Before the rise of tourism, foreigners can only know about Hong Kong by relying on printed materials such as postcards, slides, photos, and travel guides, and we can also understand Hong Kong in the past through the eyes of Westerners. Based on my interest in shooting with a film camera, I have studied the slides. I found many locations that have been eliminated due to urban development from them, which have no relevant information recorded on the Internet.

“Black Box” is a set of works that record the present. The work consists of a box of slides and a slide viewer. I have experienced the social movement in 2019. I feel very powerless and no ability to leave any marks. The city has been changed day by day. Layers of wire net were built on the walkway, and street protest graffiti was erased. I don’t know how long this kind of life will last and how much continuous change will be. Friends around me are thinking about emigrating one after another, making me think about what I will bring if I really need to leave Hong Kong.

Photographs capture the present moment, which carries memories. I deliberately chose to use expired positive film for shooting. The matter of expiration is like questioning the permanence of things. The use of this kind of film has a relatively expensive, and make me cherish each film particularly. Secondly, due to the expiration of the films, it contains a sci-fi and hazy feeling, I still feel that everything around me is changing too fast and unreal.

Even if the city changes comprehensively one day, we can still recollect the memory through slides. Even if I leave this city one day, I can still recall the memory through the slides.