The studio visit was an enlightening and intriguing experience for me to partake in the brainstorming for the project. With Tung Pang displaying his “half-step house” with a collage of notes, books, sketches and the miniature Hong Kong House, we could reinterpret his plans with imagination. Through exchanging ideas and thoughts with the artist and peers, it stimulated new directions and deepened my understanding for the project.

I was inspired by the idea of imbuing the Hong Kong House with all sorts of “sounds”, namely anchor reporting ‘news’ to emulate the sound of television or singers performing songs that synthesize Japanese and Canton pop. Injecting life and vitality into the house, these sounds not only evoke the feeling of home, and also help bring people together to share a collective experience, through which intimacy and bonding among people are strengthened, echoing with the essence of the project.

Upon fostering a communal network, I anticipate bridging the Japanese and Hong Kong culture by creating art pieces that could be shared by people from both cultures. I have chosen to work on the “red pocket” of rice, a staple for Japanese and Hong Kong people. Tracing back to our cultural roots, it reminds city dwellers that our concrete jungle had once been covered in rice paddy fields and to express gratitude to nature for nurturing us.

Melody Ma
Melody Ma
Student Intern
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