躲猫猫 (Hide & Seek), China’s City Cats
by Marcel Heijnen
Book Launch at Blue Lotus Gallery
Sunday May 24, 2026, 4–6pm
28 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan, HK
After the viral success of Hong Kong Shop Cats a decade ago, a long-awaited sequel has finally been published—this time turning the lens toward China’s urban felines. Blue Lotus Gallery is proud to present Hide & Seek, China’s City Cats (躲猫猫), a new series by Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen. Comprising a comprehensive China edition alongside three city-specific volumes, the brandnew 4 books mark the culmination of Heijnen’s enduring fascination with the feline inhabitants who navigate the ever-shifting landscapes of China’s major cities.
Since 2016, Marcel Heijnen has traversed nearly twenty Chinese cities, documenting the lived-in reality of Hong Kong’s traditional trade districts, the communal courtyards of Shanghai’s shikumen, and the enduring residential pockets of Guangzhou. Rather than seeing these spaces as mere relics, Heijnen portrays them as active, functioning ecosystems in which cats are integral to the social fabric. His lens documents these felines as the "kings and queens" of their domains: ancestral halls, active construction sites, and the small-scale retail hubs that form the backbone of local neighbourhoods.
Artist Marcel Heijnen will give a short talk at 4pm, followed by a Q&A session, and will be delighted to sign copies of his books. Books and a selection of limited-edition prints will be available for purchase.
The City Volumes: Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Guangzhou
Complementing the primary monograph are three dedicated city books, each providing a "deep dive" into the specific feline cultures of China’s most iconic metropolises:
Hong Kong: A return to where the project began in 2015, focusing on the traditional shop cats that inhabit the city's dense apothecary and dry-goods districts.
Shanghai: A journey through the quiet longtang and historic shikumen neighbourhoods, capturing the stillness of feline life amidst the bustle of the modern metropolis.
Guangzhou: An exploration of "Old Canton" culture, where cats are found amongst Lingnan architecture, traditional markets, and the lingering scents of incense and seafood.
A Record of Transition
Ultimately, this collection serves both as a tribute to the cats as permanent fixtures of the street—unassuming threads of continuity within a changing landscape—and as a record of a country in transition. By focusing on the "human-scale" life found in older neighbourhoods, Heijnen maps the local heritage and community rhythms that persist alongside rapid modern development, resulting in a compelling, decade-long study of China's urban landscapes seen through the eyes of its most observant inhabitants.