary to live in a city that floats in midair. The people who are really terrified agonise night and day, finally deciding to pack up their belongings and they behave like migratory birds, moving elsewhere to build an ideal new nest. A novelist has recorded the following story: A man went to apply for a passport. The official asked where he wanted to go. He said it didn’t matter. The official gave him a globe of the world and asked him to make his choice. The man studied it, turned it around slowly, and finally said: Don’t you have another one?... It is a difficult decision to know where to go once you’ve left the floating city. Where can you find a city where you could live in peace forever? All those leaving the city have to have very strong wings, and they have to be very careful when in flight. If they go too near the sun, the wax that keeps the wings together melts and, like Icarus, they plummet to earth.’ ​ Soon after she received the Cikada Prize in 2019, Xi Xi spoke in an interview with Hong Kong Economic Journal about her recent observation on Hong Kong: ‘the reality now is way more surreal than any fiction.’ From different perspectives, how do Hong Kong artists perceive the transformations, if not turbulences? What are the exchanges of experiences with Europe? Wordsworth’s allegory might invoke contemplation on the disappearance of things dear to us. Are we going through a test of our resilience in unpredictable environments? Are we staying within the new realities or breaking through? Are we like clouds, going where the wind blows, by chance? 01 Luke CHING 程展緯 Pixel 像素, 2014 Video, 43 secs Edition 2/5 The exhibition opens with ‘Pixel’ (2014), a video by Luke Ching about the annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil which was took place annually on June 4th between 1990 and 2019 at Victoria Park in Hong Kong. To the artist, a droplet of wax represents a candle, which becomes a cluster of pixels. Every year on June 4th, the media focus much attention on the resolution of the Victoria Park image: behind each candlelight was a holder of flesh and blood. In this video, the pixel of a candle extinguishes with a trace of smoke. According to the report of South China Morning Post on June 4th, 2020, the organisers estimated the vigil was attended by millions since 1990. For the first time, the vigil was banned in 2020. 02 YIM Sui Fong 嚴瑞芳 Black Bird Island 黑鳥島, 2017 Video, 6 mins 32 secs Edition 1/3 ​ From 1989, we fast-forward to the 1997 handover of Hong Kong. Yim Sui Fong’s ‘Black Bird Island’ (2017) stems from her interview with a former Hong Kong pigeon seller Mr. Leung Kam Hung and the history of the official handover celebration that the Regional Council of Hong Kong organised where thousands of pigeons transported from the Chinese border were released at the Sha Tin Sports Ground. Due to severe rainstorms, most birds could not return to their homeland and were stranded. The artist creates a fiction with friction comprising multiple layers of social commentary based on two observations: a field study of the sky-coastline shaped by pigeon colonies since the handover in 1997 where the birds were being observed; and an encounter with a young girl being bullied where the bird becomes an observer. The jump-cuts bridge the story of the pigeons in Hong Kong, and through their lens into the psychological state of the society at the time. 03 LO Lai Lai Natalie 勞麗麗 Weather Girl , Halo Daisy 天氣女郎, 2016 Video, 6 mins 32 secs Edition 2/5 ​ What is a halo cloud? In the format of weather reporting narrated by a cheerful female voice, Lo Lai Lai Natalie shares her records of emotions in ‘Weather Girl, Halo Daisy’ (2016). It is her repertoire to deploy a lighthearted approach with superficially soothing trivial imagery to engage the viewer on heavy content, often of social and personal issues in the real world. The volume and temperature of sweat, tears and emotions can be detected in this video. Farming is a therapeutic process for the artist and she often sets a camera randomly in the field while she is at work. By chance the natural phenomenon of the halo cloud was captured. The clouds look calm on the surface, yet with the fierce undercurrents, the phenomenon is formed with a ring of rainbow in the everchanging conditions. This video is part of Lo’s ‘Slow-So TV’ series. The music chosen is ‘Siko Horepse Sirtaki’, a Greek folksong selected as the weather forecast music on TV in Taiwan in the 1990s. ​ 04 LO Lai Lai Natalie 勞麗麗 Cold Fire 冷火, 2019-2020 Video, 10 mins 18 secs Edition 2/5 ​ Unlike ‘Weather Girl’, the level of expression and emotion on the surface has heightened in Lo’s ‘Cold Fire’ (2019-2020). One might be fascinated by the mysterious beings rippling through the sensual body of smoke, clouds or water. In the next scene, the viewer is on a plane with safety cards and a window view of clouds, eavesdropping on conversations about a mixture of fear of plane crashes, life and death: ‘Cut off her relationship with the iron bird.’ ‘Floating on the ocean with her unknown companies, towards an unknown future.’ ‘Do you know where we are heading?’ ‘No, I don’t. I never do.’ ‘It seemed calm looking from thousands of feet from above.’ ‘Only because we could not see the thriving, indomitable bacteria.’ The music selected for this work cultivates another layer of narrative. The melancholic theme in ‘Vallée d’Obermann’ by Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was composed during his journey across the Swiss Alps in 1835 along literary sources including Étienne Pivert de Senancour’s novel ‘Obermann’ with notions of solitary despair, overcoming hopelessness, human existence, and immensity of suffering in this world. Could it be a coincidence or the artist’s déjà vu or the reflection on her many memories accumulated during the creation of this work? Through the fermentation process to the revelation of the mysterious being – i.e. the fire used for fermentation – the cold fire at the same time represents the energy and solidarity of people, yet by no surprise, people do get hurt from it. ​ Transit Expansion in Basel In the Basel edition of this chapter, Hong Kong artists Hung Fai and Wai Pong Yu, Swiss sculptor Dorothee Sauter and German/Swiss artist duo Copa & Sordes (Birgit Krüger and Eric Schmutz) also join the journey through the clouds amidst the hydrological cycle. 05 WAI Pong Yu 韋邦雨 A Rhythm of Landscape 9, 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 57.5 x 68.4 cm ​ In ‘A Rhythm of Landscape 9’ (2019), with its horizontal lines drawn on a manually erased newspaper, Wai Pong Yu inflicts damages and holes in the process of eradicating all the printed details on a July 4th 2019 copy of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily (which ceased operation on June 23rd, 2021), physically expressing feelings of suppression, anxiety and desperation arising from the recent turbulent sociopolitical climate in Hong Kong. Amidst the clouds of uncertainty, the colourful lines drawn in repetition act as a therapeutic process for the artist to retain a sense of hope and relief: the truth always comes to the light. 06 HUNG Fai 熊輝 Wild Grass 17, 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 150 x 108 cm ​ With a similar sentiment, ink artist Hung Fai’s ‘Wild Grass 17’ (2019) builds an emotional outlet to release the feeling of powerlessness. By using basic tools and material including a metal ruler, ink pen, xuan paper and the quintessential element of water, he creates lines and dots in mechanic and laborious repetition. Forms and lines spontaneously and allegorically come to life by forces on the ruler against the xuan paper like a knife on skin. As the water and ink flows, his thoughts and emotions are injected into the work. At first glance, a mountainscape with clouds above appears. When one goes into the details, images of individuals emerge and come to life. The impression almost suggests that a battle scene is about to begin. What Hung creates here is not merely a landscape but more of a collection of mindscapes at pivotal moments. 07 Hung Fai 熊輝 Vessel IV, 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 69 x 136 cm ​ Vessel IV (2019) is a collaborative work in which Hung invited his mother to fold an object using a piece of paper which he then integrates with his ink and paper. During the process, his mother showed him a folded paper boat which led the artist to discover details about his mother’s childhood as a Chinese migrant in Indonesia and her homeward migration journey by ship from Indonesia to Fujian, China during the so-called ‘return of the tidal flow’ in the 1960s. The work led him to reflect on the notion of origin, safe zones and self-searching. This intimate space for his own reflection in ‘Vessel IV’ seems like a sacred mothership encapsulated by the veil of fog he has woven with his paper and lines. ​ 08 Dorothee Sauter Installation view ​ Emerging from the water element, the tentacular movements of Dorothee Sauter’s enigmatic sculptures created in 2021 ‘Instability – 2’, ‘Inflammation – 1 & 2’ and ‘Dry palate – 2 & 3’, suggest a terrestrial or underwater world that is charged with potent life force. Each appears to have a mind of its own. Can the swirling movement also indicate where the strong wind blows or turbulences are? This creates an almost-palpable fluctuation in atmosphere with immense resilience and willpower, resonating with the vibrancy and monochromatic drama in Hung’s ‘Wild Grass 17’. Xi Xi’s depiction of ‘the floating city’ can somewhat be imagined with inhabitants populating in Sauter’s ‘Mumps’ (2020), ‘Looking for a reason’ (2021) and ‘New guest’ (2021) as rhizomic geological dwellings in cloud formation. 09 Copa & Sordes 181010, 2018 130 x 100 Acrylic on cotton 10 Copa & Sordes Installation view ​ On the opposite wall, one finds a puzzle of cloudscapes. Are they reflecting the sky through the windows? Yet they are not imitations of clouds or depictions of reality but the idea of clouds which is central to the practice of Copa & Sordes for more than 30 years. ​ To the artist duo, the cloud has no borders, each is light and free, unique and indescribable. Their clouds are never neutral and are subject to interpretation. Time passes slowly during the process that leads to a state of meditation. Instead of looking inward, the painting of clouds guides them to look to the outside. With the idea of the cloud and its abstraction in mind, the only physical form present in the process is their bodily movement. Uncertainty plays a big part in their creative process of which the notion and repetition recalls the allegory of gambling and fermentation in Lo’s ‘Cold Fire’. One can relate ‘Cold Fire’s scene and conversation on the plane to Copa & Sordes’ white cloud trails made by jets in ‘181010’ (2018) and the infinity sign or ‘SOS’ signal in the sky in ‘180904’ (2018). Another quintessential motive of their cloud paintings is the Baroque reference – more than a century of changes in society and politics, in markets, in art and architecture through the Baroque cultural movement which the duo finds similarities to the situations of our times. The question is when will the next age of enlightenment approach with new movements, values and hopes? Installations at Wolkenhof and Berlin Two installations were set up in Wolkenhof and Berlin: the community programme ‘A big tree makes good shade and the shade gathers’ (2021) by Ching and ‘Unlocked Space’ (2017) by Yim. 11 Luke CHING 程展緯 A big tree makes good shade and the shade gathers people 樹大可成蔭 樹蔭好聚人, 2021 Leaves collected and punched by Hongkongers in Europe Size variable ​ The concept of ‘A big tree’ stems from a community project of Ching in a district called Happy Valley in Hong Kong with a local art space C&G Apartment in April and May 2021. Happy Valley is the home of the horse-racing course and is often associated with the phrase 'horses will race, dances will continue' referring to the fifty years of autonomy the city was promised after the handover of 1997. Observing another phenomenal migration wave in Hong Kong, Ching prepares the mini leaves as souvenirs for the people who are leaving. The leaves in our palms act as pixels of camouflage landscapes, urging us to reflect on the notion of change: climate/temperature, nature/environment, synchronising indoor/private lives. This contemplation is believed to have a therapeutic effect. Ching was invited by the curator to expand the project and its spirit with the Hong Kong communities in Switzerland and Germany. In this installation, the leaves are collected by Hongkongers in Switzerland and Germany from their everyday living environments and punched to create a new diasporic landscape and memory to reflect on the notion of transition. Camouflage is a combination of a plural colour spectrum and corresponds to different terrains. In the artist’s eyes, with many leaving Hong Kong, the concept of ‘we’ will have to transcend physical space and territory from now on and rebuild many small reasons to come ‘together’. The Chinese saying 'A big tree makes good shade and the shade gathers people' echoes the pixel nature highlighted in Ching’s video work, and also the solidarity of people. The audience can take some leaves home as souvenirs and Hongkongers are welcome to add some leaves to the gathering of new landscapes and stories. 12 YIM Sui Fong 嚴瑞芳 The Unlocked Space 大門沒有上鎖, 2017 Photo Installation Size variable ​ Yim’s installation ‘The Unlocked Space’ (2017) is on housing, always a major issue in Hong Kong. From illegal settlements improvised with scraps and salvaged materials in the 1950s, to the implementation of cooperative buildings, Hongkongers once hoped that they could build their own homes. However, with ever-surging property prices, housing now brings only staggering pain to the majority of the population. Yim’s father used to live in the squatter area near ‘Wong Ka Chong’ which was formerly a government-owned factory during the British colonial period. Tracing the old address, the artist found a six-storey civil servants’ cooperative building which has been left abandoned after having been sold in 2016 to a developer from China which has grand redevelopment plans for high-rise luxury apartments on the site. ​ Walking into the obsolete building, Yim found a large unlocked empty apartment. Her curiosity was provoked by the frozen time encapsulated in the objects of daily life and memory of the former-realities inside: a newspaper from 31 May 1989 and handwritten calendar; documents of the Cooperative Building Society and pieces of personal particulars; five to eight-digit telephone numbers; postcards from overseas and a collection of VHS tapes; statues of deities from different cultures and copies of pornography. Their existences have been forgotten along with their functions. Metaphorically speaking, do they belong to a piece of history in oblivion which can be manipulated, reinterpreted and disappeared? The artist questions if all these represent the nature of transition. Are the objects left only with emotions floating and the temperature remaining amidst the dust cloud at the scene she has captured through her camera lens? In the Berlin edition, the curator has engaged artists Lo and Yim in the Video Talks series as part of the exhibition at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien. The artists sat together under an old large tree at one of the scenes in Yim’s ‘Black Bird Island’. The duo created a conversation piece responding to the curator’s questions and also shared their views on the notion of homeland. Different emotions are expressed under the same sky. ​ ​ To Video Talks Curatorial Essay and Biographies List of Work Enquiry ​ ​ Photos: Maris Merzulis HOMELAND IN TRANSIT: THROUGH THE CLOUDS 11 - 25 JULY Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien BERLIN, GERMANY 4 JUNE - 22 JULY Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt a window in the middle of the world MURRHARDT, GERMANY EXHIBITION & VIDEO TALKS HOMELAND in TRANSIT Through the Clouds​ with Hong Kong artists Luke Ching Lo Lai Lai Natalie Yim Sui Song curated by Angelika Li ​ Presented by Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt a window in the middle of the world 4 June - 22 July 2021 Opening hours: 09-23h Wolkenhof 14, Murrhardt, Germany ​ MOMENTUM 11 – 25 July 2021 Kunstquartier Bethanien Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin, Germany The new chapter of Homeland in Transit: 'Through the Clouds' with Hong Kong artists Luke Ching, Lo Lai Lai Natalie and Yim Sui Fong will open on Friday 4 June through 22 July at Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt, a window in the middle of the world, situated in a natural reserve forest area near Stuttgart, with two interfaces: one to the real world, one to the virtual . ​ Two individual installation pieces by Luke Ching and Yim Sui Fong are planned for the exhibition. Due to the current pandemic situation, the installation date and details at Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt will be available by the end of June. During the exhibition period, the four videos can also be viewed at einfenster.net . ‘Homeland in Transit Through the Clouds’ will be exhibited in parallel at Momentum, Kunstquartier Bethanien in Berlin from 11 to 25 July 2021 with a new edition of the VIDEO TALKS with Lo Lai Lai Natalie, Yim Sui Fong and Angelika Li and also with an online viewing platform at momentumworldwide.org during the exhibition period. Continue to Curatorial Essay by Angelika Li German Press Release by Ein Fenster inmitten der Welt Curatorial essay with artists' biographies Murrhardter Zeitung coverage by Petra Neumann dated 8 June 2021 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A big tree makes good shade and the shade gathers people 樹大可成蔭 樹蔭好聚人 by Luke Ching at MOMENTUM Berlin ​ To Hongkongers in Berlin, if you would like to join our project, please bring your punched leaves to our opening at MOMENTUM, Kunstquartier Bethanien on Sunday 11 July from 13-19h. More info and images can be found here . Please help spread the word! ​ ​ ​ ​ ARTISTS BIOGRAPHIES Luke Ching Lo Lai Lai Nathalie Yim Sui Fong EXHIBITION HEIMAT IM WANDEL further postponed from March 2021 to 5-22 May, 2022 VILLA MEIER SEVERINI ZOLLIKON, SWITZERLAND PROGRAMME UPDATES WILL COME IN SPRING 2022. 2019 POSTPONED PROGRAMME: ​ The inaugural exhibition in 2019 of the curatorial project HOMELAND in TRANSIT channeled narratives of ‘homeland’ from Hong Kong perspectives: borders, boundaries, roots, diaspora, cultural identity, colonial ideologies and beyond. In the new chapter in 2020 with the German title HEIMAT im WANDEL, Martin Brauen and Angelika Li form a curatorial partnership to interweave the different perspectives and experiences of Bern-based Tibetan artist Sonam Dolma Brauen and six Hong Kong artists Hung Fai, Lee Ka Sing, Leung Chi Wo, MAP Office, Lulu Ngie and Wai Pong Yu. The word ‘homeland’ has complex meanings: a clearly defined place/space, a tradition/culture that you share with others, a common history, belonging to a certain community in which you feel at home - and thus also feelings such as security and trust. It evokes a permanent form on the surface, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its shifting nature. The definition of ‘homeland’ fluctuates under socio-political pressures which can lead to alienation and discontent, and potential fragmentations in our societies. Despite many differences, Tibet and Hong Kong share something in common: the sense of homeland of its inhabitants is constantly being questioned and reinterpreted. How do artists perceive these transformations and how do they represent it in their art? Vernissage: March 19, 6–8pm Opening performance by Kay Zhang (Saxophone) & Nuriya Khasenova (Flute) Exhibition: March 20 – April 5, 2020 Asia Society Switzerland Talk & Tour: March 27, 6.30-8.30pm https://asiasociety.org/switzerland/events/homeland-transit Finissage: April 5, 6-8pm Venue: Villa Meier-Severini, Zollikerstrasse 86, 8702 Zollikon, Switzerland ​ Exhibition organised by Kulturkreis Zollikon About the Artists Press / Enquiry Germany Thro the Clouds Basel Pixel Black Bird Cold Fire Weather Girl Contact​ ​ info@onkili.com

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2023 PROGRAMME EXHIBIT ION ​ Homeland in Transit: Artists from Hong Kong, Taipei, and the Diaspora Vernissage: 14 September 2023 Freiburg Breisgau, DE -->>Curator's notes ​ AUSSTELLUNG // EXHIBITION ​ Hedy Leung Performance // Performance, Foyer ​ Isaac Chong Wai, Traces in Silence Einzelpräsentation // Solopresentation, Galerie I ​ Winnie Soon, Unerasable Characters II, (2017 - 2020) Benutzerdefinierte Software Installation // Custom-software installation, Galerie II ​ Oscar Chan Yik Long, A Horror to the Eyes of all Men Seeking Faith Ortsspezifische Installation // Site-specific installation, Galerie II ​ Leung Chi Wo, Only Time Can Tell, 2010 Installation // Installation, Galerie II ​ Anson Mak, The Black Wall, 2022 Super-8-Film/Video, Farbe, Stereo // Super 8 film/video, colour, stereo, Galerie II ​ Angela Su, The Afterlife of Rosy Leavers, 2017 Video // Video, Galerie II ​ Musquiqui Chihying, The Camera (16), 2016 Video // Video , Galerie II ​ ​ ARTISTS // EN ​ Hedy Leung Leung has a holistic approach to the balance of energies between human and nature. In her everyday practice, she explores the healing and revitalizing powers of sound, plants, and sogetsu ikebana. ​ Isaac Chong Wai The political and performative qualities of Chong’s artistic practice are incorporated by an interdisciplinary approach, processing the exigency of societal shifts and global phenomena. ​ Winnie Soon Soon is an artist coder and researcher interested in the cultural implications of digital infrastructure that addresses wider power asymmetries. ​ Oscar Chan Yik Long Chan’s artistic practice focuses on personal experience and explores the conditions of life, how individuals associate themselves with others, fear, mythologies and popular visual culture. ​ Leung Chi Wo As a visual artist, Leung combines historical explorations with conceptual investigations in a modern urban setting. ​ Anson Mak Moving image and sound artist Anson Mak is interested in urban redevelopment, queer culture and well-being in the forms of experimental ethnography and essay film. ​ Angela Su Su explores perception and imagery of the body through metamorphosis, hybridity and transformation. Her research-based projects materialize in drawings, videos, hair embroidery, performative and installation works. ​ Musquiqui Chihying The filmmaker and multimedia artist Musquiqui Chihying explores the cultural and social identities constructed through the flow and circulation of audiovisual elements. ​ ​ ÖFFNUNGSZEITEN GALERIE 1 & 2 // OPENING HOURS Do | Fr 17-20 Uhr Sa 14-20 Uhr So 14-18 Uhr ​ ​ ADRESSE E-WERK Freiburg, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Eschholzstr.77, 79106 Freiburg ​ ​ ÖFFNUNGSZEITEN DER AUSSTELLUNGEN Do | Fr 17-20 Uhr Sa 14-20 Uhr So 14-18 Uhr ​ ​ KONTAKT Telefon 0761/20 75 70 Telefax 0761/2 07 57 48 E-Mail: ewerk@ewerk-freiburg.de ​ ​ DER WEG ZU UNS E-WERK Freiburg – Sie erreichen uns zu Fuß, mit dem Rad, mit der VAG: Buslinie 14 und 26 Haltestelle Ferdinand-Weiß-Straße. Mit dem Auto (es gibt nur wenige Parkplätze, Einfahrt Ferdinand-Weiß-Straße) A5, Abfahrt Freiburg Mitte, Ausfahrt Stühlinger, links in die Eschholzstraße. ​ ​ HOMELAND IN TRANSIT // DE Homeland in Transit ist eine Ausstellungsreihe von Angelika Li. Durch ihren Umzug von Hong Kong nach Basel 2017 begann sie sich mit der komplexen und sich verändernden Natur von „homeland“ auseinanderzusetzen. Die Ausstellungsreihe befasst sich mit unterschiedlichen Narrativen und Aspekten von „homeland“: Mit Grenzen, Geschichte, Erinnerung, kultureller Identität, Diaspora, Vertreibung und darüber hinaus. ​ // EN Homeland in Transit is a series of exhibitions by Angelika Li. Through her move from Hong Kong to Basel in 2017, Li began to explore the complex and changing nature of „homeland“. The exhibition series explores different narratives and aspects of „homeland“: with borders, history, memory, cultural identity, diaspora, displacement and beyond. https://www.onkili.com/homelandintransit ​ FOTO Anson Mak, The Black Wall, 2022, Filmstill, (c) courtesy the artist. Bouie Choi 2023 We stay up late to behold the beauty of the stars The watery-fall, 2023, acrylic on wood, 40 x 29.4cm (detail) ​ Programme Stories Exchange Community Event Bring a postcard of your homeland and share your stories! ​ Hong Kong artist Bouie Choi believes that landscapes are imbued with memories and histories. As part of her residency with PF25 in Basel from May to June, Bouie is inviting people in Basel to bring a postcard from their homeland to the community project and share the stories they holds with her. This exchange will become part of the inspiration for Bouie’s upcoming exhibition, entitled 'We stay up late to behold the beauty of the stars,' which opens on 13th June. Her exhibition seeks to capture the complexity and emotional resonance between the reality and surreality; visible and invisible; darkness and light, while suggesting the ways she sees that can shape and define our sense of self, community and hope. Wednesday, 31 May 2023 Doors open: 18h Sharing session by the artist: 19h Venue: Nonnenweg 45, 4055 Basel Event registration: celine@PF25.org ​ We stay up late to behold the beauty of the stars a solo exhibition by Bouie Choi ​ Time : Tuesday, 13 June 18-21h Venue: Pfeffergässlein 25, 4051 Basel, entrance through Nadelberg 33 Event registration: celine@PF25.org ​ Exhibition viewing by appointment only until 30 June: info@onkili.com ​ ​ Part of the 'Homeland in Transit' exhibition series and PF25 cultural projects and residency. The programme is supported by: Hong Kong Arts Development Council Christoph Merian Stiftung mobani GmbH, and Achtsamkeit Basel ​Event East Asian soft drinks and snacks sponsored by Meow Kong ​ Programme curator : Angelika Li Programme coordinator: Celine Ngai ---> Exhibition Info ---> Exhibition Plan ---> Press Enquiry exhibition documentation by Maris Mezulis courtesy the artist and PF25 cultural projects event photos by PF25 cultural projects RANDOM DIARIES ​ St Jakobstrasse 41, 8 004 Zurich ​ Art Week Event Saturday, 10 June 2023, 18 - 21.30h ​ Tashi Brauen Oscar Chan Yik Long Leung Chi Wo Hedy Leung Lo Lai Lai Natalie Andreas Marti Angela Su Wai Pong Yu ​ Curated by Angelika Li Co-presented by Meow Kong and PF25 cultural projects as part of the 'Homeland in Transit' series​​ ​ Art Week Event Saturday, 10 June 2023, 18 - 21.30h 19 - 19 . 30h Sogetsu Ikebana Performance by Hedy Leung as part of the Art Basel VIP Programme Hong Kong drinks & snacks To register: celine@PF25.org ​ ​ Vernissage Saturday 13 May 2023, 14-20h​ ​ Exhibition 16 May - 18 June Tue - Sat, Sun 11 & 18 June, 11 - 19h Venue​ Meow Kong St Jakobstrasse 41, 8004 Zurich +41 79 264 90 00 ​ Press Enquiries info@onkili.com +41 76 781 76 78 Click to Press Folder ​ ​ About the Exhibition ​ ​ Meow Kong and PF25 cultural projects are delighted to present ‘Random Diaries’, the first chapter of the ‘Homeland in Transit’ exhibition series to be showcased in Zurich. Opening on 13 May to 18 June 2023, this chapter features recent works created from 2019 to the present by eight Hong Kong and Swiss artists including experimental works on paper by Tashi Brauen; ink on canvas by Oscar Chan Yik Long; moving images by Leung Chi Wo, Lo Lai Lai Natalie, and Angela Su; wearable objects by Andreas Marti; ink on paper by Wai Pong Yu; and a newly commissioned Sogetsu Ikebana installation by Hedy Leung. ​ Interweaving a diverse range of mediums and techniques including paintings, video works, wearable objects, works on paper and a sogetsu ikebana installation, 'Random Diaries' unveils the artists' kaleidoscope of memories, emotions and consciousness, reflecting their 'mind's eye' observations of the environs in constant states of flux. Amid the current global instability, this exhibition chapter highlights the concept of collective and individual memories, the notion of transience and resilience, and evokes a sense of chance and risk-taking. It leaves us wondering: where will these transformations lead us? ​ ​ ​ ---> Curatorial Essay by Angelika Li ---> List of Work ---> Artists Biographies ---> Press Enquiry ---> ​ Random diaries Contact​ ​ info@onkili.com

Contact ​ info@onkili.com

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2022 PROGRAMME EXHIBITION ​ STREETSCAPES Kunsttage Basel Community Event Let's have a drink and walk in the streets of Hong Kong Jungstrasse, 4056 Basel, Switzerland Friday 2 September 2022 18-20h​ ​ The Streetscapes project that premieres Hong Kong artist Hung Keung's latest video work in Basel invites the audience to bring an image that records the transformation in their city during the pandemic time together with a short description. The images and the texts will be pinned on a wall in the space to create a conversation and linking the stories of transformations between our cities. ​ Hung Keung will be virtually attending the event and joining curator Angelika Li, PF25 co-founder Donald Mak and our venue partner architect Raymond Gaëtan to exchange with the audience. Let's share our stories with some Hong Kong drinks and street food! ​ first-come-first-serve Special Hong Kong Treats for Participants! ​ Participants who share an image and stories will receive a voucher to taste some authentic Hong Kong-made Moon Cakes sponsored by Meow Kong and Curry Fish Balls prepared by Kennis Falkner at the event, also in celebration of the coming Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節 a.k.a. Full Moon Festival) on 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar Calendar which falls on 10 September this year. Popular demand, first-come-first serve! ​ ​ ​ Streetscapes 24360 Hong Kong New Video Work by Hung Keung ​ ​ Hung Keung is interested in the transformative physics of stones and rocks. In the spirit of the traditional Chinese landscape art, landscapes are meant for us to visit, to live in or wander around in. During the pandemic time, people in Hong Kong always had to stay home as a preventive measure. This video captures an almost surreal streetscapes of Hong Kong around the clock and with the movement of the 360-degree camera which creates a tunnel of time and documents the transit of people and the city during this pivotal period. ​ The video consisting of two parts will be looped and on view showing a 360 degree day and night streetscapes of Hong Kong at the window on Jungstrasse 33, 4056 Basel from 1-4 September 18-18h as part of the Kunsttage Basel programme: ​ Streetscapes 24360 Hong Kong 2022 Digital Moving Images DAY: 90 mins NIGHT: 60 mins ​ Part of the architecture models made of cement in the video were referenced from this list of buildings in Hong Kong, some existing, surviving or demolished. ​ ​ ​ Homeland in Transit : Streetscape New Video Work by Hung Keung Curator: Angelika Li Kunsttage Basel 1-4 September 2022 18-18h Jungstrasse 33, 4056 Basel, Switzerland Presented by: PF25 cultural projects Venue Partner: Raymond Gaëtan Architecture & Development Event Sponsor: Meow Kong Supported by: Christoph Merian Stiftung ​ PF25 is a registered non-profit cultural organisation in Basel that needs your participation and support! ​ ​ CARRIED BY THE WIND 10 - 26 JUNE 2022 SALON MONDIAL BASEL/MÜNCHENSTEIN SWITZERLAND Vernissage: 10 June 2022 18-21h Exhibition: 11 - 26 June 2022 Fridays to Sundays: 12-18h Special opening dates 13-16 June: 14-18h Art Basel VIP Programme: 14 June 18-20h RSVP: Team@PF25.org Salon Mondial, Freilager-Platz 9, 4142 Münchenstein/Basel, Switzerland (Tram No. 11 to Freilager) A Group Exhibition of Hong Kong and Swiss artists: Oscar Chan Yik Long (Hong Kong, Helsinki) Isaac Chong Wai (Hong Kong, Berlin) Andreas Marti (Zürich) Kathrin Siegrist + Iva Wili (Basel) Angela Su (Hong Kong) Curated by Angelika Li (Hong Kong, Basel) Co-presented by Atelier Mondial and PF25 cultural projects Supported by Christoph Merian Stiftung Introduction The word ‘homeland’ evokes a physical and permanent form on the surface, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its complex and shifting nature. The exhibition channels narratives of ‘homeland’: borders, boundaries, roots, diaspora, cultural identity, colonial ideologies and beyond. Wind is a symbol of change: the vital breath, flow of life. This familiar element can be pleasant and gentle as a breeze or a vigorous air energy as ‘hei3’ (氣) in Cantonese, yet it can be devastating and destructive as a hurricane or an accelerator for fire causing catastrophic damage. Wind also inspires the movements of thoughts and this Homeland in Transit chapter ‘Carried by the Wind’ is indebted to the captivating works by Bob Dylan, Sanmo, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Hayao Miyasaki and Wong Kar Wai. In our fast-expanding world of displacement and exile, the sense of homeland is being constantly questioned and reinterpreted. Does the nature of the wind change? How do we strike a balance and find harmony within? Does it carry our messages, dreams and hopes? In the exhibition, we will find out how the six artists from Hong Kong and Switzerland Oscar Chan Yik Long, Isaac Chong Wai, Andreas Marti, Kathrin Siegrist + Iva Wili and Angela Su perceive this powerful element of movement and how they represent it in their works in mediums ranging from ink paintings, videos, moving objects, to textile installations. Angelika Li Spring, 2022 ---> Curatorial Essay ---> Floor Plan ---> List of Work ---> Artists Biographies ---> Press Enquiry Photos documentation by Maris Mezulis Video and sound by Hedy Leung Courtesy the artists and PF25 cultural projects EXHIBITION HEIMAT IM WANDEL HOMELAND IN TRANSIT 5 - 22 MAY 2022 VILLA MEIER-SEVERINI ZOLLIKON, SWITZERLAND ​ HEIMAT im WANDEL / HOMELAND in TRANSIT Sonam Dolma Brauen, Hung Fai, Lee Ka Sing, Leung Chi Wo, MAP Office, Lulu Ngie and Wai Pong Yu Co-curated by Martin Brauen and Angelika Li ​ Vernissage: 5 May 2022, 18-20h Opening performance by Matthias Ziegler (Bassflöte, Kontrabassflöte) Exhibition: 6 – 26 May, Thur-Fri 17-20h, Sat-Sun 11-17h Finissage: 22 May, 18-20h Venue: Villa Meier-Severini, Zollikerstrasse 86, 8702 Zollikon, CH Organised by Kulturkreis Zollikon Press Preview: 5 May by appointment Enquiries: Martin Brauen / www.sonambrauen.net/ Angelika Li / www.onkili.com/ Photo documentation by Tashi Brauen ​ Introduction The word ‘homeland’ has complex meanings: a clearly defined place/space, a tradition/culture that you share with others, a common history, belonging to a certain community in which you feel at home - and thus also feelings such as security and trust. It evokes a permanent form on the surface, yet when we dive a little deeper into our memories and emotions, the word urges us to reflect on its shifting nature. The definition of ‘homeland’ fluctuates under socio-political pressures which can lead to alienation and discontent, and potential fragmentations in our societies. Postponed since March 2020 due to the pandemic, the second exhibition has transformed into the seventh chapter in the Homeland in Transit series with the German title HEIMAT im WANDEL in which Martin Brauen, cultural anthropologist specialising in Tibet and the Himalayas and curator, and Hong Kong curator Angelika Li attempt to interweave respective perspectives and experiences of Swiss-Tibetan artist Sonam Dolma Brauen, and six Hong Kong artists Hung Fai, Lee Ka Sing, Leung Chi Wo, MAP Office, Lulu Ngie and Wai Pong Yu. Despite many differences, the two places share something in common: the sense of homeland of its inhabitants is constantly being questioned and reinterpreted. How do the artists perceive these transformations and how do they represent it in their art? ​ ​ ​ yishen 34 by Sonam Dolma Wai Pong Yu - A Rhythm of Landscape detail light Book of Waves by MAP Office HUNG Fai 熊輝 VESSEL IV 2019 Ink on Chinese Paper 136 x 69 cm Sonam Dolma, Yishen 28, 2014, 94 x 138 cm MAP Office (Laurent Gutierrez, Valérie Portefaix) HONG KONG IS OUR MUSEUM 2006 White neon mounted on Photo: Nici Jost Vessel by Hung Fai A Rhythm of Landscape detail 1- PY WAI Pong Yu韋邦雨 LAKEDREAM 2 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 68 x 100 cm Sonam Dolma, Yishen 71 2016 Acrylic on Canvas 34x34 cm Sonam Dolma, Abschied No 3 2017 Acrylic on Canvas 140 x 100 cm WAI Pong Yu韋邦雨 A RHYTHM OF LANDSCAPE 9 2019 Ballpoint pen on paper 57.5 x 68.4 cm My Name is Victoria by Leung Chi Wo LEE Ka Sing 李家昇 THE PART OF HISTORY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TOLD 2010 Photographic work 40.64 x 50.8 cm Lulu NGIE倪鷺露 RECOGNISING IT 2019 Ink on paper mounted on silk 215 x 95 cm LEE Ka Sing 李家昇 EVERYBODY SAID CAMEL WAS THE FATHER OF GPS 2011 Editions: 4/10 & 5/10 Sonam Dolma, Gone with the wind LEUNG Chi Wo 梁志和 MY NAME IS VICTORIA 2008 Video: HDV, PAL, 21 min. 30 sec. Artist book: 15 x 21 cm yishen 11 by Sonam Dolma WAI Pong Yu A MOMENT OF TRUTH 57 2019 Archival Ballpoint Pen on Japanese Art Paper 29.7cm x 21cm WAI Pong Yu A Golden Bough 3, 2019, deta WAI Pong Yu A MOMENT OF TRUTH 55 2019 Archival Ballpoint Pen on Japanese Art Paper 29.7cm x 21cm lost childhood by Sonam Dolma About the Artists Press / Enquiry Heimat im Wandel Wind Contact​ ​ info@onkili.com

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2019 PROGRAMME 7 JUNE 2019 / INAUGURAL EXHIBITION In this project, HOMELAND in TRANSIT, we have the pleasure to work with eight Hong Kong artists of multiple generations from different practices and backgrounds: Kitty CHOU, CHU Hing Wah, LEE Ka Sing, LEUNG Chi Wo, MAP Office, and three of whom, HUNG Fai, Lulu NGIE and WAI Pong Yu, created new works. Observing from Hong Kong perspectives, the meaning of ‘homeland’ was discussed with each of the artists and some of them traced back their ancestral histories and discovered stories which were not known to them before. Each work in the exhibition reflects a sense or aspect of identities, origins, territories, conflicts, orientations, instability, unsettledness in response to the ever-shifting definitions of homeland. Through 19 works of photography, ink art, drawings, videos, text-based work, books and light installation, the audience is invited to embark on a self-searching journey of their roots and stories. INSTALLATION VIEWS ARTIST BIOGRAPHY KITTY CHOU born in Hong Kong 1961, lives and works in Hong Kong, New York, Paris ​ Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kitty Chou is engaged in the "accidental" photographic style of direct-instant capture. Chou’s first institutional solo exhibition ‘Cotidie - The Magic of Everyday’ opened at the National Museum of Natural History, Malta in 2015. Her selected solo exhibitions include ‘The Accidental Photographer: Line, Color & Perspective,’ New York School of Interior Design, New York, 2011; ‘Portrait Without Face,’ Rolls Royce Artist Series, Hong Kong, 2014; ‘An Exploration of Abstract Realism,’ Ben Brown Fine Arts, London, 2015; and ‘Countervision,’ Ben Brown Fine Arts, Hong Kong, 2017. Before starting her artistic career, Chou earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design. She was nominated for the Prix Pictet in 2013 and 2016. Photo courtesy of the artist CHU HING WAH 朱興華 Born in Guangdong Province in 1935, Chu Hing Wah moved with his family to Hong Kong in 1950. Alth2ough deeply interested in painting in his youth, Chu chose to train as a psychiatric nurse, pursuing his degree at Maudsley Hospital in London from 1960 to 1965. From this time on, his professional career and his art-making developed side by side. After his return to Hong Kong he worked in the field of psychiatric care for over 22 years at Castle Peak Psychiatric Hospital and Siu Lam Hospital. He completed a certificate course in Art and Design from the Extra-Mural Studies of the University of Hong Kong in 1972, and has been included multiple times in the ‘Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition’ presented by the Urban Council and ‘The Visual Arts Society Annual Exhibition’. In 1992, Chu retired from the nursing profession and has been working as a full-time professional artist ever since. ​ Chu’s major exhibitions include ‘Living in Compassion: The Art of Chu Hing Wah,’ Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, 2017; ‘Reunion,’ Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong, 2017; ‘Reappear: Chu Hing Wah Charity Exhibition’ for Orbis, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2015; ‘Three Elders: Gaylord Chan, Chu Hing Wah and Luis Chan,’ Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, 2014; ‘West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre (Opening Exhibition),’ West Kowloon Cultural District, 2011; and ‘Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Works by Chu Hing Wah,’ The University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong, 2011. Photo credit: Angelika Li HUNG FAI 熊輝 born in Hong Kong 1988, lives and works in Hong Kong ​ Hung Fai graduated from the Fine Arts Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2013. His work focuses mainly on the field of contemporary ink art. Hung has developed unique expression and presentation techniques on both paper and canvas. Through the deconstruction of elements in traditional Chinese ink paintings, his works are reconstructed conceptually through a series of experimentation and transformation. Hung has been exhibited in museums, institutions, galleries and art fairs including ‘The Weight of Lightness: Ink Art,’ M+ Museum, Hong Kong, 2017; ‘Ink Painting. Two Cities – Shenzhen and Hong Kong Works Exhibition of Ink Painting and Metropolis,’ Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, 2016 & 2017; ‘The Twelfth National Exhibition of Fine Arts & Exhibition of Nominated Works for Chinese Fine Art Awards, Creative Awards,’ The National Art Museum of China, Beijing, 2015; Art Basel, Hong Kong (2014-2019); Ink Asia (2015-2019); and Fine Art Asia (2013-2015). His solo exhibitions include ‘The Departing Landscape – Hung Fai Ink Project,’ (2016) and ‘Movement - Hung Fai’ (2014) both in Grotto Gallery, Hong Kong. Hung has received the Certificate of Merit - The Twelfth National Exhibition of Fine Arts, China 2014; Certificates of Merit - Hong Kong Art Prize 2013; and the Wucius Wong Creative Ink Painting Award 2013. His work is in the collections of M+ Museum for Visual Culture, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, as well as various private collections. Photo credit: WAI Pong Yu LEE KA SING 李家昇 born in Hong Kong 1954, lives and works in Toronto, Canada Lee Ka Sing is a photo-based artist and the co-founder of DISLOCATION, a former independent photography magazine. In 1989, he was awarded “Artist of the Year” by Hong Kong Artists’ Guild. In 1999, he received the Fellowship for Artistic Development by Hong Kong Arts Development Council. Selected monographs include ‘Thirty-one Photographs’, Photo Art, 1993; ‘Forty Poems, photographs 1995-98,’ Ocean & Pounds, Hong Kong Arts Development Council publication grant, 1998; ‘The Language of Fruits and Vegetables,’ Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2004; ‘De ci de là des choses,’ Editions You-Feng, 2006. His work is in private and public collections including Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Japan; M+ Museum, Hong Kong and Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Photo courtesy of the artist LEUNG CHI WO 梁志和 born in Hong Kong 1968, works and lives in Hong Kong Leung Chi Wo is a visual artist whose reflective practice combines historical exploration with conceptual inquiry within a contemporary urban landscape. Ranging from photography and video to text, performance and installation, he is concerned with the undetermined relationship between conception, perception and understanding, especially in relation to site and history within cultural/political frameworks. His practice always involves research into different contexts and situations, and the artistic outcomes linked to the hidden relationships of various subjects. His site-specific project was featured in the first Hong Kong pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2001. His works have been exhibited in major international museums and institutions including Tate Modern in London, NRW Forum in Dusseldorf, Museu da Imagem e do Som in São Paulo and biennales in Shanghai, Busan and Manchester, among others. He had his first survey exhibition at OCT Contemporary Art Terminal in Shenzhen, China in 2015. His work has been featured in reviewed internationally including in Yishu, Artforum International, Art Review, Leap, ArtAsiaPacific and New York Times. Leung is co-founder of Para/Site Art Space and he was visiting artist at the Institut Kunst of Hochschule Luzern and Ecole Cantonale d’Art du Valais in Switzerland; Monash University, Melbourne and Australian National University; as well as other academies and universities. He has also participated in artist-in-residence programmes in New York, Banff, Vienna and Sapporo. Leung has been Associate Professor in the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong since 2010. His work has been extensively collected in private and public collections including M+ Museum, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art. Photo credit: Sara Wong MAP OFFICE Laurent Gutierrez, born in Casablanca 1966 Valérie Portefaix, born in Saint-Étienne 1969 both live and work in Hong Kong MAP Office is a multidisciplinary platform devised by Gutierrez and Portefaix. This duo of artists has been based in Hong Kong since 1996, working on physical and imaginary territories using varied means of expression. MAP Office projects have been shown in over 100 exhibitions at venues including the MoMA and the Guggenheim Museum (New York), the Georges Pompidou Centre (Paris) and the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (Beijing), around 35 Biennales and Trienniales around the world with five contributions to the Venice Biennale in Art and Architecture (2000, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010). Their cross-disciplinary practice has been the subject of a monograph, ‘MAP OFFICE – Where the Map is the Territory’ (2011). MAP Office received the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2013. Their recent research projects have a strong focus on ocean and have been shown internationally, including ‘The Story of Amanami,’ Triennale di Milano 2019; ‘Ghost Island.’ inaugural Thailand Biennale 2018; ‘Islands, Constellations and Galapagos,’ Yokohama Biennale 2017; ‘Desert Islands,’ Singapore Biennale 2016. Their work has been collected internationally by private and private institutions including M+ Museum, Hong Kong; FRAC / Institut d’Art Contemporain (IAC), Villeurbanne, France; Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing, China; Deutsche Bank Collection, Hong Kong; Momentum Collection, Berlin; MIACA, Tokyo. Image courtesy of the artist LULU NGIE 倪鷺露 born in Fujian 1972, lives and works in Hong Kong ​ Lulu Ngie delights in studying the human psyche as expressed through a person’s body language: how we stand, sit, lie and move, however subtly, reveals what we think and feel. When experiencing uncomfortable emotions such as acute embarrassment, anxiety or fear, we often try to protect ourselves by seeking distractions or rationalising our feelings. Sometimes we try to laugh it off. These and other coping mechanisms are almost instinctive. Just as the physical body can heal itself after suffering an injury, the mind, too, has the ability to recover its balance after a trauma. The desire to protect ourselves is strong in all living beings. Ngie shares her fascination in this often unnoticed but powerful part of our mental world. Ngie graduated from Hong Kong Art School with a major in painting in 2006. Her recent solo exhibitions include ‘Fictitious Force’, Art Los Angeles Contemporary, USA, 2018; ART021 2016, Shanghai, 2016; Fine Art Asia 2015, Hong Kong, 2015; day after day after day, Gallery EXIT, Hong Kong, 2013. Her work has also been exhibited at Art Basel Hong Kong (2013-2019) and group exhibitions including Roh Project, Jakarta, 2018;《無何有之香》, The House of HK Literature FooTak, Hong Kong, 2017; and Deep Silence《靜聽深度》, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong, 2017. Photo credit: Hilda Chan WAI PONG YU 韋邦雨 born in Hainan Island, China 1982, lives and works in Hong Kong Wai Pong Yiu moved to Hong Kong from Hainan Island at the age of 2. He graduated from the Fine Arts Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2006. Wai has developed his own oeuvre with ink from ballpoint pen on paper, spinning the thread of his emotion and mind continuously as one line as it multiplies in rhizomatic manner. His subject matter often relates to the notion of the cosmos, time, nature, across the fields of juxtapositions and metaphysical forms. Wai’s work has been collected internationally by public museums and institutions including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford. His recent exhibitions include his collaborative project with Hung Fai in ‘Same Line Twice’ Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong, 2017; ‘The Spirit of Ink: 12 Hong Kong Artists’ Sotheby’s Gallery, Hong Kong, 2013; ‘New Ink, An Exhibition of Ink Art by Post 1970 Artists from Yiqingzhai Collection’ Sotheby’s Gallery, Hong Kong, 2013. Solo exhibitions include ‘Moment of Truth - The Synergy of Ink’ (2013) and ‘Ceaseless Lines’ (2009) both at Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong. His works have also been shown at Art Basel (2015-2019), Ink Asia (2015-2019), Fine Art Asia (2015-2017), Asia Week, New York (2015) and SCOPE, New York (2013). Photo courtesy of the artist