The exhibiting artists An Ting Teng and Wing Ka Ho Jimmi come from Taiwan and Hong Kong respectively, both of which were once known as one of the Four Little Dragons of Asia for their fast-growing economies. Yet unlike South Korea and Singapore, due to their special political and historical backgrounds, Taiwan and Hong Kong have gradually slipped from the centre to the periphery in the last 30 years, seeking a way out in the margins of the old and new economies. These two artists are part of a generation that has grown up within these 30 years, witnessing the economic downturn and political flux in both places. Although beliefs have been constantly subverted and restructured, the drive to re/establish identities has never ceased. In this similar context, the two artists have developed divergent yet typical approaches.
An Ting’s works comprise photographic prints on unconventional materials, a reliance on nature permeates her practice. Through the linger connections of the fixed structure, these encounters with mediums generate stories that bring together elements of memory, nature, and longing. In contrast, Jimmi’s practice constantly identifies and questions the identity crisis associated with the socio-political situation in Hong Kong. In his recent ongoing work, he steps in the aftermath of the 2019–20 Hong Kong Protest, documenting the young participants that had moved to the UK. In this polarised sampling, this exhibition attempts to situate itself in the surge of post-colonial and geopolitics, expanding the raft for conversations beyond the limits of geographical boundaries and ideological conflicts. After all, we have lost enough.
