Hong Kong Stories: Connected with Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s night view is world renowned. For some, the night view they love is the glamourous and dazzling scenes of the ciyt’s bustle and hustle; for others, the atmosphere they yearn for is the unique, tranquil and elegant vibe of streets and lanes. Andrea Björsell, a Korean photographer from Sweden, who has lived in Hong Kong for seven years, is captivated by the images of Hong Kong –fascinating yet unobtrusive and often overlooked snapshots in our daily lives.
In the early days of the COVID outbreak, when everyone was idle at home and worried, Andrea took her camera and walked alone on the streets of Central and Sheung Wan late at night. Wandering around and relaxing, she took pictures which capture the essence of Hong Kong's character. A young lady’s waiting at a laundromat as a getaway, an office worker passing by calmly on a rainy and foggy night, a woman alone under a brilliant neon sign … are all the most charming Hong Kong in Andrea's eyes.
At the start, Andrea just wanted to express her depressed mood through roaming photography. Later on, she realized that with the daily photo, she had unknowingly documented the ups and downs of her moods, as well as the changes of the city. She then decided to kick-off a 100-day project "100 Days" , and was introduced to a local artist, Sin Sin-man. Sin curated Andrea’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong and brought her work to a wider audience.
The images from the "100 Days" were made into a book, with Andrea’s mood notes. Now, let’s read her love letter to the city…