Venue: 2018 London Design Biennale ‘Emotional States’
Panel Discussion: Hierarchy of the Senses - Hong Kong Perspectives
Exhibition: Hong Kong Pavilion
Role: Curator of Design Objects, Producer, Moderator, Designer
Description: Cross-promotional panel discussion celebrating Hong Kong art, design and culture at the 2018 London Design Biennale.
It marked the closing of the inaugural exhibition at Duddell’s entitled ‘Doubting Thomas’ (featuring artists Suki Chan, Gordon Cheung, Jonathan Baldock, Aoife Collins, Gayle Chong Kwan and Tang Kwok-Hin) and the opening of the Hong Kong Pavilion at the London Design Biennale - which included a tour of The Old Operating Theatre that shares the historic St.Thomas’ Church with Duddell’s.
Panel discussion featured Alex Rhys-Taylor (Goldsmiths), Gayle-Chong Kwan (Artist) and Julie Mathias (Head of Education, Old Operating Theatre).
This was a companion event to the Hong Kong Pavilion, for which I was the Curator of Design Objects.
In the transient, fast-paced, sub-tropical metropolis of Hong Kong, the scents tied to its identity are as varied as its constantly changing population and landscape. “The Hong Kong Pavilion is an aromatic journey that blends stories about the emotional connection of aroma to food cultures, cha chaan tengs [Hong Kong diners], worship and the very origins of the meaning of the name Hong Kong – which translates as ‘Fragrant Harbour’ – within personal and collective memories. I hope the experience reminds visitors of the power of smell as a transporter and time machine.”
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Hong Kong Pavilion object artists, designers and cultural conservationists include: Susanna Pang (SOIL), Xavier Tsang and Michael Leung (BeCandle), Oriana Reich (Cultural Confectionary), Morgan Wong (Artist), Mary Chan (MCCM, Hong Kong independent publisher), Jodie Chan (esscentric), John Batten (Curator, Writer, Advocate for Preservation of Hong Kong Heritage), Julie Progin and Jesse McLin (Latitude22N, Julie and Jesse), Kevin Cheung-Wai-Chun (Upcycling Designer), Martin Cheung (Photographer).
* Frog King was not a part of the 2018 Pavilion, but as a Hong Kong cultural icon, it was very exciting for him to have been seen visiting the exhibition! Thanks to a friend who was visiting while I was back in New York who caught this moment!
Images: (1) Portrait of me at the Hong Kong Pavilion wearing custom designed Mahjong dress, (2) Frog King spotted at the Hong Kong Pavilion, (3) views of the objects displayed on the mahjong tables (4) Kasper Ng of the HKETO, Gayle Chong Kwan (Artist), Julie Mathias (Head of Education at The Old Operating Theatre), me, Alex Rhys-Taylor (Goldsmiths); (5) Somerset House entrance to London Design Biennale and excerpt of flyer for the panel discussion.