從童年到中學，藝術家趙綺婷都在深⽔埗、⽯硤尾和油尖旺度過。趙綺婷成長在千禧年代，⽬睹 社區瞬息萬變，⾒證周遭的建築物「建完⼜拆」、「拆完⼜建」，使她對⾃⼰和對香港的認知、印象，都變得恍惚、流動、重疊，回憶仿若有限期，⼀觸即碎、⼀瞬即逝。
Growing up in Yau Tsim Mong District, one of the busiest neighbourhoods in the city, Hong Kong artist Elaine Chiu has witnessed the drastic and continuous transformation of the urban space and environment since her childhood. The transient, fluidic, intersecting memories and impressions about Hong Kong have been deep-rooted in her consciousness and self-identity.
《建築物條例》於⼆零⼀⼀年修訂後，原本在市區林立、數以千計的⼿寫招牌和霓虹燈牌，⾃此被列為僭建物，遭逐⼀清拆。趙綺婷在三年前展開街頭寫⽣紀錄，令她驚覺，⾼速的重建令無數歷 史建築和唐樓命懸⼀線，甚⾄逐漸消失於城景之中。
With the effect of the amendment of the Building Ordinance in 2011, thousands of sign boards, hand-written or neon-lighted, have since been removed all around the city.
這次展覽以《記憶若有限期》為題，延續藝術家先前的實地寫⽣與社區考察，以唐樓和歷史建築物作為切入點，探討唐樓、建築物、城景及記憶，⼀些城市環境中⼀些由下⽽上產⽣的有機載體，以及它們與⼈、時間的關係。是次個⼈畫展將展出⼀系列的塑膠彩、⽔彩平⾯及立體作品。
In the past three years, Elaine initiated an on-site sketching campaign to record the fleeting cityscape with her paintbrush in the past three years. Street-sketching prompts her to contemplate the disappearance of numerous heritage buildings and tenement houses in the local community under rapid urban renewal.
「在建築物和建築群不斷刷新、呼吸、成長和演化的過程裏，我們作為回憶的共同擁有者，在不斷被拆毀和重建的社會環境、回憶與⾝份下，該如何⾃處?」—— 趙綺婷
“How do we, as humans, individuals, and members of a community, embrace the destruction and recreation of our socio-economic cityscape, collective memories and interwoven identities?” — Elaine Chiu
趙綺婷於香港⼟⽣⼟長，於⼆零⼀⼋年獲得香港⼤學⽂學院藝術史系(榮譽)學⼠學位。她曾為悉尼光影節 (2018) 、聯合國地質公園保育項⽬ (2020) 創作藝術項⽬。趙綺婷的作品多次在世界各地展出及獲獎，曾為香港政府、香港經濟貿易辦事處及多個世界知名的品牌作委約創作。趙綺婷的作品亦被收入香港⼤學美術博物館的永久館藏。
Titled Before Memories Expire, this exhibition is a continuation of Elaine’s previous on-site sketching and community art project. Centring her research around endangered buildings, architecture, cityscape, and memories of Hong Kong, her work explores different organic carriers, and their relationship with time and people, including community spirit, architectural structures and memories, that are formed bottom-up in the urban space. This exhibition features Elaine’s latest acrylic paintings, watercolour works on paper and a fresh to her practice sculptural work.
趙綺婷
《記憶若有限期》
Elaine Chiu
Before Memories Expire
Date:
2021.5.6 – 6.6
Venue:
香港中環皇后⼤道中15號置地廣塲2樓218 – 219號舖
Shops 218-219, 2/F, Landmark Atrium, Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong.
Image courtesy of JPS Art Gallery and the artist