Artist: Lai Hor Yi

Exhibition Statement:

     

     Hong Kong, where is full of lights at night, is famous for fantastic nightlife: clubbing at Lan Kwai Fong, visiting the Victoria Harbour, and tasting street food. However, many local or tourist only focus on the prosperity instead of the dark side of the night in Hong Kong. The silent night at the street and night market of Tau Tsim Mong District are so miserable. The night street markets seem like vulnerable and I do not want them to be disappeared one day.

 

     There is a newsletter talking about Hong Kong nightlife (Yingying, 2016). The journalist asked the taxi driver which area in Hong Kong was the most hilarious at late evening? The taxi driver answered it was used to be Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui East, but now only Mong Kok. The Yau Tsim Mong District stopped the nightlife while the little light bulb of the fruit stall supports the night. Therefore, Mong Kok was an important place to showcase the traditional nightlife of Hong Kong.

​

       I remember a teacher told me that if we want to understand the culture than go to their market. Therefore, The market is the essential elements to represent Hong Kong culture. As a local, living in Kowloon district, I noticed there are fewer stores in the night market especially in Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei district. We do not know when and how the little stores in the market will be driven away due to high rent, sanitary issue, urban planning or any new policy. I do not want to see these traditional pretty night market disappear in the future. The light bulb, colorful fruit, hardworking people and the pattern of the stores in the night market attract me very much. Through the photographs, I hope the audience could notice the hardworking of the people working at the night market and the traditional culture of Hong Kong that may be disappeared one day.

​

       “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Stated by Aristotle Onassis. For me, “light” is the energetic elements to build atmosphere and inspiration. In the photo essay, light is important to show the loneliness and helpless of the street market. When shooting in the night, I think the light and shadow should be a higher contrast to stand out the subject. I walked through Portland street, Mong Kok market, Shang Hai Street, and Sai Yee Street to shoot the reality of the night market. I used the higher shutter speed to capture the real facial expression and loneliness gestures of the people. Some people were dazing on the empty street, some were tiding their stalls, some were waiting for a buyer… I shot the photographs when the stalls were nearly closed and they were tiding up as I try to express the vicissitude of the night market. From the photographs, you can see the traditional objects used in the street markets. For example, the red cover with light bulbs, weight scale, and irregular label of fruits. These elements could show the culture of street markets. Hope more people can visit the street markets and protect their status.