A Photographer’s Journey Through a Changing Hong Kong
By Annick Shen
This video is part of a series of interviews with photographers featured in Moving Walls 21. Moving Walls is an annual exhibit produced by the Open Society Documentary Photography Project exploring a variety of social justice and human rights issues.
Today marks the 17th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty from the United Kingdom. Back in 1997, Hong Kong was the gateway to Asia—where visitors gravitated for its finance markets, glittering skyscrapers, wealthy high-end luxury goods, and an apolitical approach to government.
But what of Hong Kong’s identity today? What is its significance alongside mainland China’s booming cities? Photographer Mark Leong, whose work appears as part of the Moving Walls 21 exhibit, aims to capture the various facets of contemporary Hong Kong in his series of lush images.
Amidst a seductive kaleidoscope of colors, a subtle reality emerges of native Hong Kong residents and the more recently arrived coexisting as they struggle to find opportunity amid a shifting social, economic, and political landscape.
What do you think the future holds for Hong Kong? Share your comments below.
Until January 2015, Annick Shen was the senior communications coordinator for photography at the Open Society Foundations and photo editor for the Documentary Photography Project.
