TAP CHAN

This double-channelled video draws inspiration from the pearls that have long been regarded as a treasure of the sea in Hong Kong. The pearl fishing industry in Hong Kong traces its roots back to A.D.963 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. According to the documented accounts found in the book "South China Sea Chronicles”, there are thirteen locations in Hong Kong known for their abundance of pearl mussels, including Tai Po, Deep Bay, Lung Kwu Tan, Tsing Luo Kok, and Lai Chi Chong. However, the once-thriving pearl industry faced a decline when the quality of seawater deteriorated and pollution became prevalent in the late 1950s.

In an exploration of Hong Kong's pearl history, the video artwork “Lost in Pearls” draws inspiration from the concept of a marble run, where pearls replace marbles, embarking on a unique journey. The videos employ vivid lighting reminiscent of 1980s advertisement aesthetics to depict pearls and their hosts, the oysters or scallops, as an enigmatic element in the city. Towards the end, it portrays the pearls descending into the sewage system, the work highlights the appreciation of the ephemeral beauty and inherent pathos of all things.