Poverty ‧ Open

Photo Contest HK 2012 Exhibition – POVERTY

“Poverty is not simply being short of money or merely lack of income but of being deprived of the ability to live with dignity.” (Yash Ghai)

Hidden away in one of the world's most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the world, images of the social and personal impact of poverty are everywhere. Amidst great affluence, 17.8% of the general population struggle to make ends meet. With conditions of the poor worsening, the pressure is on for the government to find a solution.

Through Photo Contest HK and the following exhibition, organizers aim to expose more Hong Kong people to the fact that there is a wide gap between affluence and poverty in Hong Kong. Photo Contest HK intends to stimulate discussion and encourage social responsibility on important issues in Hong Kong through PHOTOGRAPHY – the theme for the first phase of Photo Contest HK 2012 was Poverty in the Midst of Plenty. Organizers were mindful charges of voyeurism and objectification, and we have tackled the representations by making testimonies of the photographers and artists a key element in the winners' works. Images of poverty have raised awareness, shaped public policy.

Winning images depicting Poverty in the Midst of Plenty were voted on by members of the public among a range of finalists selected by guest judge Former Magnum photographer Simon Wheatley. A series of 'Portraits of Poverty' consisting of images from the first phase of Photo Contest HK 2012, chosen by Ms. Sze Lai Shan Community Organizer of the Society for Community Organization (SOCO) and Organizers of Photo Contest HK will also be exhibited marking poignant images of poverty in Hong Kong.

Photo Contest HK intends to set up a photo library, where the images are granted Creative Commons licenses, so photographs can be used for lectures and promotion of non-commercial nature with appropriate attribution, as well as being a photographic history of Hong Kong.

And to dovetail with this project we will be publishing a book "Poverty in the Midst of Plenty", outlining and dealing with Hong Kong’s most pressing problem, which would hopefully provide the factual information required for rational discussion of key issues and their solution. Organizers of PHOTO CONTEST HK will coordinate with a chosen non-profit organization that supports Hong Kong's poor to establish a closer cooperation, shedding more light on the problem of poverty in Hong Kong.

Exhibition Details:

Photo Contest HK 2012 Exhibition– Poverty

Date: 24th- 31st October, 2012
(Monday to Saturday, Closed on Sunday)
Time: Noon - 10:00 p.m
Venue: Fringe Club Basement
Address: 2 Lower Albert Road, Central
Free Admission
For Enquiries: 61007027