HKSAR: 10 Years On 特區十年

HKSAR: 10 Years On
2007 / Total: 14 pieces/ Exhibition: “HKSAR: 10 Years On”, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club Hong Kong, 2007 / Catalogue: HKSAR: 10 Years On, 2007

In 2007, during Hong Kong’s handover anniversary, Fong So launched an art exhibition at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong. The exhibition, “HKSAR: 10 Years On”, was an imagery summary of the decade from 1997 to 2007 by a journalist-turned artist. It was also an art exhibition different and totally unrelated to any official event of the handover anniversary.

[10 years after the 2007 exhibition, an online exhibition was launched in 2017 during the handover anniversary of Hong Kong. See HKSAR: 20 Years On in Portfolio.]

特區十年
2007 / 作品: 14 張 / 展覽:「特區十年」, 香港外國記者會, 2007 / 目錄: 《特區十年》, 2007

在2007年香港移交十年之際，方蘇在香港的外國記者會舉辦了一個獨特的畫展，名為「特區十年」。他曾經從事新聞工作多年，因而以特殊的觸角，用圖像撮錄了1997至2007那十年的事態。那次展覽與任何官方慶祝回歸的活動毫無關連，内容也完全不同。

[十年後，香港移交廿年之際，方蘇只辦了網上展覽，見作品集之特區廿年。]

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“By virtue of his choice of objects of socio-political concerns and realistic style, Fong So may be the only painter attempting a gaze on, and engaging in the imaging of the messy phenomenon unique of Hong Kong.”
— Hung Ching Tin, architect of Hongkongology (Catalogue essay “A Gaze on Hong Kong’s Messy Phenomenon”, 2007)

「這次『特區十年』的系列，他較多集體群像，但都是社會、政治和人文關懷，充滿香港的泥土氣息，直通香港一百五十年的文化意識、知識和意義、精神和靈魂。」
— 洪清田‧「香港學」建構者 (目錄專文《香港人文城市的泥土氣息》‧ 2007)

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“The reason why I had to work on such a project is simple: I have something to say. … As the core work of this project started with the arrival of the Year of the Pig [2007], the piece showing a pig inside a cage is the first one I did for the whole series. The Chinese have been using a 60-year cycle of chronology, denoted by the 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches, for thousands of years. However, what the world is more familiar with about Chinese chronology is the use of 12 animals for the rotating 12-year cycle…” (Catalogue notes by Fong So)

「若是問我為何要畫這個系列，答案非常簡單：我有話要說。……因為這個系列在進入豬年時動手，幾乎開筆的第一張就是畫籠裏豬。中國人幾千年來一直用天干地支紀年，六十年一個甲子。但時至今日，較為世人熟知的中國紀年方式是十二生肖的周期排列。…… (方蘇 ‧ 畫冊札記)

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Cover image
2007, Year of the Pig  2007 豬年
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 69 x 69 cm
According to the old folk, pigs were often sold in this way in the old days.
聽老一輩的人說，過去賣豬，經常會用豬籠。

Project gallery 
1. Caged Act 籠中戲
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 69 x 138 cm
The bird cage in this painting is imaginary, but, for those who know the mechanism of how the Chief Executive is selected, it is not unreal.
鳥籠是個意象但只要知道行政長官產生的機制，就會明白這個鳥籠是有來歷的了。

2. Now What? 哪裏去了？
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 126 x 96 cm
When spring returned, the ferry pier and its clock tower had already gone. The flowers are arranged to form a big question mark.
待到春來洋紫荊開花時，已是「鐘樓不知何處去，繁花依舊笑春風」。在這張畫中，洋紫荊排列成一個大問號。

3. “A Job” 「有份工」
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 69 x 69 cm
In 2007, Donald Tsang campaigned to stay on (as the Chief Executive). His campaign slogan was “I will get the job done”.
2007年，曾蔭權爭取再做五年，他的競選口號是「我會做好呢份工」。

4. As Usual 照跑
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 155 x 84 cm
Under the guiding policy of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong was allowed to have “dancing as usual” and “horse-racing as usual”.
在「一國兩制」的方針政策下，香港可以實行「馬照跑，舞照跳」。

5. An Eight-year Melodrama 八年活劇
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 69 x 138 cm
Nearly all images in this “two-roll scroll” can be traced to news photos during the eight years from 1997 to 2003 (from the first CE, Tung Chee Hwa, to the second, Donald Tsang).
這幅八格横卷是從1997 到2003（亦即由董建華至曾蔭權）的情節。這張畫裏面的圖像幾乎全部都有新聞照片可以引證。

6. “You…” 「就是你…」
2007, ink and colour on paper 水墨設色紙本, 69 x 69 cm
Tung Chee Hwa was selected as the first Chief Executive before the 1997 Handover. He was given a second term in 2002, but ended up resigning abruptly in less than three years.
董建華在九七移交前成為第一任特首。他在2002年取得連任，但不到三年就得倉皇引退。