Showing posts with label hong kong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hong kong. Show all posts

20110521

Wong Chiu Tat





Wong Chiu Tat (黃照達) is an artist whose comics are published daily by one of Hong Kong's larger newspapers, Ming Pao. His strip, called Zi Zi Za Za (translated literally) which I would translate as meaning White Noise, are typically four to six panels and comment on current social and political events. His work is a great representation of humor revealing truth; many of his strips critically analyze the Hong Kong government. Chiu Tat also recently published a book called Lonely Planet where the protagonist is a fired designer. Besides working as a professional artist, he lectures on comic and alternative art at Baptist University Hong Kong.


The blog he runs features a series of work called Hello World that consists of full pages of comics following a small boy called Wong Yut. Here, as in his strips for Ming Pao, the thoughts and reactions of the characters in the comic reflect current affairs ironically and with a grin.


My Chinese reading capability is good enough to make sense of the gist of things, but a lot of the more specific jokes and references pass me by. I enjoy the graphic style of his work without even reading the text though. It's similar to Chris Ware's work, perhaps most known for Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth. Chiu Tat's clean graphic sensibility stands out in a newspaper and is calling Hong Kong's attention to design by making it relevant to what people care about.

20100319

what did we peruse: design: related

design: related is my latest website of choice for random browsing while i wait for things to render / things to load / my mind to recuperate

while flipping through the gallery, which features "projects" and "inspirations" submitted by members of the site, i came across something that i knew immediately was hong kong.

Gaston Caba, based in buenos aires, made these super cute dolls and had a friend Joel Chung take photos of them in various locations in Hong Kong to be pictured in Pictoplasma Encyclopedia.

gaston caba's work is very colorful, consists mainly of bold vectors and features a great deal of cute animals and other created characters - reminds me of tokidoki and the like that you might describe as sugary-sweet. not everyone's cup of tea but there are some pretty intense patterns.

it made me smile to randomly come across a photo of hong kong when i wasn't expecting it.

20100111

what did we decorate: WONDERLAND

"rabbit"

artecnica is a los angeles based design company co-directed by enrico bressan and tahmineh javanbakht that collaborates with emerging, international designers to create "inspiring decorative objects for the living environment."

while wandering through homeless today in causeway bay with friends, i came across these three candleholders designed by stephen johnson for artecnica. the artist creates them from pieces individually cast from objects found in antique markets in England and are inspired by alice in wonderland - hence the name of the collection: wonderland.
"bird"

they caught my eye firstly because of their whiteness and the lack of distinguishment between the various figures until further investigation. i love that you can continue to stare at all three (which is made even more difficult i acknowledge by the fact that photos of these very white objects are against a white background...) and discover increasingly more detail or whimsy. i also like that i couldn't immediately tell they were inspired by alice in wonderland (as everything seems to be these days) until i read the blurb posted next to them. the uneasy balance of the objects, the quirky seemingly random arrangement that was so carefully designed makes for an excellent design piece (that i would probably never use for it's real function - to hold candles).

"lady"

it also invokes in me the desire to doodle and draw, perhaps because in that way i could replicate something similar on paper.

20091102

what did we LOVE: bunny cookies

thank you di for the image

as we all know. i have a love for most things bunny. and cookies.
and it makes me feel as though winter is actually approaching (despite the fact that i still only wore a tshirt and my bape hoodie today). i mean, i could use a week or two of actual bundling up hot chocolate or pumpkin spice latte snuggle into bed and never leave the heater weather. why not?im going back to hong kong this christmas so i might as well get my fill of cold prior to flying back to 10 degree celcius december.


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what did we peruse: tommy ton


i am about to unhesitatingly make the assumption that many of you that will read this post have also heard of/read/know something about JAK & JIL and thus have seen of style photographer tommy ton's work. only by perusing this site did i learn that my homecity (is that a phrase...) of hong kong and the power fashion chain lane crawford asked tommy ton to style hunt in hk!

thus - five of his hong kong fashion photos posted on the lane crawford blog

i picked my favorite of the ones he took in the city, supposedly the site will continue to post new ones. wish i could have caught a glimpse of him.

i imagine he spent a lot of time in causeway bay around times square...



oh red taxi. how i miss you and your low fares.

also: is it so awful of me that i think his photos taken in milan/paris/new york/london are so much better? or is it just hong kong style that i can't agree with? and what does that make me?

20090815

what did we watch: if i...

If i... from Tim Brown on Vimeo.

a video found on szymon while i was doing some mild internet browsing

it's quite cute and i like the aesthetics and filming but the narration is a bit too forced in my opinion. (both the words and the voice)

it'd be fun to do such a video - to have the time and motivation...


maybe i'm just itching to get back to ny and school. maybe my subconscious feels the end of august nearing...

i've been packing up my life lately (my family is moving to another apartment in hk) and it's been difficult....to focus...

20090809

what did we want: oxfords...

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so i found this really really great pair of shoes today while randomly walking past stores killing time. off white (cream? light beige?) laced oxfords, slightly pointed toes with pinhole decoration and made of lamb leather...

i don't usually advocate the killing of innocent animals for clothes or fashion. but these were really soft, fit perfectly, were adorable and i could see myself wearing them with anything....

of course this all leads up to me saying i didn't buy them. they cost $716 HKD ($92.38 USD) (which is a really random number to me) which is usually too much for shoes for me. i've never bought shoes that expensive before. no really. i don't. i know that shoes are supposed to be an investment etc but i couldn't bring myself to do it. (also i didn't have that much money on me)

i'm still thinking about them and i would ask rather i should get them or not...but i don't know what answer i want...

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20090808

what did we blog: the obscura collective


photo: preston hartwick

the obscura collective
was formed by my friend and high school classmate jon wu. the members of the collective are also my friends and classmates - all of which are people that i consider talented in both photography and writing - which is what the blog is about. it's newly formed and we're still working things out but it's been pretty exciting and the various posts are really good.

i am also a member of the collective if you're interested in reading my posts on that blog:
directions to...
jellyfish



photo: christal yuen


photo: jon wu

this paragraph about the collective was written by jon and is on the site as well.

"We are a community of writers and photographers (to different degrees in both realms) who are attempting to use the beauty of the word and camera lense to express whatever it is that is in us. There is only one rule for all the contributors and that is to always have one original photograph and at least one word on each post. The idea is that the photograph may be used to enhance the words that are written or the words may enhance the photograph or both photograph and words enhance each other.

Ultimately, we’re trying to become blog stars. Please help the cause and like us."

so like us! : )


photo: geoff wong

20090805

what did we watch: lovers on the road 《戀人路上》



《戀人路上》lovers on the road

this past saturday, august 1st, i watched "lovers on the road" with ben at the grand cinema in elements. (kowloon station, 1 austin road) it's part of their summer promotional program: "indie salon" which is a collection of eight independent films produced in hong kong and around this area. every week on wednesdays (7:30 and 9:30 pm) and saturdays (2:30 and 4:30 pm) two of the films are screened; tickets are $40 for student and $60 for adults. (unfortunately only hk student id's are accepted)



"lovers on the road" is directed by tsang tsui shan and it has a lot going for it in terms of substance, ideas and difficult themes. it follows the story of one very self-absorbed naive girl - who it is easy to hate and not so easy to love - and her move from hong kong to beijing with her boyfriend whom she seems to have no feelings for but a very long term commitment to. there are a number of shots and scenes that are quite aesthetically done, good composition and good color, but the editing is awful and it's cut very poorly. very very poorly. plus on a large screen the pixelization is very clear and it bothers me even though i'm aware how low budget these films are. the trailer looks good though this small...the soundtrack is a bit awkward and the dialogue is too self aware. the main actress does quite a good job as does one of the other supporting actors but on a whole there is nothing dynamic about the film and it could be improved. but it is my first local indie film and i'm still quite glad i went to see it. i still remember it and it's 73 minutes of glory on the large screen so at least it remained in my mind.

what did we LOVE: window displays

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what did we pay more and more attention to? window displays

i think i could fall in love with window displays. the above and below images are of the i.t. store in tst silvercord and their very romantic / phantom of the opera-esque / modern lighting display of violins.

they create a perfect mood - immediately catch the eye - you could look at them forever - and they make for good photographs.

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and the below image is of the window display of the ceu store in miramar mall in tst. i just found the giraffes super cute. there were more of them and they matched the window silhouette stickers. i would have stolen a wicker giraffe for my apartment if i could have. come to think of it - i probably wouldn't have minded taking a violin too.

it'd be very cool to be the person who comes up with these window displays.

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oddly enough - it is incredibly hard to find the i.t. or ceu websites - which is why i failed to link them here in this post...but the hunt will continue - and perhaps they'll be found...

20090804

what did we eat: 雞蛋仔




i love 雞蛋仔 sooooo much
this is partially why i miss hong kong so much when i'm not here
and then i remember the crazy humid heat
"雞蛋仔" pretty much means chicken eggs in english
it's simply batter - baked into a round waffle of "eggs"
crisp on the outside and chewy inside! $24 HKD for two ($3 USD)

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mmmmmmmm : )

what did we listen to: 1-2-3-4




plain white t's - 1-2-3-4

i have lately been very much so infatuated with this song. it's super cute. two summers ago i was crazy about "hey there delilah" (yeah, i know) you couldn't get me to stop singing it...

i have one complaint about this music video though...bad typography choices.

but the babies, puppies, couples and not couples are all very cute. i also love that it's in chicago since i've been there now : ) and the ending is pretty perfect.

i think i'm feeling extra mushy/warm and fuzzy as of late because of the five very non-stop days i had with my boyfriend that flew by and the last month we spent living in the same city together after a year apart...and because he's been on a plane for the past four hours - flying away.

1-2-1-2-3-4
give me more loving than i’ve ever had
make me feel better when i’m feeling sad
tell me i’m special even though i know i’m not
make me feel good when I hurt so bad
barely getting mad
i’m so glad i found you
i love being around you
you make it easy
its as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4
there’s only one thing
to do
three words
for you
(i love you) i love you
there’s only one way to say
those three words
that’s what i’ll do
(i love you) i love you
give me more loving from the very start
piece me back together when i fall apart
tell me things you never even tell your closest friends
make me feel good when i hurt so bad
you’re the best that i've had
and i’m so glad i found you
i love being around you
you make it easy
it’s easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4
there’s only one thing
to do
three words
for you
(i love you) i love you
.....

20090803

what did we feel: photos


so i'm at work this morning.
yesterday i was sick; i'm still sick but still at work as well.
out of the past 34 hours i was awake for 8 of them, so i'm quite sleep-logged.
also, ben flies for LA today at 11:45 am so best wishes, safe travel, smooth landing, think of me.
this is how i feel today: august 4th, 2009 (all images via ffffound)


one


two


three


four


five

20090802

happy thirty four

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much love

(wish i could have photoshopped your phone out. oh well)


what did we try on...

blue chunky knit v neck sweater bat wing 3/4 length sleeves HKD $69 (USD $8.9) it looks good in this photo but i know i wouldn't really wear it...

what did we try on (and not purchase): ZARA

MORE sales



scoop neck grey white striped short sleeve pocketed tunic / dress HKD $99 (USD 12.75) i actually really liked this... might go back?

i also actually quite liked this jacket / cardigan - dark olive green, two buttons, pockets and gathered at bottom - HKD $69 (USD $89)

what did we drink: ice blender




so the truth is that starbucks coffee really sucks and that any drink there is really expensive..but i've had this twice now and i really quite like it -
passion fruit and lemon ice blender
- summer special - tall HKD $32 (USD $4.13)

what did we purchase: UNIQLO

above image of top i did not purchase (but am still thinking about) HKD $99 (USD $12.75)

what did we try on: UNIQLO
SAAAAALLLEEESSS


(JULY 28)

what i did buy: keith haring blue/black/grey striped pocket tee HKD $39!! (USD $5)

another top / dress i bought for HKD $39 (USD $5) which is definitely definitely worth it. i love hk sales : ) the zipper tag says "ZIP" do not have a photo of me trying it on since i tried an L and bought an M....

20090723

what did we apologize for...again

i have been working two jobs for the last four days and will be tomorrow and will be from july 27 to july 31 monday through friday as well. it's a total of ten days working from 8:30 am to about 7:00 pm. that's about a nine hour work day five days a week - 45 hours a week. i commute in between my two jobs and it takes about an hour to an hour and a half of public transportation. i am entirely exhausted at the end of every day.
monday i slept from 5:00 pm in the afternoon to tuesday morning 7:00 am.
so i am apologizing for my absence from this blog that i love and would like to post on all the time.

and i'm done complaining now. i know i made the choice myself and i wanted to be busy and have work to do. both for money and for experience. i just don't think i realized what i stepped into.

what did we visit: LV





i went to the louis vuitton: a passion for creation exhibit at the hong kong museum of art this past sunday july 19. unfortunately - these are practically the only two photos i managed to take because you're not allowed to take photos in the museum. shown here is the triptych by gilbert and george entitled "class war, militant, gateway"dated 1986. the exhibit began may 22 and will last until august.

i particularly liked the takashi murakami section of the exhibition - murakami being one of my favorite artists. i actually liked the part featuring artist collaborations with LV and actual LV history of the three part show the best. the other two parts included one made up of local hong kong artists and one called "the collection, a choice" made up of a variety of large-scale pieces by significant European, American and Chinese artists from the Fondation Louis Vuitton Pour la Creation.

let me reiterate. i love takashi murakami. his art is amazing and i wish i could have taken a million photos. i particularly liked his two short animations.





hong kong museum of art
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
t# (852) 2721 0116
M - F and Su 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
S 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
closed thursdays

louis vuitton exhibit entrance fee: $30 HKD ($3.87 USD) students half price



20090718

what did we LOVE: grafitti

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kind of chris kane x banksy (reminded of)


banksy monkey stencil and gorillas holding court


christopher kane gorilla dress and gorilla tshirt: model isa aklof and designer christopher kane


while walking from the bus stop at sogo in causeway bay around 11:30 pm friday night
to get picked up by my cousin near the cricket club i walked down matheson street near times square and came across this really awesome graffiti that i had never seen anything like before in HK.

that may also be because i'm not usually in these areas that late at night so i don't typically see closed store fronts in dark areas.


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start from...?


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