For the winter of 2016, I choose to spend Christmas in Hong Kong, close to the people and things that I know, and the fascinating new Christmas Galleries at LEE GARDENS in Causeway Bay. Here, I can appreciate the works of my favourite artists Kotori Kawashima and Mika Ninagawa, and get to know two other artists, Chang Hwan Kim and Rebecca Louise Law. To me, this artistic journey is even more dazzling and romantic than the annual Christmas lights.
Find happiness captured in sweet photos
01 - "Simple Happiness Gallery" by Kotori Kawashima
02 - The little girl Mirai in Kotori Kawashima’s photos
03 - The daily lives of ordinary citizens were captured in Kotori’s unique perspective
When: 18:00
What: Simple Happiness Gallery
Where: G/F, Kai Chiu Road Entrance of Hysan Place
Artist: Kotori Kawashima
Four art installations at four different places in Lee Gardens, created by four distinctive artists, form an unforgettable Christmas tour. One of them, the Simple Happiness Gallery at the entrance of Hysan Place, houses the exhibition of Japanese photographer Kotori Kawashima.
Last year, when Kotori Kawashima’s Myojo exhibition was held in Taipei and Taichung, my friends suggested visiting them. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it, though I have been in love with Kotori’s works for quite some time. When I first saw the little girl Mirai in his photos, I was reminded of those adorable big-headed dolls in Yoshitomo Nara’s artworks. Through Kotori I came to know Mirai, with her strong personality, and through Mirai I also knew Kotori. Although I could see photos from his famous collections Mirai-chan and Myojo at this exhibition, what I most looked forward to was his new photo collection, Koufuku (Happiness), for which he made his first trip to Hong Kong. The daily lives of ordinary citizens were captured in Kotori’s unique perspective, evoking the heart-warming serendipity of everyday life, particularly in the cozy wooden structure of the Simple Happiness Gallery. Some photos not published before in Myojo will also be showcased here, a treasure to behold.
Kotori has selected six photographs from Koufuku to sell as limited edition postcards, with all proceeds donated to the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong. Lee Hysan Foundation will double the donation by matching all proceeds from the public charity sale. As an art lover and native of Causeway Bay, I am impressed by this effort, and bought a set to show my support, because happiness is about sharing, too.
Tips about photo taking and check-in >> Inside “Simple Happiness Gallery”
The magic of fish swimming in mid-air
01 - The Flying Aquarium by Chang Hwan Kim
02 - Four sharks made from stainless steel wire dangling from the ceiling
When: 19:00
What: The Flying Aquarium
Where: G/F, Lee Theatre
Artist: Chang Hwan Kim
My boyfriend Shawn, who studied visual art in university, is more interested in installation art than photos. Therefore I prepared a surprise for him. As we walked from Hysan Place to Lee Theatre, I took his hand, letting him think he was accompanying me to choose Christmas gifts in UNIQLO. What he didn’t expect was to look up from the ground floor of Lee Theatre and see four sharks made from stainless steel wire dangling from the ceiling, their hollow design blending with the surrounding environment as if they were 3D sketches afloat in mid-air. Shawn knew only that I wanted to see the work of my favourite artist, Kotori Kawashima, so the Flying Aquarium by Korean sculptor Chang Hwan Kim in Lee Theatre was a great surprise for him.
Tips about photo taking and check-in >>
Inside “The Flying Aquarium”
A dazzling world of flowers
01 - Mika Ninagawa’s Flower Kaleidoscope Tunnel
02 - Mika Ninagawa leads you through a floral dream, unveiling her fantastically colourful and luminous world.
When: 19:30
What: Flower Kaleidoscope Tunnel
Where: G/F, Lee Garden One (tree-lined avenues)
Artist: Mika Ninagawa
Among my friends, I’m not the only photography lover. Daisy is my photography “soul mate”, and made me love this hobby even more. Yet our preferences are quite different, and we love different photography masters and style of works. There is one exception, though: Mika Ninagawa, whom few girls can resist, is a renowned photographer we both love. Using themes both beautiful and fragile, like goldfish, flowers and idols, Mika creates an ephemeral, melancholy beauty. Her colourful, dreamy, strong style captivates me, and her works extend beyond photography, to fashion, drink packaging, music videos and movies. Passing through this kaleidoscope tunnel, I feel like I’m stepping into Mika’s own floral dream, and into my own past.
Tips about photo taking and check in >> Inside “Flower Kaleidoscope Tunnel”
A garden upside down in the sky
When: 20:00
What: Red & White
Where: G/F, Lee Garden Two
Artist: Rebecca Louise Law
After leaving the floral world of Mika Ninagawa, I feel a sense of nostalgia. Yet, as we walk to the last stop of this tour, there’s a lasting touch of romance in the air. Created by British installation artist Rebecca Louise Law, this installation uses over ten thousand dried flowers, including red clovers, hypericum berries, white gypsophilia and myosotis, all suspended in mid-air. I feel like I have entered a magical world which is upside down, as I have to raise my head to appreciate flowers instead of looking down on them. It ends a pleasant Saturday spent on an artistic journey that engaged both sight and spirit.
Tips about photo taking and check-in >> Inside “Red & White”