Abandoned Villages
of
Hong Kong
瓦落叢生
Opening Reception: 12 January 2024, 6 pm - 8 pm
Exhibition Dates: 12 January - 25 February, 2024
Venue: Blue Lotus Gallery, G/F, 28 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11am – 6pm, closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
Related Events: Talk with Stefan Irvine: Sunday 28 January 2024, 11:30 am
Press Contact: kozaf@bluelotus-gallery.com | t/whatsapp: +852 5590 3229
Stefan Irvine's photo-book and solo exhibition, “Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong”, published by Blue Lotus Editions, is an invitation to explore the forgotten corners of this vibrant city, and to discover the haunting beauty that lies hidden within its parks and islands.
For centuries before the colonial era, Hong Kong’s population dwelled in isolated villages, subsisting mainly on farming or fishing. When better opportunities arose during the 1960s, many villagers found work in restaurants overseas or in the urban factories of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, their countryside houses - sometimes entire villages - were simply abandoned and left to be reclaimed by nature. Stefan’s photographs breathe new life into the crumbling facades and overgrown relics, allowing readers to witness the enduring charm of these abandoned homes
With its documentary approach, this collection of photographs features many of Hong Kong’s most isolated settlements and is a testament to Stefan’s passion for capturing the essence of disappearing places. His careful research and deep appreciation for the subject shine through in every carefully composed image, unveiling the hidden narratives of structures frozen in time.
“In more remote parts of the territory, entire villages appear to have been abandoned overnight. Furniture and personal items remain untouched even decades later, giving precious insight into the lives of the families that once thrived there. Whether abandoned intentionally by villagers seeking their fortune overseas, or left behind due to unforeseen circumstances, these ruins now serve as a window into the past, providing us with clues to a way of life which has almost completely disappeared.”
"Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong" is not just a tribute to the resilience of the Hong Kong people, but also a reflection on the impermanence of our existence. We invite you to join us at the Blue Lotus Gallery from January 12th to February 25th, 2024 for an immersive experience, delving into the vanishing corners of this dynamic city. These photographs offer a poignant reminder of life's transience and the lasting impact of those who came before us.
在殖民時代前的數個世紀裡，主要以農業或漁業為生的香港人，普遍居住於偏僻的村莊。到六十年代時期，更多更好的就業機會出現，許多村民於海外的餐廳或香港的城市工廠找到工作，因此他們直接捨棄本來居住的鄉村房屋－甚至遺棄整個村落，任由它們回歸大自然。
Stefan Irvine 的全新個人展覽，伴隨由 Blue Lotus Edition 出版的同名攝影集《瓦落叢生》，鏡頭正正對準這些荒廢的村落，以影像作品為那些搖搖欲墜的外牆和雜草叢生的遺跡注入新生命，讓觀眾一睹這些荒廢房屋那歷久不衰的魅力。
Stefan 憑著對於捕捉廢墟的熱情，採用紀實手法去記錄了香港許多偏遠且已消失的定居點。他對於這主題的仔細研究和深度的理解，無一不體現於每幀精心構圖的影像中，更加揭示出當中被時間凍結了的隱藏故事。
「在更偏遠的地區，我發現某些村落彷彿一夜之間被遺棄般；傢俱和個人物品即使過了數十年仍然原封不動，為那些曾經於此處繁榮生活過的家庭留下了寶貴的見證。無論是村民為了前往外地另謀生計而主動遺棄，或是因為無法預料的原因而遺留下，這些廢墟現在都成為通往過去的一扇窗口，為那種幾乎完全消失的生活方式提供了線索。」－ Stefan Irvine
《瓦落叢生》是向香港人堅忍不拔的精神致敬，亦剖析著關於「存在」的無常。 我們誠摯邀請您於 2024年1月12日至2月25日 蒞臨 Blue Lotu Gallery，一同探索這座充滿活力的城市那些被遺忘的角落。這些作品深深的提醒著我們萬物轉瞬即逝，同時亦揭示出前人於歷史所烙下的印記。
About the photo-book:
Published by Blue Lotus Editions Hong Kong, December 2023
Foreword by Douglas Young. With additional texts by Kim Li, Hannah Chung and Stefan Irvine
218 x 267 mmm, 64 colour plates, 112 pages, 0.72 kg. Hardcover
English and Chinese
ISBN: 978-988-76192-1-5
HK$350.00
About Stefan Irvine:
Born in London in 1976, Stefan Irvine has been based in Hong Kong since 2002. With a background in photojournalism and commercial photography, the last few years have seen him focus on fine art photography projects. Stefan's photographs have been exhibited in New York, London and Hong Kong, as well as appearing in publications globally including The New York Times, National Geographic, Forbes, Rolling Stone, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the winner of the Independent on Sunday/Oxfam Photojournalist Award and was awarded 1st Place in the Architecture/Other category of the International Photography Awards 2020.
Stefan Irvine 1976 年出生於倫敦，自 2002 年起定居香港，是一位屢獲殊榮的英國攝影師。他擁有新聞攝影和商業攝影背景，過去幾年專注於藝術攝影計畫。他的作品在多個報刊、雜誌上發表刊登，包括 《紐約時報》、《CNN》、《國家地理雜誌》、《福布斯》、《衛報》和《南華早報》等；更於2020年獲得了International Photography Awards (IPA)的第一名；其攝影作品亦曾在紐約、香港和倫敦展出。
