Friday, January 15, 2016

樓梯與升降機

文:VC
(這並不是一篇會考範文,而是一篇遊記)

「走樓梯」一向給人一種很厭倦的感覺,直至近年大家開始意識到運動的重要性, 樓梯才漸漸地變得不太討厭。但對我而言,「走樓梯」的過程仍然是十分苦悶的。直至我到了這裡……

這裡讓我對 「樓梯」完全改觀, 並找到「走樓梯」的樂趣。

剛走進位於中環的PMQ元創方時也還沒有甚麼發現,在等候升降機時,看到旁邊服務中心的檯上放了一些摺疊方法與眾不同的單張。在好奇心的驅使下,我拿了一份來看,以解等待升降機之悶。單張上面寫著「Hong Kong on Steps」的字樣,聽上去很像挺有趣的。翻開裡面才知道是PMQ元創方的一個樓梯畫藝術項目。就這樣,我放棄了一向依賴著的升降機,並跟著裡面的指南,探索這個神奇的地方。
經過一輪的走訪才發現這個藝術項目並不是我想像中那麼簡單。這些樓梯是由7組分別來自5個不同地區及國家的藝術家來完成的。而這些樓梯畫大多都是圍繞著香港的特色及傳統文化。例如洋紫荊花、維港的帆船、粵劇、人力車、李小龍等等。當中還不乏充滿著城市特色的藝術作作品,作為城市人的我,真是倍感共鳴。
香港畫家Bao Ho以樓梯畫歡迎大家到訪PMQ元創方。

法國畫家Ceet Fouad所畫的小雞太可愛了!

香港市花,出自南韓畫家Lee Tae-ho的手筆。

想信人力車必定會引起不少人的共鳴。這是由來自香港的藝術團隊Omni Art所繪畫的。

日本畫家Pokke104的畫作。 

我跟朋友說起這些樓梯畫,他們會覺得香港很多地方都有。但我認爲這裡的樓梯畫是與眾不同的。在一座三級歷史建築物內,有超過20條樓梯同時被來自各國的藝術家賦予色彩,場面是多麼的令人歎為觀止。同時也為這座建築物增添活力,給人一種耳目一新的感覺。 
每條樓梯旁邊都有介紹該位畫家的QR code,實在是太貼心了。以上是香港畫家BrainRental的作品。 

雖然我未有足夠的時間去欣賞所有的樓梯,但這天的遊歷令我有所啟發。我們城市人生活急速,但也不仿停一停,用心去感受一下身邊的美好事物,為這些事物增添意義。引用這裡的其中一位畫家Candy Bird的說話:「城市裡新的活力,來自於觀察舊的事物,以及從舊事物裡發現新的價值。」
台灣畫家Candy Bird的作品。

地址:香港中環鴨巴甸街35號元創方
開放時間:07:00 - 23:00


Friday, January 8, 2016

“Hong Kong on Steps” at PMQ – Creativity One Step at a Time

Text: C.Martin
Each flight of stairs has its own story to tell. Around Hong Kong, it’s not that uncommon to find illustrations on staircases. But recently, I’ve noticed something quite out of the ordinary – 25 staircases all painted and grouped together in the same location! This place is none other than PMQ, the new creative hub that’s taking creativity and design in Hong Kong to the next level – one “step” at a time. 

This unique art project, named “Hong Kong on Steps”, brought together local and overseas artists to create stair paintings inspired by the vibrant and diverse Hong Kong landscape. The seven groups of artists hailed from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, France and Hong Kong, an interesting combination that has beautifully transformed the way we see PMQ as we walk up. 

I first noticed something out of the ordinary back at PMQ in Mid-October, as I was walking around the restaurant facing Hollywood Road. I was planning to take the staircase up to the second floor, to find a group of people with paintbrushes in their hands heartily painting with elaborate stokes on the staircase. Upon closer scrutiny, I realised they were painting goldfishes and lotuses in a lush blue pond. The fact that they were from South Korea gave the scene a decidedly more oriental touch. 
At the head of this team was Professor Lee Tae Ho, a multimedia artist who also taught at the College of Fine Arts in Kyunghee University in South Korea. He had a friendly and slightly comical demeanour, which showed when he noticed me watching his team at work. I learnt that for each of his paintings, he had to take many, many pictures in order to create the perfect scene to imprint on the stairs. For this goldfish one, he had taken more than 300 pictures of goldfish, all to find the perfect beautiful posture to paint! 
I also encountered the Japanese artist Yukino Ikeshiro, also known as Pokke104, on the stairway of the first floor of the Hollywood Building. She was humming and smiling happily while she painted, complementing her vibrant and colourful painting perfectly – both seemed to cheer you up involuntarily when you gazed upon them. Her love for the “gajumaru”, the Okinawan Banyan tree, shows clearly in her paintings as its intricate lines weave throughout her landscape of Hong Kong. 
Another artist I met was Ceet Fouad from France as he was painting on the other end of the first floor of the Hollywood Building. He was quite distinctive with his gas mask covering his nose and mouth when he painted, reminding me of a character from a Marvel superhero movie. What was interesting about his style was his use of cartoon chickens in his paintings. His chickens found their way everywhere, even forming a wreath around Bruce Lee’s head! Ceet said they gave new life to his paintings, adding a touch of positivity and happiness to his audience as they caught eye of his mischievous chickens. 

And there were a number of other artists that had left their mark around the stairs at PMQ, such as Bao Ho, OmniArt and Brainrental from Hong Kong, and Candy Bird from Taiwan. 
All these lively paintings by these seven groups of young artists has added a dynamic and lively touch to PMQ’s historic steps. “Hong Kong on Steps” has given PMQ a swirl of positive and creative energy, winding along each of its stairways.

Address: PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong
PMQ Opening Hours: 07:00-23:00