HK Journalists Recognised in Japan

Chan accepting the Japanese award on behalf of HK journalists

A day after the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong suspended its Human rights Press Awards citing the national security law, its sister club in Japan have named Hong Kong journalists as winners of its Freedom of the Press Asia Award.

Freelance journalist Ilgin Yorulmaz, co-chair of The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's press freedom committee, said the award recognised journalists and media organisations who fight for free speech, for the free exchange of information, and against censorship.

The award was accepted by Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Ronson Chan Ron-sing.

He said it was an honour to receive the prize. 

FCC suspended the Human Rights Press Awards

"Hong Kong journalists are kind, passionate and tenacious... although the environment changed, most of us have remained in our position and try our best to find the truth for the Hong Kong community."

Meanwhile another person has abruptly left Hong Kong, a political cartoonist known as Ah To. 

In a social media post, he explained he would face "great mental stress" if he were to continue to produce political cartoons in the city.

On Tuesday he shared a picture of one of his characters in what looked like a backdrop of London and said he left because he "wanted to continue creating for Hong Kong".

Ah To said he thought about changing the theme of his work last year, but felt Hong Kong "needed political cartoons", and said he wanted to "persist" by remotely creating cartoons for his home city.

"I was worried that my future work would not be down to earth... but staying in Hong Kong to produce political cartoon [causes] great mental stress. [I] have no alternative but to leave," he wrote on Facebook, without stating his destination.

Ah To's character in what looks like London

He is known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government, and has produced work on controversial issues like the national security law, the election overhaul, and the 2019 protests.

Last July pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao criticised Ah To for sharing cartoons that "vilified the SAR government" and "incited hatred against the police".

His work was published in Ming Pao Weekly and Yahoo News, but both columns were cancelled in June 2020 just before the implementation of the national security law on June 30 that year.

In Tuesday's post, Ah To said he had made the decision to leave Hong Kong in a hurry and would not have time to bid farewell to his friends. He felt "guilty" about his departure, adding he would "speak up for the voiceless" and hoped Hong Kong's history would not be left with "silence" in the future.

Ah To's take on Carrie Lam

"Thinking about my family members in Hong Kong who I may not see again, my comrades who are in jail or pending trial, the readers who have been supporting me and my wife who was forced to flee with me... I feel very guilty," Ah To said.

"May good-natured people take care and preserve kindness in different ways," he added.

Ah To is not the only artist to leave recently. Manga artist Tony Lu and performance artist Kacey Wong Kwok-choi both left for Taiwan last year, citing the national security law for the reason behind their move.

PS: Here is the link to my new blog: https://goodbyehkhelloyvr.blogspot.com/

M+ Finally but Cautiously Opens

M+ is designed by Herzog & de Meuron, at least HK$760M

A few days ago M+ finally opened on Friday, though with cautious fanfare.

First some impressive stats. The Museum of visual culture is designed like an upside down T, nearly twice the size of the Tate Modern with 17,000 square metres (183,000 sq ft) of space in which to display 1,500 works from its 6,413 pieces. M+ cost at least HK$760 million to build, and several years behind schedule, which resulted in bad timing.

Before M+ opened its doors, the national security law was implemented, coupled with numerous pro-democracy activists thrown in jail, a liberal newspaper shut down, and the city's electoral system completely revamped so that only "patriots" can run. As a result the contemporary art museum is treading on dangerous territory.

Tang said the art must comply with the law

Art is supposed to be an extension of freedom of expression... is it not?

"We will uphold and encourage the freedom of artistic expression and creativity. But on the other hand, our dedicated curatorial team will ensure the exhibitions comply with the law, including the Basic Law, the national security law, and all other laws in Hong Kong. The opening of M+ does not mean artistic expression is above the law. It is not," said West Kowloon Cultural District chairman Henry Tang Ying-yen.

So yes, by all means be expressive with art -- as long as it complies with the law.

Passive aggressive with legal characteristics.

Ai's Whitewash is displayed prominently

In March, pro-Beijing lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan tried to score patriotic brownie points by accusing the M+ collection of spreading "hatred" against China, using the example of Ai Weiwei's photograph of him raising his middle finger at Tiananmen Square.

However, did she realize that Ai also has a series of photographs called Studies of Perspectives, pointing his middle finger at other government buildings and famous landmarks around the world too, including the Eiffel Tower, Hong Kong island, St Mark's Square, the Sydney Opera House, and the White House?

Nevertheless, M+ removed Ai's photograph from its online archive, citing a legal review, though his other work called Whitewash (1995-2000) is on show, featuring 126 ancient jars neatly arranged some painted in white, as if to whitewash history.

Wang's painting refers to Tiananmen Square

And then there is a reference to June 4, 1989 with Wang Xinwei's New Beijing. It's a painting of a photograph reminiscent of a man pushing his bicycle with a makeshift board that should be carrying two bloodied people but instead there is a pair of penguins wounded in the chest.

It's also interesting it has featured the works of local artist Kacey Wong, including photographs and sculpture, including his floating apartment idea as a way to tackle Hong Kong's housing crisis. Wong recently went into self-imposed exile to Taiwan, worried about continuing to live in Hong Kong. He wrote on Twitter how cool it was to be able to see his work in the museum through smartphone technology.

Wong's floating home is on show at M+

Many people I know have already had a preview of M+, posting pictures all over social media so I feel like I've already seen half the museum already. But of course it's not the same as being there and interacting with the art in person which I hope to do soon.

But the hopes that M+ was going to display art that couldn't be in China are dashed. Going forward it's going to be a perilous journey for the museum when it comes to art and politics,
whether it likes it or not.

The Exodus Continues

This is a common and sad scene at the airport these days

This morning there was news of not another arrest, but of more people and groups leaving Hong Kong.

One well known columnist, editor, author and businessman, Steve Vines wrote an email to friends and ex-colleagues that he had left for the UK, as it had become unsafe for him to continue living in the city.

"The white terror sweeping through Hong Kong is far from over and the near-term prospects of things getting better are simply non-existent," he wrote.

Vines revealed he had already arrived in the UK

"Hong Kong is now in a very dark place as the Chinese dictatorship has slashed and burned its way through the tattered remains of the One Country, Two Systems concept."

Last month public broadcaster RTHK axed his show, "The Pulse", and in April he was dropped as a regular contributor to an RTHK morning radio show. Several months ago he also stopped writing regular columns for the South China Morning Post.

Vines left Hong Kong after living here for 35 years with a "heavy heart and a mixture of enormous regret and relief". He was the founding editor and publisher of three newspapers and magazines, including the long ago defunct Eastern Express.

What made Vines leave was apparently a warning he received through a third party from pro-Beijing figures in the city.

"[The person] said quite aggressively... 'you better watch your step, we're coming for you'."

Another well known person is artist Kacey Wong, who revealed on social media that he had settled in Taiwan where he could enjoy "100 percent freedom".

Wong was known for his protest performance art

"When you received this letter, I have already left. Leaving is not easy, staying is also difficult. 

"We have known each other for 51 years, I will not forget you. Let's treasure each other, goodbye Hong Kong," he wrote on Facebook. 

"We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when," he sang a rendition of the song by Vera Lynn that was popular during World War II.

Wong, 51, an architecture graduate from Cornell University, was a fixture at the annual July 1 protests. Along the route he did performance art, like playing the accordion in a cage, a giant menacing cardboard robot, and riding in a giant pink army tank.

He is also known for his art that is social commentary, particularly around the housing wealth gap and thinking of creative (and absurd) ways people have to put a roof over their heads.

Then it's not just individuals leaving, but even a news organization.

Digital news outlet Initium Media published a letter to its readers today explaining it will move its operations to Singapore. 

Digital news outlet said it will move to Singapore

Initium's executive director, Susie Wu said, "the road to freedom" had become more and more difficult over the past six years since the outlet's launch, with the world becoming more divided, and Hong Kong's global press freedom ranking plummeting.

She said the media organization will make use of online and decentralized methods to produce content, and continue to provide in-depth reporting on Greater China and global developments.

"Do not despair in hardships, do not give up exploring and changing, because the heart is free, and the values you and I believe in will not be easily broken," Wu told readers.

The news outlet started in 2015 and provides in-depth news, opinion and lifestyle to 60,000 readers in more than 200 countries and regions.

But now Initium needs to implement its plan B and like people emigrating to other countries, the news organization is following suit...