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Opportunity! WMA Annual Exhibition

[Hong Kong: 28 March 2019]The WYNG Media Award (WMA), one of the largest photo contests in Hong Kong, highlights ‘Opportunity’ as its theme this year to encourage public discussion on important social issues such as education, conservation and land use. The WMA Annual Exhibition and its related workshops will be held at the Exhibition Hall of Hong Kong City Hall between 14 and 23 April.

Seven WMA Masters finalists, the WMA Commission grant recipient, and 10 finalists of the WYNG Philomathia Student Essay Contest will present their works at the exhibition. As part of the programme, the artists and relevant representatives will provide various workshops and guided tours to further engage the public and explore what ‘Opportunity’ means for the city and its people.

Photographic Works and Essays on ‘Opportunity’

The WMA Masters programme and the WMA Commission invite photography-based submissions annually from both international and Hong Kong photographers and visual artists. This year, seven WMA Masters finalists delved into different fields to examine the underlying opportunities. Their works are:

The winner of the WMA Masters will be announced at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on 13 April. He or she will receive a cash prize of HKD$250,000, while each finalist will receive HKD$15,000.

Winner of the WMA Commission:

 

Finalists of the WYNG Philomathia Student Essay Contest:

  • Bernice CHAN Ying Yu, Jamie LAI, LAU Hiu Ying, Enid Audrey LEONARD, LUI Cheuk Yiu, LUK Ho Yan Katie, MA Nok Yee Charlotte, SIT Hoi Ting Chloe, TO Wing Tung and Joanne YAU

Exploring Education, Urban Conservation and Land Use through Photography

Hong Kong’s education system remains a controversial topic among parents and society at large. Cases of youth suicides in recent months have highlighted the tremendous stress our children face in schools. Saskia WESSELING looks at the phenomenon of “tiger parenting” in Hong Kong, giving a photographic interpretation of the reality behind shocking facts that some primary students are given less outdoor exercise time than prisoners and that half of our secondary students show signs of depression. WESSELING and fellow finalist Beatrice WONG will share their insights on Hong Kong’s education system and mental health at the workshop,“Top in class? Down on life!”. Parents, educators and other interested parties are welcome to participate in the discussion.

Another hot potato topic explored in the exhibition is land use and the price of modernisation in Hong Kong. Sharon LEE took inspiration from her grandfather’s old grocery store in the 1970s for her work, “The Crescent Void”. The store has since been demolished, leaving only a cement wall in its place. LEE will lead the “Conservation? Rub it for good luck!”workshop, where participants will explore the history and colourful stories behind several landmarks that have been or about to be redeveloped, including the Central Post Office, the Central Market, and the “Ong Mo Kew Street”. During the walk, LEE will facilitate rubbing exercises to let participants experience the texture of our city.

Another workshop discussing land use in Hong Kong is “Hike the Mall? Craving Nature!”, led by Pierfrancesco CELADA. The photographer will guide participants to search for hints of nature in shopping malls, followed by a visit to the farm managed by WMA Commission grant recipient Natalie LO Lai Lai. Participants can hear from LO and members of her farming collective about how they practise their “Half Farmer, Half X” alternative lifestyle. LO will also host a separate half-day excursion titled “The X Factor? And Farming!”

Artist CHEUNG Nga Ling will lead the workshop, “Yum Cha? Time Travel!”, where participants will have dim sum with their parents and talk about the different opportunities for two generations. “Criminally Hip? Yes, We Can!”, hosted by artist YIP Kin Bon, invites the public to express themselves in a t-shirt styling and photography workshop. Photographer Jolans Fung will guide participants on a tour to share his creative process and the stories behind his work ‘Opportunity everywhere?!’

Vivian FUNG, Project Director of WMA, says, “When we announced the annual theme ‘Opportunity’ a year ago, we posed the question: What opportunities are there for Hong Kong? In recent years, despite government policies leveraging China’s national initiatives and closer integration with neighbouring cities to bring more development opportunities for Hong Kong, many Hongkongers, particularly among the younger generation, do not seem to share the excitement for the future. This year’s artists explored opportunity from different angles and presented a cacophony of views on topics as varied as urban renewal, public space use, consumerism, education and mental health. We would like to continue to encourage public discussion through a series of interactive events, including dialogues, tours and workshops. Together, we hope to move from merely asking questions about ‘Opportunity’ to acting on tangible opportunities in a place we call home.”

OPPORTUNITY! WMA Annual Exhibition

Date:               14 – 23 April 2019

Time:              10:00-21:00

Venue:            Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong City Hall

Free Admission

A series of public events will be held during the exhibition period. To reserve your seat, please visit wmahk.eventbrite.hk

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