Perhaps everything has a limit, even the city we live in. Old tenement buildings, hand-painted signs, neon lights are gradually being replaced by new constructions, turning the current scenery into memories in our minds. But have you ever thought, if even memories have an expiration date, how do we find these disappearing landscapes? Hong Kong young artist Elaine Chiu recently held a solo exhibition “Before Memories Expire | The Memory Library” at JPS Art Gallery, using art to document the fleeting urban landscapes.
Local artist Elaine has always explored urban issues through her creations. Growing up in the millennium, she spent her childhood and high school years in Sham Shui Po, Shek Kip Mei, and Yau Tsim Mong, witnessing the constant demolition and construction of buildings around her. Being in this ever-changing community has blurred her impression of herself and Hong Kong, with memories feeling as fragile as they are fleeting.
Three years ago, Elaine began documenting street life, and she was shocked to find that the rapid reconstruction put countless historical buildings and tenement houses on the brink of extinction, gradually disappearing from the cityscape. This made her wonder: in the constant refreshment and evolution of buildings and architectural complexes, how do our memories and identities position themselves?
The exhibition is divided into two parts, “Memory with an Expiry Date” and “Memory Library”. “Memory with an Expiry Date” continues Elaine’s previous on-site creation and community research, bringing a series of graphic works and the first sculpture creation using pressure as a medium, using tenement buildings and historical buildings as a starting point to explore the relationship between urban landscapes, memory, people, and time.
As for the other part, “Memory Library” showcases Elaine’s community records from the past year and on-site watercolor works, depicting Hong Kong’s cityscape from different perspectives. In addition, the exhibition will also feature dialogue sessions where the artist will share the stories behind her creations. Don’t miss out if you are interested.
“Memory with an Expiry Date” | “Memory Library” Exhibition
Date: From now until June 6
Time: (Monday to Saturday) 11 am to 7 pm; (Sunday and Public Holidays) 11 am to 5 pm
Location: JPS Art Gallery, 2nd Floor, 218-219, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
“Memory with an Expiry Date: A Dialogue with Artist Chiu Yee Ting”
Date: May 18th
Time: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
圖片來源：Instagram @jpsgallery 、@elainechiuart
