Half-Step House by Lam Tung Pang
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2021, Commission Project for Hong Kong House
Exhibition Period: 22 July - 13 October 2021
Presented by the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department
“It’s about the convergence of the two ‘halves’. You come into contact with an unfamiliar culture and reflect on your own culture… this is the most interesting thing about having cultural exchange: you feel some sort of resonance, but you don’t fully understand what it is. It only gets clearer with your imagination and active searching.” -- Lam Tung Pang, Hong Kong, 2021
Unable to visit the Hong Kong House in person due to COVID-19, Lam Tung Pang relies on literary works, personal interviews, online information and other secondary sources to understand the Tsunan town, where the Hong Kong House is located. Lam took a bold step to give the space a facelift with two different approaches. One half of the House now features text, music, graphics, moving images and other elements, arranged to conjure up an indoor landscape. In contrast, the neighboring half is left completely empty — an intentional void with which Lam actively invites viewer’s imagination to complete the full picture.
In Lam’s opinion, the most captivating thing about having cultural exchange is the uncanniness arising from having a resonance which is not immediately clear to understand. It is only through imagination and active searching that we find what we look for.
Virtual tour of Lam Tung Pang's "Half-Step House" --
https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/APO/HKH2021/VR/
Artist interview --
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvopwSdf9l4
Behind the scene at the artist studio, by the HKU Art History students:
https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/construction-of-the-half-step-house-the-artist-at-work/
Learn more --
https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/en/art/artwork/1-2-step-house/
https://www.pmq.org.hk/leisureculture/hong-kong-house-lam-tung-pang/
Image credit --
Echigo-Tsumari Art Field Official Website
Hong Kong University Art History Department Website
