Billy H.C. Kwok
From Transit to New Lives
2014 - 2016
Hong Kong
From Transit to New Lives unfolds the social landscapes of refugees' mobility and relationships during their transit period in Hong Kong to their final destination, as an ongoing inquiry into the contradictions within one of the most developed metropolitan cities in the world.
Every year, thousands of asylum seekers escape their countries in the hope of receiving state support as refugees. Fleeing from their homelands, some transit through the glittering metropolitan city - Hong Kong, to reach their final destinations, such as the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. As a check point, however, as Hong Kong has no domestic legislation to grant refugees temporary or permanent status nor to resettle them. Most of the people strive to establish new lives in a transitory locale, end up stranded in Hong Kong for years on end, and some of them are still waiting to move to begin their new lives. Their mobility is challenged by their stranded condition, but remains active, however restricted.
“Last June, there was a legend here. Someone working in Tsim Sha Tsui told his friend, and his friend told his friend's friend: American - if the United States still recognizes him - Snowden appeared in Chungking Mansions and bought a phone card.
They paid attention to him because he held the secrets of the world's most powerful country, and more importantly, because they shared the same identity with him: refugees.”
Southern People Weekly
Southern People Weekly
Related:
In The Press:
Southern People Weekly
南方人物周刊
Last June, there was a legend here. Someone working in Tsim Sha Tsui told his friend, and his friend told his friend's friend: American - if the United States still recognizes him - Snowden appeared in Chungking Mansions and bought a phone card. They paid attention to him because he held the secrets of the world's most powerful country, and more importantly, because they shared the same identity with him: refugees.
Exhibition & Award:
MOBILITY,
WMA Masters Exhibition,
@Comix Home Base,
Hong Kong
From 14 April to 6 May, the WYNG Media Award (WMA) Masters will be featuring the photographic works of finalists that highlight the issue of “Mobility” in Hong Kong at the Comix Home Base on 3/F and 4/F. The artists exhibiting include Weilun CHONG, Billy H.C. KWOK, LAM Yik Fei, LEE Wing Ki, Wei Leng TAY and Kurt TONG. The winning series will be announced at the opening of the exhibition.
In The Press:
Rhythms Monthly,
issue #219
經典雜誌
【Global Observation】International Refugee Situation in Hong Kong: A man from Pakistan, trapped in a small room in Hong Kong, a city that does not belong to them, asylum seekers wait for a chance to reach the promised land.
In The Press:
Metro Daily Hong Kong
香港都市日報
Billy chose a special entry point to interpret the theme of "Mobility": the refugee issue in Hong Kong. In his eyes, refugees are “mobile” people in multiple senses: physically, they move between different countries; in terms of identity, they go from holding passports of their original countries to being issued “walking papers” in Hong Kong; and finally, if they are accepted by a third country, they hold the passport of that country. They also moved around the city during their time in Hong Kong, but at the same time they felt stuck.