再見啦，香港! 🇭🇰

《大批判: 香奈兒》2001年、王廣義
'Great Criticism: Chanel' 2001, Wang Guangyi
(born 1957 in Heilongjiang, works in Beijing)
油彩布本 / Oil on canvas
Donated to M+ Sigg Collection

This city has irrevocably changed. The events of the past four years have scarred it. While its economy will get back on an even keel, the society might not. The people and nature of Hong Kong are changing. 'To what?' That remains to be seen.  

The old vestiges of the city are still there, but something innate has changed. you wouldn't feel it unless you speak to people across the social strata. We would be too shallow to judge the students for having ignited the protests in 2018 to early 2020. Did it bring about an earlier implementation of restrictions and the National Security Law? Perhaps. From my viewpoint, these protests had to happen. It would have happened at some point post pandemic anyway. This is one last stand against being fully embraced by the overarching ideals of the Chinese Communist Party. It's the final goodbye to the Hong Kong people's ideal of democracy. 

So many facets I love about Hong Kong have been destroyed, removed and persecuted. I'm an outsider looking in. There's still so much I love about the city. Once upon a time, this city is so easy to live and work in. Now, I'm not sure about it. I don't know if the language and culture will be assimilated into a tepid version because of National Security Law. As it is, post-pandemic, I'm reluctant to step into any Chinese territory for a vacation. Hong Kong remains an exception for the now. I'm highly wary of the National Security Law, tbh. This trip has been such an eye opener. 

I'll need to come back to eat claypot rice because I hadn't had any for the past week!

Goodbye Hong Kong. You'll always be a city of my heart. And, 毋忘六四.

Looking towards Victoria Harbor on Hong Kong Island
from my vantage point at Hotel ICON in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.