Aryan

For the theme “HK People”, I wanted to move over the basic and traditional portraits and take a snapshot of the collective spirits of the residents in Hong Kong. This image was captured at a pop culture exhibition, which has a wall full of neon signs and symbols of Hong Kong’s creativity and resilience. The cool and vibrant colors and the reflection layers summon the city’s liveliness, changing characters. The neon signs, convey its playful messages and fearless colours, shows the dependence and optimization of the people in Hong Kong. Despite times and difficulties, the residents still continue to celebrate their heritage culture in an innovative way. The photo summarizes the visual neon lights, polyglot signage and pop culture of Hong Kong. It honors the tradition of Hong Kong, where the old fashioned signs are given a touch of flashy and mordent neon lights. This photograph is really energetic, lively, colorful and patently local, taking a glance of the creativity sensations which are running through Hong Kong. 

Of all the cityscape pictures that I took, I chose this one because it balances out the renowned scenery and the presence of humans. The broad, mosaic-tiled waterfront captures the attention of the viewers and can recognize instantly that it is the International Finance Center (IFC) tower, which is being set against the murky cityscape. The involvement of people walking everyday or just passing by-grounds the picture in day-to-day life. This photograph conveys the existence of glory and dictum in Hong Kong. The skyscrapers show ambition and progress, on the other hand the public in open space and dispersed pedestrians emphasizes the inclusivity and accessibility of Hong Kong. It reminds people that Hong Kong is not only shaped by its world-class architecture, but also people who settled in these aesthetic spaces. Hong Kong’s attractiveness lies within its contrast: the old and modern, the fast-moving and peaceful. This image expresses the dualism imposing cityscape and it being softened by the leisure peace of the public on the waterfront. This distinctive mosaic walkway, the ferry stops and the palm trees all of this plays an important role to give a sense of place that is clearly Hong Kong.