Hong Kong Photographer Mak Fung (1918-2009) began photographing in the mid-1940s and documented the city’s street views and grassroots for more than half a century.
Hong Kong Once Was: 1946-1980s, a tribute exhibition to Mak Fung, was inspired by his 1997 photo book. It is an exquisite collection of photographs of old Hong Kong taken by Mak Fung from 1946 to the 1990s.
Hong Kong was a small fishing village. In Mak Fung’s photos, images of sampans in Aberdeen and drying salted fishes in Tai O remind us of its past. As a colonial city, Hong Kong’s architecture, such as the third-generation General Post Office in Central and Hong Kong Club Building, is reminiscent of history. Mak Fung’s lens also captures the street scene of Hong Kong and the daily life of ordinary people, such as the Graham Street market and the peddler on the street.
The exhibition showcases over 20 silver gelatin prints made in the 1990s and Mak Fung’s publications.
Hong Kong Once Was: 1946-1980s
Mak Fung Photo Exhibition
Date: 7-21, Dec, 2024
Time: 2:30-7pm(Wed-Fri), 2:30-6pm(Weekends)
Venue: Eastpro Gallery, 9A, Hyde Centre, 223 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
Whether in the movies or in reality, the US has always fascinated visitors. The country has inspired generations of photographers, from Robert Frank in the 1950s to today’s young street photographers.
Boogie Woogie Photography & PhotogStory are pleased to present a group exhibition, MADE IN USA, which brings together the works of eight artists exploring this theme. The exhibition will be held at the Loft in Wong Chuk Hang from 30 November 2024 to 24 January 2025.
It is a journey that embraces the diverse voices that have defined America and envisions stories still waiting to be told:
New York is the City; everyone sees and feels it from their perspective. Japanese photographer Takeshi Shikama‘s platinum print of Central Park is meditative and elegant; New York in the 1950s under the lens of Swiss-French photographer Sabine Weiss is dynamic. Meanwhile, US photographer Louis Stettner, who spent 70 years photographing Manhattan, captured the full spectrum of color within its urban scenery.
Harold de PuymorinHarold de Puymorin
In 2023, French photographer Harold de Puymorin embarked on an unforgettable photography trip across the Western USA, riding his Harley Davidson to explore the open roads of the American expanse. Through the endless deserts and flourishing mountains, Harold’s pictures show the diversity and richness of the United States and encourage those who dare to pursue their dreams.
Also in Western US, French photographer Isabelle Boccon-Gibod visited friends in Sun City Palm Forest, a residential community of 5,000 households with regulations so strict that she felt overwhelmed with anxiety. Only the instant film images of the sun and the road she embarked on during her subsequent journey could relieve her from such anguish.
Isabelle Boccon-Gibod
Hong Kong artist Reo Ma‘s motorbike installation echoes Harold de Puymorin’s road trip images. Vehicles symbolise speed and freedom but have also historically driven consumer culture forward, both in the US and elsewhere. Accompanying the motorbike are selected works from Reo, each representing his perceptions of our culture during his “road trip” of exploring the outer and inner worlds.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong artist Damon Tong used the “Made in China” stickers to collage the US flag. It can also be interpreted as a reflection of capitalism and consumerism in a broader sense.
US photographer Roger Ballen‘s staged photograph resonates with the exhibition’s titled theme. It portrays a constrained Superman who turns into a fragmented puppet. When Superman is no longer Superman, what becomes of the American dream?
Roger Ballen, Superman. All images Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography.
Boogie Woogie Photography is also pleased to present, with the prestigious Kraemer Gallery from Paris, 18th-century French museum-quality furniture and decorative art.
Boogie Woogie Photography is a company founded in Hong Kong in 2016 to promote photography in Asia. The mission is to act as a platform for galleries, collectors, companies, and photographers aiming to develop photography projects in Hong Kong and Asia.
PhotogStory is an online Photography platform and Guest Curator based in Hong Kong. We focus on stories of local and international photographers, and stories behind classic photos.
As one of the most celebrated photographers of the 20th century, Louis Stettner’s work included streetscapes, portraits, and images of New York, which he continued to photograph for seven decades. His work stands out in photography due to his ability to convey profound human emotions and everyday life with an understated yet powerful authenticity. Stettner’s work was collected by the V&A Museum in London, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Sabine Weiss decided to become a photographer when she was eighteen, during a time when being a photographer was not a common profession, especially for a woman. She was apprenticed under photographers Frédéric Boissonnas and Willy Maywald, and Vogue hired her as a photo reporter and fashion photographer in 1952. Robert Doisneau discovered her photography and asked her to join the humanist-leaning photo agency Rapho, allowing her to work and travel for many other publications such as Time, Life, Newsweek, and Paris-Match.
Takeshi Shikama’s life ambition is to capture the “invisible” world that lingers beyond the visible world of the trees. Each photograph is hand-printed by himself using the ancient platinum/palladium technique, considered the highest quality in black and white photographic printing. The Japanese Gampi paper on which he prints is a handmade UNESCO national treasure. It requires a great deal of time and manual labor, reflecting Shikama’s intimacy with his subject matter.
Roger Ballen’s photographs span over fifty years, and he is one of the most influential and important photographic artists of the 21st century. His strange and extreme works confront the viewer and challenge them to come with him on a journey into their minds as he explores the deeper recesses of his own. Roger Ballen is one of the artists representing South Africa at the Venice Biennale 2022 in Italy.
Isabelle was trained as an Engineer at Ecole Centrale Paris and Columbia University. Her life has mixed art and industry throughout her career. Having first worked on collages and installations, she elected photography twenty years ago as her core medium. Her work is project-based, photography offering the means and the pretext to explore specific territories. She likes to employ ad-hoc techniques. Centre Pompidou in Paris collects her work.
Damon Tong received a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (co-presented with the Hong Kong Art School) in 2008 and a Master of Visual Arts from the Hong Kong Baptist University in 2013. His creations mainly revolve around mundane events in his daily life, creating sticker collages comprised of thousands of small stickers assembled into simple phrases or patterns. The work may seem banal initially, but its overly repetitive arrangement suggests an overtone. The bright colors and patterns of the stickers provide a visually stimulating experience, albeit the conceptual content of the work is deliberately straightforward.
As a passionate adventurer, The Hong Kong-based French photographer Harold de Puymorin has lived and traveled in many different countries, including Myanmar, where his photography career began. With a keen eye for thought-provoking composition, his work is immersive and emotionally evocative, often arousing a deep sense of curiosity. Over the last 12 years, Harold has worked with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dom Perignon. Besides commercial work, his photographic art was exhibited at numerous art fairs in Asia.
Reo Ma’s creativity has free rein in the myriad of mediums and materials he works with. With a background in fashion design, he has an affinity for hands-on production: he welds metal, moulds concrete and dismantles vehicles, all skills he taught himself. His sculptural objects thus take on a raw, unrefined visual quality that reflects the spontaneity and immediacy of his art-making. In 2021, Reo initiated War on Culture, a pseudonym that anyone can take on as long as they create works against the homogenisation of culture. In the fashion of guerrilla art, he has been putting up sculptural works since 2021 on the streets of Hong Kong, London, and Paris.
攝影師陳的 (Chan Dick)，香港著名攝影師，攝影集包括《探 The Trek》、《I SEE 吾見》及代表作《柴灣消防局》，曾獲2016年東京國際攝影獎的專業藝術攝影集首獎，作品曾於日本及荷蘭展出，也被香港文化博物館和日本奈良美術館收藏。
顯影 PhotogStory 香港攝影平台「顯影」，從事攝影寫作，近年開始策劃攝影展覽，包括《工廈角落》、秦偉個展《異域狂歡──香港的南看台》，以及聯合策展邱良逝世25週年紀念展《百變香江》及攝影聯展《My Hong Kong 我城》等。
Chan Dick ”Chai Wan Fire Station“ 10th Anniversary Photo Exhibition
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong photographer Chan Dick‘s iconic work, ”Chai Wan Fire Station.“ PhotogStory is pleased to present a special exhibition of this marvelous series.
It all began with curiosity. For over six years, Chan Dick had been in his studio with the ventilation window closed. The outside world had never piqued his interest until a sudden howl pierced the silence one day. Intrigued, he approached the window and saw firefighters enjoying a volleyball game.
His studio window overlooked Chai Wan Fire Station and offered a vantage view of assemblies, washing up fire engines, pupils’ visits, and volleyball games. That tiny window opened up a brand new chapter of a curious journey.
Initially, his gaze was drawn out of sheer curiosity, and he spent a month simply observing. The more he saw, the more he was captivated. Chan Dick dedicated 15 months to meticulously documenting the Fire Station‘s daily routine, sifting through 1,500 images to curate a collection of 40 that would become the photo book Chai Wan Fire Station.
致力推廣攝影藝術的Boogie Woogie Photography與香港攝影平台「顯影 PhotogStory」攜手於Fine Art Asia呈現特別展覽《昔日香港》(Hong Kong Once Was)，展出法國攝影師Raymond Cauchetier、香港攝影師何藩與鍾文略於二戰後在我城拍攝的照片。
Step back in time to the vibrant streets of post-war Hong Kong. In this era, traditional values coexisted with the rapid changes brought about by economic growth.
Boogie Woogie Photography and PhotogStory are pleased to present an exclusive collection of photographs by Raymond Cauchetier, Fan Ho, and James Chung. Their pictures provide a unique opportunity to explore a city in transformation, showcasing the cultural fusion and daily lives of Hong Kong’s residents during this pivotal era. The resilience and ingenuity, as depicted in these images, laid the groundwork for the dynamic metropolis we know today.
These photographs are not just nostalgic images but vital testimonies of a golden era. Junks, colonial buildings, rickshaws, and signboards in Chinese characters—each picture tells a story of hope and vitality, reflecting people adapting to new realities while honoring their rich heritage.
The city has undergone tremendous changes over the past half-century. Many colonial buildings have vanished, and these images are increasingly rare. We invite you to embark on this magical journey through time, where every corner reveals a memory, and every photograph whispers the tales of a city in transition.
Hong Kong Once Was transcends a mere exhibition; it stands as a homage to the enduring spirit of Hong Kong and its people.
Scroll down for English. 1987年，陳百強在DMI年代的《夢裡人》唱片封面，其黑白相片就是黃永熹在陳百強麥當勞道家中門前所拍攝；1991年，張國榮在《號外》雜誌反串花旦的封面照片，同樣出自他之手。還有1994年張學友《餓狼傳說》的唱片封套、1996年電影《金枝玉葉2》的梅艷芳劇照等，均是由他操刀拍攝。
1979年，黃永熹(Sam Wong)在加州藝術中心設計學院 (ArtCenter College of Design)接受商業攝影訓練，1984年回港發展後，獲劉天蘭邀請首次操刀拍攝葉德嫻《千個太陽》唱片封面照，隨即奪得該年「最佳唱片封面獎」。之後他先後拍攝張國榮、張曼玉、梅艷芳、陳百強、陳奕迅等巨星，可謂見證廣東歌的黃金時代。
1987年，他參與成立香港專業攝影師公會，是香港首個專業攝影師團體。黃永熹的作品橫跨廣告、唱片封面、電影海報及雜誌等範疇，入行40年，他最近才舉辦首次攝影展，展覽從一句雙關語開始，《It’s about Time》既「關於時間」，也有「是時候了」的意思，藉此回望黃永熹過去拍攝的時、地、人。
展覽詳情
日期：2024年7月15日至9月15日
時間：9am-6pm (星期一至日)
地址：調景嶺(HKDI)香港知專設計學院C003展館
After honing his commercial photography skills at the ArtCenter College of Design in California, Sam Wong returned to Hong Kong in 1984 to embark on a photography career. He photographed Deanie Ip, Danny Chan, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, and Jacky Cheung’s album covers and witnessed the golden age of Cantopop.
Sam Wong’s photographic works span advertising, album covers, movie posters, and magazine shootings. In his 40-year career, Sam recently held his first photography exhibition, titled It’s About Time. The exhibition showcased numerous portraits, leaving an indelible mark on Cantopop culture.
PARISIAN PASSAGES by Jean-Baptiste Millot is an exquisite photography exhibition featuring the exquisite glass-covered shopping arcades that debuted in 19th-century Paris. These passages weaved gracefully through the bustling city, leaving a lasting imprint on its culture, art, and architecture.
Steeped in history, the Parisian passages are a treasure trove of the past. Its architecture showcases a blend of neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Belle Époque styles, exuding an air of elegance and sophistication of its time. Each passage boasts distinctive architectural traits, showcasing the craftsmanship and meticulousness of the era.
The passages offer a unique historical perspective, enclosed in covered walkways, adorned with mosaic floors, and bathed in enchanting light. The ornate decorations, rich historical significance, eclectic array of shops, and architectural diversity create a charming and poetic atmosphere.
Millot skillfully captures the passages’ timeless allure, using light and mirrors to create a unique visual experience.
Parisian Passages Exhibition period: From 21 May 2024, 11am-7pm (Tuesday to Sunday) Venue: f22 foto space, Shops BW11 & BW13, The Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui.
每天早上天微亮，他帶著兩部相機遊走巴黎街頭，露天的小餐館、牽著小狗的途人、街頭畫家、在地鐵車廂閱讀的乘客、牆上的塗鴉等，一一定格在他的黑白菲林裡。Laurence也喜歡拍攝當地的建築物，雨天的凱旋門街景、途人在羅浮宮外快步流星，令人想起布列松1932年的名作《Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare》。最令人印象深刻的一幅巴黎鐵塔的照片，冬日的枯枝與地標巴黎鐵塔形成對比，恍如靜態版的電影畫面。攝影師刻意選用暖色調相紙，將菲林影像沖曬成黑白銀鹽相片，感覺就如上世紀的懷舊風景。
遊歷巴黎後，他深刻感受到巴黎人的生活態度，「香港人普遍工作壓力大，我們經常說work-life balance，但法國人卻是放慢腳步去享受生活。」身為攝影師，同時在中環碼頭經營攝影畫廊Laurence Lai Gallery，日常生活固然忙碌，因此這次巴黎之旅也令他感觸良多。
Photographer Laurence Lai’s first visit to France was in 1991. It was a short stay, and his memories have become fuzzy. He always wanted to spend more time truly appreciating and immersing himself in the local culture. Finally, he embarked on his journey through Paris earlier this year.
Laurence wandered around some of Paris’s major landmarks and captured urban landscapes. He also photographed people and buildings on the streets. He noticed that the French have a great sense of style—men and women dress impeccably! Whether sitting in a café or public transportation commuters, they exuded a unique fashion culture. This city deeply captivated him!
He carefully selected some of his favorite works for this exhibition. The iconic Eiffel Tower, the historical Arc de Triomphe in the rain, and the snow-covered quaint streets are all black-and-white silver gelatin prints handmade in the darkroom. The warm-toned museum-grade cotton fiber paper emphasizes the historical context of the artwork and his emotions.
Echoes of Space 黑 白 間
Date: now till 12 May 2024
Time: 1pm-7pm(Tues-Fri) , 11am-7pm(Sat-Sun)
Site: Garome, 902, Bonham Centre, 79 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan
