Invited by HALLE 14, Leipzig, Germany, I participated in “The Ends of Freedom” exhibition which runs from 7/9 to 7/12/2019. I decided to use this as a platform for voices from Hong Kong in turmoil. A gigantic 10m x 5m “Lennon Wall” was created with 2,000 posters, plus some work of moving images I gathered from local artists and others on the Anti-Extradition protests in Hong Kong.
“Wir Sind das Volk!” was a slogan I found from the protest in 1989 in German before the Berlin Wall fell. This coincides with the current leaderless protests in Hong Kong voicing “We are the People!” The notion of “the people” appears powerful as we are overwhelmed by the mass embodied in assemblies. It sounds romantic too as it projects an imagined identity over individuals. From the recent protests in Hong Kong, I learnt how individuals each contribute their wisdom and efforts towards the collective ends of freedom we seek. The “Lennon Wall”, which is popular in Hong Kong’s protests and an organic assemblage of voices among the protesters in public space, has been re-presented in the exhibition. This project pays tribute to the resilient and versatile spirit of resistance embodied, and probes into the potency and romanticism of peaceful revolution.
Flyers/Posters compiled from: RC team’s collection; Telegram channels hkstandstrong_promo and hkstandstrong_promo_int
Special acknowledgements to the following artists, parties and collectives for contributing their work of moving images:
- A group of Hong Kong artists who love our city
- Citizens’ Press Conference & Stand With HK
- The City of Tears
- HKG ETV
- Hongkonger
- Jason Wong
- Knights Loft Studio & We Are Hong Kong Teachers
- Stegermatt
- The time of the individual
- Telegram groups hkstandstrong_promo & hkstandstrong_promo_int
- On-site (2019), Hong Kong Artist Union [15:44]
- The Time of the Individual (2019), directed by Kanas Liu [12:35]
- Comrades (2019), directed by Kanas Liu [14:04]
- Trial and Error (2019), directed by Kanas Liu [11:45]
- Going Home (2019), produced by a group of filmmakers who still believe in Hong Kong [03:19]
- Stand with Lion Rock (2019), directed by Ryan Lai [08:16]
- Voices of Hong Kong Rioters (2019), produced by RC team [11:31]
- Lennon in TaiPo (2019), produced by Light Movement [04:47]
- Not One Less (2019), co-directed by Kanas Liu & Sam Tsang [14:52]
>> Performance presented on 7/11/2019
>> Interview by Leipziger Volkszeitung: Kunst und kollective Kraft
Thanks for the generous support from the Goethe-Institut Hongkong, I will travel to Leipzig and present a live performance at HALLE 14 on 7/11/2019, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall.
This project is part of the exhibition “The Ends of Freedom” at HALLE 14, Leipzig, Germany, 7/9-7/12/2019
all photos © HALLE 14, Leipzig | Walther Le Kon, 2019