Difficulty: Challenger (Level 3)
When he was growing up in Tai Kok Tsui, Hongkonger Mike Tso often stared out his classroom window. He enjoyed looking at a waterfront that would later change completely.
His other memories of the neighbourhood include spending time at Fu Tor Loy Shopping Centre after school and going bowling.
The 36-year-old is not alone in having cherished memories of the area.
One figure well remembered in Tai Kok Tsui is Da Yi, a stray dog who could often be found roaming around a funeral parlour. The dog was also known for unwrapping a block of butter on its own.
Now, these memories live in art created by Chan Po-fung, also 36, in a new exhibition called “Move on to TKT”.
Part of a museum series organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the exhibition features 10 art pieces that reimagine old objects.
“It’s not just about watching a community age and change – we can also appreciate these things as they grow old,” Chan said.
Strength on display
Tai Kok Tsui started as a fishing port and then became an industrial area and later a transport hub. As the city evolves, the exhibition asks residents to consider how they can accept change and find new possibilities.
Long-time residents and well-known shops in the area inspire Chan’s artworks.
One of those residents is Chiu Man-ho, also known as “Ho Gor”. He has been running Heng Fat Mechanical Engineering for more than 40 years.
Several hardware shops in Tai Kok Tsui have closed over the years because many factories have moved to mainland China.
But Chiu’s shop has survived. He said the creation of new city towns helped bring people to his store.
Chan decided to create a piece of art to explain Chiu’s story.
The artist combined one of Chan’s old tools with a modern one to show the changes over time and the resilience needed to adapt.
Da Yi lives on
Chan was very interested in Da Yi, the stray dog loved by locals and cared for by funeral worker Luk Wai-ming.
Saying goodbye is part of Luk’s daily work. He regularly sees people losing family members and friends.
But Chan said that when Da Yi died in 2021, the funeral worker felt a different type of emotion because he never said goodbye.
“Being able to say a proper goodbye to someone we love is not something we should take for granted,” Chan said.
To show this, the artist created a metal artwork of Da Yi in a traditional paper offering style. It was also wrapped in the dog’s favourite butter packaging.
The exhibition runs until December 31 at One Bedford Place in Tai Kok Tsui. Entry is free for the public.
Use the puzzle below to test your knowledge of the vocabulary words in the story.
Suggested answers
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How does “Move on to TKT” honour Tai Kok Tsui? The art exhibition aims to preserve the memories of this neighbourhood, which has seen many changes over the last several decades. It is meant to show appreciation for the way these symbolic areas grow old for the residents.
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How does Chan celebrate resident Chiu Man-ho through his art? Chiu has been in charge of an engineering shop for four decades, managing to sustain it while other similar hardware shops have closed. Chan used old tools together with modern tools to represent change, resilience and adaptation.
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How does the dog Da Yi live on after his death? Chan immortalised the locally famous stray dog Da Yi with his artwork, where he made a metal piece to represent the dog, wrapped in Da Yi’s favourite butter packaging.
