Wok Wok Talk: Hong Kong’s tomorrow will be better

Exhibition Period
Apr 10, 2021
Exhibition date and time
Sat to Sat, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Exhibition Place

Exhaust your vocal chords to break out a roar
Let us tear the old world into pieces
And construct a beautiful new world
May our tears drown this despicable soul
May god bless us with a better tomorrow

– Original chorus of the Mandarin pop song ‘A Better Tomorrow’

 

Rewinding to June 2, 2020. Global COVID-related death rate reached 394,602. But what is spreading quicker than the plague on this day is the original lyrics of the song ‘A Better Tomorrow’ by Lo Ta-yu from 35 years ago.

 

In Putonghua, ‘Better’, ironically, sounds the same as ‘Nothing Good’. In the same tune, the song, supposedly about a hopeful tomorrow, is at the same time a satire of the current state that nothing is coming out good. At a time when the virus is cross contaminating the system, many bodies, fatigued from fighting and torn between the struggles of going and staying, are still wishing for a better tomorrow.

 

Art reflects the times. It disclosed human experiences in ways that history narratives fall short. When encountering a gloomier and gloomier future, artists walk a tight rope along a murky red line. How will art continue to record, examine, and resolve the accumulation of scars in this city, and manifest our trauma?

 

The talk, to be conducted in Cantonese, will be shown via WMA Facebook Live.

 

Moderators: Law Yuk Mui, Ocean Leung 

Artists: Siu Wai Hang, Kenji Wong Wai Kin, Yim Sui Fong

Date: 10.04.2021 (Sat), 4-6pm


10/4 (Sat)
4:00pm - 6:00pm