DESIGN IN HONG KONG ： DESIGN & ACTIVISM presented by ivy chan

DESIGN IN HONG KONG ： DESIGN & ACTIVISM

presented by ivy [email protected] / [email protected]

2012.03.22

UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

PAN-DEM CHIEF EXECUTIVE PRIMARY

ELECTION 泛民特首候選人初選 in Chinese http://pdce-primary.hk

Although a majority of public opinion supports universal suffrage of the SAR Chief Executive (CE) in 2012, the SAR government still insists on a “Not Later Than 2017” position in the Political Reform Consultation Report in Dec 2007.

Pan-dem Camp decided to run a “primary election” in 8 Jan 2012 for choosing a representative of pan-dem camp to run the CE election on 25 March 2012.

source: Election Office of Albert HO http://albertho4hk.org/tc/?p=179


ELECTION in HK, there is no formal or legal system for primary election of Chief Executive, neither pan-dem camp nor pro-Beijing camp.

pan-dem camp designed e-polling programme for onsite polling on 8 Jan 2012.

HK permanent residents who be or over age 18 are qualified to caste a vote.

74 polling stations were located on the street & ran by trained volunteers.


ELECTION an intending voter shows one’s HKID card to a polling station worker for checking voter is age over 18.

the worker key in the person’s HKID number in full. the system then convert the number into a chain of irreversible Hash Codes for storage, in order to protect one’s privacy and to prevent repeated voting.

the system open the voting interface.

after the close of poll, the system locate & delete disqualified votes due to duplicated HKID numbers.

then, it calculate & display the polling result, as well as the number of such disqualified votes.

all personal information would then be permanently erased.


ELECTION Total of votes: 33,932

Albert HO Chun-yan ( 何俊仁 fr Democratic Party 民主黨 ) : 22,148 / 67.24%

Frederick FUNG Kin-kee ( 馮檢基 fr Association for Democracry & People’s Livelihood 民主民生協進會 ): 10,791 / 32.76%

Abstention 棄權 : 993 / 2.93%

Source: HK Economiv Times http://www.hket.com/eti/article/4f3c9384-a1ad-4264-b6fb-

6ce1ed00fca3-654074


ELECTION

the project was monitored by local NGOs & scholars.

it was self-ruled project and the guidance & regulation was published for transparency

it was also seen as a trial project of “3.23 Civil Referendum on CE” http://popvote.hk

Modernization & Democratization -> using technology to advocate civil rights and resolve disputes among pan-dem camp

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

GP @HK Book Fair / image: ivy chan 2008.07.22

BOOK LOVERS FOR FORESTS

Greenpeace Book Campaign “Book Lovers for Forests” in HK & Beijing in 2008

Campaign goals are calling on the book publishing industry in HK & China to phase-in the use of forest friendly papers and adopt environmentally & socially responsible procurement policies.

The annual “HK Book Fair” is one of the largest of its kind in Asia, attracting the attendance of several hundred thousand book lovers.

It was a good chance to appeal public support by alternative participation.


during the 7-day event, GP displayed

photo exhibition

“Forest Friendly Books”, including “Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix” by J.K. Rowling, “le Seuil” by Jose Saramago, “Forest of the Pygmies” by Isabel Allende, etc.

paper art workshop,

“Paper Forest” installation, and

Art installation made by used book, etc.


GP @HK Book Fair / image: ivy chan

2008.07.22

GP @BJ Book Fair / image: ivy chan

2008.07.22


2008.07.22

“ Paper Forest” installation

about 10’ x 12’

made by recycled paperboards + steel stands

the concept was inspired by chinese paper-cuttings ( 剪紙 ) which were used for religious purposes, for decoration and as patterns.

the installation was made as enlarged paper pattern.

after HK Book Fair, the Paper Forest” was also displayed in Beijing Book Fair.



2008.07.22

GP @HK Book Fair / image: ivy

chan 2008.07.22


campaign messages & authors’ call-for action were imprinted on the paper foreste.g. Opening up a book reveals an amazing new world, using recycled paper preserves the one We’re 打開書發現新的世界，用再造紙保護現在的世界

the paper forest was installed in the open area of the Fair and welcome readers to take a rest there, and people were sitting in front of the window, & enjoying Victoria Harbour view , warm sunshine and their new books.



Greenpeace China as INGOs = slogan “Think Global Action Local”

HK Book Fair = as annual local cultural scene; however, the HK Trade Development Council was criticized it’s no effort in organizing diversified cultural activities during the Fair

Booklovers = 愛書人 in chinese, as people who love reading and literature would concern about the development of next generation and environmental promotion

Paper Forest = Forests were home to a great diversity of wildlife; however, there’s no trace of ancient forests now remains in HK.

Satire / Challenge -> Book Fair as a trade fair or mega store of book selling is promoting reading consumption, the installation created an alternative space for the visitors.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Tiananmen Mothers Campaign

Tiananmen Mothers Campaign (TMC in short)《天安門母親運動

The Tiananmen Mothers is a group of individuals whose family members were killed or wounded durinng the brutal crackdown of the pro-democracy movement in Beijing, China, in 1989.

TMC is HK based supporting group. Volunteers of TMC played

street drama in Mongkok / image: ivy chan


TMC website is designed ﹠operated by local volunteers

TMC supports The Tiananmen Mothers’ Campaign by providing victims & their families’ information, testimonies, and call-for-action.

TMC volunteers conduct street performance and design souvenirs for fund raising every year.

image: ivy chan

image: ivy chan


as raising popularity of Facebook among the young generation, TMC launched its FB Page for the anniversary in 2009 http://www.facebook.com/pages/tian-an-men-mu-qin-Tiananmen-Mothers/52119319766

TMC website also provides multi media material for public educatione.g. 《八九民主運動教材》(“Education Tool: Ending Impunity” in Eng.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qxOXqqaf30&feature=player_embedded

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.


share on-line resources, as well as multi-media materials provided by other NGOs & individuals which support TMC

《五月的陽光》 (“Sunshine in May” in Eng.) 曲 / 詞：杜雯惠（ Ada TO Man-wai, HK theater actress & singer-songwriter)listen - http://www.alliance.org.hk/infoindex/song/rm/a03.rmlyrics - http://www.alliance.org.hk/infoindex/song/lyrics/a03.html

《沒有煙抽的日子》 (“Days with no Cigarettes to Smoke) 曲：張雨生 Tom CHANG Yu-sheng (Taiwanese singer & composer) / 詞：王丹 Wang Dan, poem written in 1999listen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8v6njZ8M5slyrics - http://www.alliance.org.hk/infoindex/song/lyrics/a51.html

《天安門母親的呼喚》 (Calls from Tianamen Mothers” in Eng.) 曲 / 詞：金佩瑋 Mary Ann Kingwatch - http://tmc-hk.org/articles.php?do=viewart&id=7&cat=6



image: ivy chan


HK is the only city in China that holds a memorial for the victims of 1989 Tiananmen massacre under “One Country Two System” Policy.

the website was designed & maintained by local volunteers, the target audiences are mainly local people and global chinese.

the web-banner design combines the ionic graphic, the Tanks, and old lady in white & holding white flowers

moving tanks = original idea is the picture which a chinese guy standing in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square

old lady = referred to the image of chinese maids （ most of them from Shunde 順德 , Guangdong 廣東） worked for local big families had to dress in white in 20’s - 70’s; but different maids from mainland China, local maids not necessary keeped long pigtail 長辮子 .

Practical / Non-Fancy style of design -> propose of TMC website is providing correct information & demands of Tiananmen Mothers

ECONOMIC JUSTICE

image: ivy chan 2008

RIDE ME LIKE A COWBOY

2008: “Refabricating City: Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism & Architecture,” in Victoria Prison, Central HK Kong and Shenzhen

“The Happiest Hour: Bloomberg Emerging Artist Award Exhibition,” Sino HK Art Gallery

“Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win: Emerging Artistis from the Chinese Diaspora,” Deutschebank Headquarters, NY

“Eric Ayotte & Samson Young,” Red Tin Shack Gallery, NY



Christopher LAU (L) visual, grapher designer & media artist & visual designer

Samson YOUNG (R)composer, sound artist & new media artist



a small video monitor was added to the electric coin-operated riding automats for children of the kind one finds outside supermarkets.

the installation takes HK$, Chinese RMB & US$.

the video & sound will begin to play upon inserting a dollar coin into the installation;

the video is accompanied by joyous tune of Chinese nursery rhyme.

the video shows student protests, drinking & partying in various parts of Beijing immediately preceeding the Tiananmen Square incidence.

images: ivy chan 2008

KIDDIE-RIDER MACHINE - RABBIT

Excerpt from an essay by Eric Shiner, written for an exhibition of the work at the NY headquarters of Deutschebank:

“... The work’s subtitle, The New China, suggests that the artists would like it to be understood as a commentary on the current situation in the PRC. Hiding behind the image the country propagates to the outside world of a land that successfully unites communist ideology & capitalist business lies another reality entirely.”

KIDDIE-RIDER MACHINE - RABBIT

Both Lau & Young was born in late 1970’s in HK and were age 14 & 10 in 1989.

both of them shared the experience of playing electric coin-operated riding automats, made in China, outside local department stores.

the rider machine = retrospect to our childhood memories & the good old days under British colonial governing, comparing the current bad times.

small video monitor = the object referring as new technology for development

Conscience & Re-think about the development of China and Sino-HK relation -> playing the rider machine & watching the video at the same time

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

WHO’S AFRAID OF AI WEI WEI?

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei benefit poster by Chin Tangerine x Invisible Industries, 2011

C. Tangerine, age 22 female student artist, was the 1st H.K. artist using graffiti art to promote the awareness of Ai Weiwei among the island’s populatio, by spray-painting Ai’s image, with the slogan: “Who’s afraid of Ai Weiwei”, onto street pavement & building wall using a stencil.


These actions resulted in HK police serious crime squad conducting a criminal damage investigation against her, thus turning her into an “inadvertent counterculture icon.”

on April 23 2011, about 2,000 people marched through HK streets to support Ai Weiwei many of them carrying placards with images copying tangerine’s graffiti art, with many similar images being spraypainted on building walls, to protest against police heavy handed action.



the message “who’s afraid of Ai Weiwei?” is transformed into different forms & medium.

deviated artworks / design works were created by professional and amateur artists or designers, as well as activists.



source fr http://www.bobos.it/wishlist-free-ai-weiwei_20014.htm

1 “Free Ai Weiwei -- Glasses” by Aram Bartholl

2 “Where is Ai Weiwei” by Kaiyun Cheng

3 “Love The Future” by Andrew Lowe

4 “Free Ai Weiwei -- T-shirt” by e-Types

5 “Free Ai Weiwei -- Bag” by KUNSTHAUS BREGENZ

6 “Free Ai Weiwei -- Poster” by Michael Thompson

7 “Who’s Afraid of Ai Weiwei?” by Frontine | PBS

8 “Free Ai Weiwei -- Initative” by Semi di Liberta

9 “Free Ai Weiwei -- Poster” by Peterson Joseph

http://www.bobos.it/wishlist-free-ai-weiwei_20014.htm

http://www.bobos.it/wishlist-free-ai-weiwei_20014.htm


Ai Wei Wei is Chinese contemporary artist, active in sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, & social, political and cultural criticism.

“Ai Wei Wei” = after Ai Wei Wei rested and “was missing” ( 被失踪 in chinese) again, the name “Ai Wei Wei” acts as an icon of challenging the authority.

Graffiti = 塗鴉 in chinese and refers to writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in public place

Local Graffiti Scene = ppl writing on public place for fun (eg 到此一遊 ), promotion (eg 通渠 ), performance (e.g. young artists display their works), etc.; the famous graffiti writer was “King of Kowloon” and also as a form of contemporary arts and closely related to to sub-cultural, & illegal act as well as.

Individualism & ARTism-> since the incident Queen’s Pier & Anti-XRL, profile of civil society has been changing, including ways & forms of expression, structure of organizations; moreover the identity of “Art Citizens” was created in this case.

DESIGN IN HONG KONG: Design & Activism

Design (Wong, Wendy Siuyi, “Design Identity of Hong Kong: Colonization, de-colonization, and re-colonization”, Department of Design, York University, Toronto, Canada.)

the word of “Design” referring to different professional disciplines such as graphic design, industrial design, fashion design, interior design and so on;

Margolin (2002) interprets that, “as a demonstrative form of problem solving,” which “may provide new and valid compromise solutions”.

Meaning of Design in Chinese & HK context

“have no natural equivalent / directly translatable term in most asian languages” (Rajeshwari Ghose);

“gongyi 工藝“ refers to wider range of ancient handicrafts as well as the semi-machine made handicrafts in modern manufacturing context based on the traditional handicrafts;

“sheji 設計” in chinese (tsit-gai in Cantonese) was believed adapted from Japanese “sekkei,”... “she 設” means strikes, establish, se up,” and “ji 計” means calculate, plan, scheme;

Shanghai style with the duality of “global” & “regional” accents can be considered as the origin of HK’s design identity;

the origin of design identity in HK was following the “East meets Wet” spirit rather than being colonize with any identifiable “stylistic or figurative traditions associated” of british design;

throughout the British colonial history, HK has slowly forged its own unique identity, which is Chinese, but not quite “Chinese” when compared to the “Chinese=ness” of the Mainland and seldom associated as a “subject” of Britain, or of China

Anti-WOT Protests in HK / by ivy chan 2005.12.14

March for Labour Rights - Regulation of Working Hours / by ivy chan 1999.01.01

“ Design activism has emerged in recent years as a term to denote creative practices that invoke social political and

environmental agency. Typically, it distances itself from commercial or mainstream

public policy-driven approaches. Instead, it embraces marginal, non-profit or politically engaged design theories, articulations

and actions.” http://historiadeldisseny.org

“ Wanted: Climate Fugitive / image: ivy chan

2009.0624

Poster designed by students, HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Greativity / image: ivy chan

Badge done by anonymous / image: ivy chan

Ceramics created by Caroline Cheng, founder of

the Pottery Workshop / image: ivy chan

“ Design activism arises anywhere -- from within advocacy groups, businesses, or public agencies. Design activists use

artifacts and design processes to influence change by disrupting the status quo and revealing better visions for society.”

http://designactivism.net




ACTIVISM

consists of intentional efforts to promote, impede or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change (source fr Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activism )

“involves taking action that makes a claim for change on behalf of a wronged, excluded or neglected group” (Charles Tilly, “Contentious Repertoires in Great Britain, 1758-1843,: in Repertories & Cycles of Collective Action, ed. Mark Traugott, Durham: Duke University Press, 1995)

“a moral undertaking because it seeks to put forward a vision for a better society” (Tim Jordan, Activism! Direct Action, Hacktivism and the Future of Society, London: Reaktion Book Ltd, 2002)

could be progressive / regressive, visionary / reformist / reactionary


ACTIVISM in HK

again, no natural equivalent / directly translatable term in Chinese

社會運動 (direct translate in English as “Social Movement”) refers to group action which focus on specific political or social issues & emphasis on the concept of “collective action” for different causes or social change

HK social movements since 1911 Revolution, including..1925 - Canto-HK strike 省港大罷工1940’s - industrial strikes & labour movement 1966 to 1967 - Riots1970’s - student movements on “Protecting Diaoyu Islands Campaign” ( 保衛釣魚台運動 ), “Chinese as Official Language” ( 中文運動 ) 1980’s - “88 Direct Election” (88 直選 ) in 1984, Patriotic Democratic Movement of China in 1989 1990’s - Protest against Public Order Ordinance in 1995, Right of Abode Issues in 1999,since 2000 - Campaign against Legislation of Basic Law Article 23 Campaign ( 反 23 條立法 ) in 2003, Protests against WTO in 2005, Preservation of Star Ferry Pier & Queen’s Pier ( 保衛天星及皇后碼頭 )in 2007 ( 保 ), Opposition to the Guangzhou-HK ExpressRail Link ( 反高鐵運動 ) in 2010....

throughout its history, HK experienced periodic waves of social movement activity which tie with China & also global economic and political development.

the emergence & formation of local identity has been changing during the course of social change


DESIGN ACTIVISM

Design Activism = Design for social change / social impact?

only emerge in political or social campaign?

how about other fields of design like architecture, product & industrial design,

Design & / Art as Activism?

design activism = subject to the agency/actor?

because of the agency/activist is artist or designer?

how about “ARTtivism”? Artivism = Art + Activist?


http://hk.nextmedia.com/64/index.php?fuseaction=Article.View&issueID=20090517&articleID=12767214



http://unhate.benetton.com/a-campaign-to-combat-the-culture-of-hate/

Design Activism is only for non-profit / NGOs? if commercial like

Tees printed message 《您好！請您下來！》（“ Hello! Step Down Please” in Eng.)﹠ 《下來！我們憤怒了！》(Step Down! We are angry!” in Eng.) produced local fashion company Giordano in 1989

Benetton’s UNhate (print ad) Campaign in 2011

HK design identity: any different between commercial Vs non-commercial?

THANK YOU

p.s.: it’s highly appreciated to have your view, mthx again~~

DESIGN IN HONG KONG ： DESIGN & ACTIVISM presented by ivy chan

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