Photographer on the stars of ‘golden age’ of Hong Kong cinema and Cantopop in his show

Sam Wong, who has the first solo show of his 40-year career, recalls photographing Anita Mui, Eason Chan, and other Cantopop and movie stars

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Sam Wong at his debut solo exhibition, “It’s About Time”, in Hong Kong. His photos of Cantopop and film stars helped immortalise the stars of the “golden age” of Hong Kong cinema and Cantopop. Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Design Institute

Published: 12:45pm, 5 Aug 2024Updated: 1:57pm, 5 Aug 2024

In the Hong Kong’s entertainment industry “golden age”, when Cantopop and Cantonese films reigned supreme, one man was there to record it all: photographer Sam Wong.

Known for his images of stars such as Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk and Anita Mui Yim-fong, Wong helped immortalise the era’s show business elite through his work.

Remarkably for someone whose career spanned four decades, Wong is only now holding his first solo exhibition – aptly titled “It’s About Time”.

The exhibition, at the Hong Kong Design Institute in Tseung Kwan O, in the New Territories, is a captivating retrospective of his work, featuring rarely seen photographs that capture the essence of Cantopop singers such as Faye Wong and Leslie Cheung.

“It’s About Time” is also a record of the transition from analogue to digital photography and of the rise of Hong Kong’s entertainment industry.

“It’s About Time!” is an exhibition of portraits Wong took of famous Cantopop and film stars over a 40-year career Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Design Institute

Born in Hong Kong, Wong moved to Canada with his family when he was 13. It was while studying at the ArtCenter College of Design in the US state of California that he discovered a love for photography.