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In The Name of Victoria
LEUNG Chi Wo
5/22/2009 - 6/7/2009
Chinese Contemporary Xchange
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, May 23, 2009 - 2-6 pm |
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In The Name of Victoria, a photography and video exhibition by Leung Chi Wo, is part of a project the artist initiated more than twelve years ago. The project revolving around the name Victoria started in 1997, the year the British Colony of Hong Kong was returned to China.
Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842 at the defeat of the First Opium War. It became one of the British colonies under the long and remarkable rule of Queen Victoria, who was then in her early twenties.
Leung described the several projects on Victoria: "In 1997, a small box with a postcard of Victoria Harbour was made in form and concept of a pinhole camera as my contribution to the collaborative project Transaction which was exhibited in both Melbourne and Hong Kong. Its title is From Victoria to Victoria.
Peak of Victoria, a photo sculpture featuring images of the shopping mall at Peak Victoria inside a cracked pyramid, was produced when Hong Kong had just been handed over to the People’s Republic of China, farewell to a colony founded in the time of Queen Victoria.
Ten years later, a new video work titled My name is Victoria has been freshly made to continue the contemplation of this royal name, however in a mix of personal sentiments. Messages from over 40 women named Victoria telling the story about their name, are compiled as a monologue voiced over the mundane scenes shot at my journey walking along Victoria Road from Kennedy Town, the border of Victoria, capital of this former crown colony to Aberdeen where the British landed for the first time."
In-between these works, Leung got a chance to visit the decommissioned Victoria Prison in 2006 and made a series of large format photographs of the empty old goal. He called that series Prison of Victoria.
In The Name of Victoria is part of CONTACT, 2009. Curated by LEE Ka-sing and presented by Chinese Contemporary Xchange. An artist reception will be held on Saturday, May 23, from 2 to 6 pm.
Video: 20 min. 49 sec., 2008
About the artist:
LEUNG Chi Wo is a Hong Kong (China) based photo and installation artist. He was trained in Italy in the early nineties and obtained his MFA at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1997. His photographs are exhibited widely in Hong Kong and overseas. He won the First Prize and the award for 'Most Promising Artist' (Sculpture, Modern Art) from the Philippe Charriol Foundation in 1995 and Urban Council Fine Arts Award in 1996. He was also the recipient of an Asian Cultural Council Fellowship in 1997. In 2001, he represented Hong Kong for its first pavillion in Venice Biennale. His recent exhibitions include Busan Biennale, Korea(2006), "Reversing Horizons" in Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai(2007), "Lights Out" in Museu da Imagem e do Som, São Paulo(2008) and Guangzhou Triennial, China(2008) |
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Chinese Contemporary Xchange
50 Gladstone Avenue,
Toronto, M6J 3K6 Ontario
Gallery Hours: 1-6 pm (Wednesday to Sunday)
416.535.6957
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