- Seventeen best artworks from ‘Realising Your Imagination Creative Competition’ are on display in an interactive exhibition at H Queen’s until June 14
- Top prizes in the student group went to three short films that imagined how the lives of people in the city could be improved
The exhibition “Realising Your Imagination” at H Queen’s. Photo: Hazel LuoHong Kong students expressed their visions of the city’s technological future in an art competition, “Realising Your Imagination Creative Competition”.
Seventeen award-winning artworks from the competition held by Henderson Land Group are currently on display in the interactive exhibition until June 14 at H Queen’s.
“We are delighted to see hundreds of contestants imagine their future way of life, and are deeply inspired by their works,” said Dr Martin Lee Ka-shing, chairman of Henderson Land Group. “We remain committed to promoting innovation, sustainability and ‘people-centricity’ for a better community.”
The artists comprise two groups, one for students and the other open to anyone older than 18. The winners in the student category used a variety of media such as short films, animation, and photography to emphasise how new technology would influence Hong Kong’s future landscape.
The top prize in the student group went to Luna Chui Sze-man, Louis Dong and Oscar Leung, who worked together to create a short film titled A Letter from the Future inspired by the concept of a time capsule.
In the film, a 20-year-old girl receives a letter from her future self, reminding her of her dream to become an architect. Her future self explains how the community will become more comfortable with her contribution as an architect.
More lifts will be built to help those who have difficulty walking, and more trees will be planted to beautify and clean the environment. The letter shows the importance of architects and encourages the young girl to follow her dream even as she feels uncertain.
“I think that in the future, Hong Kong will become more people-oriented with urban planning and technology,” said Chui, the 21-year-old director of the piece. “What will remain unchanged is the community and the human touch between people.”
The first-year student from Baptist University’s Academy of Film said she was always touched by the warmth of people in the Hong Kong community, but the living environment might not be accessible and friendly for everyone. That was why she wanted to show how these improved facilities could make an impact on the community.
Chui shared one challenge her team encountered while creating the film. They wanted a shot of the main character looking over the city, but as they were climbing up Lion Rock, the view was covered by the fog, and they did not have enough time in their filming schedule to come back another day.
As they were beginning to feel discouraged, the wind blew away the clouds for a short while, allowing them to capture a beautiful shot. “Hold onto your dreams. The light might come right at the next moment,” Chui said.
Kongkee visual artist adds local colour to sci-fi representation of Hong Kong
The first runner-up, Agatha Cheuk, 13, used creative animations to envision future technological advancements in her short film The Metamorphosis of Time. She animated characters and designs over footage of modern Hong Kong to show how she thought technology could be applied to enhance the city.
The teen’s ideas include building futuristic infrastructure, such as aerial railways and bicycle roads across water to make transport more convenient.
“I think that the quality of people’s lives can be improved by refurbishing the building. Also, adding hi-tech facilities will actually help to make the future better,” said Cheuk, who is a Form Two student at Pope Paul VI College.
The second runner-up, 22-year-old Cheung Yan-Kiu, took a more abstract approach to his art. His work also incorporates augmented reality filters that can be accessed with a smartphone to create a more interactive and immersive experience for visitors.
His short film Desirous of the Unknown tells an imaginative science fiction story about how humans discover a regenerative substance from a sea anemone and use this research to create a giant machine that provides humans with unlimited energy.
Cheung, who is in his second year studying film, television and photography at the Hong Kong Design Institute, chose the sea anemone to represent the theme of “waiting with faith” for the future to improve.
Explaining his film’s message of hope, Cheung shared: “We must wait with belief while continuing to develop ourselves, not only in technology but in all other areas of life.”