šŸ“”Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#Film #Censorship
No hope for pro-democracy films to be shown in Hong Kong: disappointing filmmaker claims

The Hong Kong government promulgated in June 2021 an amendment to the inspector's guideline of Film censorship regulations.

On the same day, the Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (#OFNAA) declined approval for a short film, titled ā€œFar From Homeā€ which took anti-ELAB movement as background. The short film was intended to join the 15th Fresh Wave International Short Firm contest.

The filmā€™s director Mok Kwan-ling told stand News on August 25, 2021 that in OFNAAā€™s response to her on August 17, the office requested as many as 14 counts of amendments. She described such request as excessive to the extent of going in contrary to the original intention of the film.

Without viable alternative,Mok decided to withdraw her film, saying that ā€œit is not hopeful for it to be screened in Hong Kongā€.

Source: Stand News; #Aug25

https://thestandnews.page.link/HoSrgvdNJQsz6FdJ6

#FailedState #Art #Screening #PolicalSuppression #FarFromHome #MokKwanLing
#Remembrance
ā€œI wonā€™t suicideā€
#exhibition organised to showcase #WhiteTerror and #PoliceBrutality

"I cherish my life and love Hong Kong. I do not suffer any physical or mental illness, and I have no intention of suicide or self-harm..."

During the anti-extradition law amendment bill (Anti-ELAB) movement in Hong Kong in 2019, mysterious ā€œbody foundā€ incidents had aroused tremendous public attention.

Many young pro-democracy protesters openly put down their ā€œI wonā€™t suicideā€ declaration on social media in order to avoid becoming the next victim of suspected police brutality.

Recently, Hongkongers abroad called people to screen cap of these declaration for an exhibition from 10 to 19 September, 2021 in Manchester.

Documentaries of this pro-democracy movement will also be shown at the exhibition so that visitors can come to learn all the truth and facts.

Artists, including Wong Kwok-choi(é»ƒåœ‹ę‰), Chu Yiu-wai(ęœ±č€€ē…’), Cheung Ka-lei (å¼µå˜‰čŽ‰), Black Blog, Rice and Beans were invited to the exhibition.

The oganiser of the exhibition asked protesters to screen cap their declation, remove any sensitive information before sending their submission.

Source: Stand News; #Aug24

https://www.thestandnews.com/international/%E5%BE%B5%E9%9B%86%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E6%8A%97%E7%88%AD%E8%80%85-%E4%B8%8D%E8%87%AA%E6%AE%BA%E8%81%B2%E6%98%8E-%E4%B8%8B%E6%9C%88%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E6%9B%BC%E5%9F%8E%E5%B1%95%E5%87%BA

#Art #Culture
Mid Autumn Festival 2021: May we share the same moon, no matter where we are

September 21, 2021 marks this year's mid-autumn festival, a day that symbolizes reunion.

For many Hongkongers, it proves to be difficult in the context of 2021.

"Though a thousand miles apart,
May we share in this beautiful sight,
Under the waning moon we wait,
Until she shines again, so full and bright"

===

Wishing our readers peace on this Mid Autumn festival, from all of us at #BeWater HK.

===

Source: Ah To #Sept21

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=417583549736343&id=100044541035098

#Art #LionRock #MoonFestival
#MidAutumnFestival
#GlobalSolidarity
Czech TerezĆ­n Memorial Exhibits Portraits of Hong Kong #PoliticalPrisoners

A painting installation by Hong Kong artist #LorettaLau depicting some Hong Kong political prisoners will open on 7 October 2021 in TerezĆ­n Memorial, a former #NAZI concentration camp in the #CzechRepublic.

Lau was invited to take part in Fortress 1980 exhibition and human rights conference. Titled ā€˜The Cellsā€™, the paintings are installed in solitary confinement cells, a stark reminder of ā€˜the nature of the dictators has never changed,ā€™ said Lau.

'The Cells' features 13 political prisoners under the Hong Kong National Security Law, including Jimmy Lai Chi-ying, Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, Tony Chung Hon-lam, Agnes Chow Ting, and more.

A faint portrait of each prisoner is painted on a piece of white door curtain installed at the entrance to a solitary confinement cell.

To have a clear view of the portraits, visitors must walk into the cells. Looking from inside out, the images will be lit up by the light outside.

The design aims to arouse the visitorā€™s empathy with those imprisoned. ā€˜I hope by having them walking into the cells, they will have a direct and personal experience of how being confined feels like,ā€™ said Loretta.

*Note: The artist Loretta Lauwill stage a live performance at TerezĆ­n Memorial at 5pm Thursday Oct 7 (HKT 2300). She will use her movements and voices to commemorate the countless people who suffered in the concentration camps, to resonate between the tragedies in the past and the happening misfortunes.

The performance will be streamed live at: https://youtu.be/IZ6b-KPctOk

Source: Stand News #Oct1

https://www.thestandnews.com/art/%E6%8D%B7%E5%85%8B%E7%B4%8D%E7%B2%B9%E9%9B%86%E4%B8%AD%E7%87%9F%E7%B4%80%E5%BF%B5%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%95%E8%A6%BD-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E8%97%9D%E8%A1%93%E5%AE%B6%E7%8D%B2%E9%82%80%E5%8F%83%E8%88%87-%E5%B1%95%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%8B%E5%AE%89%E6%B3%95%E8%A2%AB%E6%8D%95%E8%80%85%E8%82%96%E5%83%8F

#Art #Culture #Installation #Exhibition #TheCell #ProtestArt #ConcentrationCamp
#NeverForget #Art
HK Lennon Walls recreated through frames of photographs

#LennonWalls #IPA #AddOil

Source: Stand News; #Oct15
https://thestandnews.page.link/A4CdKHKFbhDDSzZL8

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#NeverForget #Art
HK Lennon Walls recreated through frames of photographs

During the pro-democracy anti-Extradition Bill Movement in Hong Kong in 2019, HKers in many districts spontaneously built #LennonWalls to voice their democratic wishes.

Two years have gone by, the Lennon Walls have been destroyed and washed away.

A Hong Kong photographer, Harvey, recreated the Lennon Wall by collating frames of panoramic photographs.

Harvey called it ā€œAssemblyā€. His work won a third place in a "Professional Event, Social Cause" of the #IPA International Photography Awards this year.

The 27-year-old photographer Harvey told the press that he was happy to win the prize.

Humbly, he said the works belong to Hong Kong people. He added, "these two years have been tough for Hongkongers". He is hoping that people still remember the cause of the movement, and still remember to support each other and #AddOil.ā€

View Harvey's Lennon Wall artwork: https://bit.ly/3aH7fI6

Source: Stand News; #Oct15
https://thestandnews.page.link/A4CdKHKFbhDDSzZL8
#Censorship #PoliticalSuppression
"Barbarious", "Mafia Tactic":
#PillarofShame Creator Shocked as the University of Hong Kong Demands Removal

Part 1/2

On October 7, 2021, the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) called for the removal of a statue commemorating the pro-democracy protesters killed during the 1989 Tiananmen massacre in Beijing, with a 6-day deadline.

The "Pillar of Shame" had been placed on long-term display inside the HKU campus since 1998 with support from the HKU Student Union.

Representing the university, US law firm Mayer Brown issued a letter demanding the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance (#HKASPDMC) ā€“ the organiser of Hong Kongā€™s annual Tiananmen vigil ā€“ to ā€œimmediately ā€¦ make arrangements for the sculpture (the 8-meter-tall Pillar of Shame) to be removed from the universityā€™s premisesā€.

ā€œIf you fail to remove the sculpture ā€¦ it will be deemed abandoned,ā€ the letter said, ā€œif the Alliance fails to take it away, and the university will deal with the sculpture at such time and in such manner as it thinks fit without further notice.ā€

Danish artist #JensGalschiot, the statue's creator, was shocked at the demand, calling it ā€œbarbarousā€ and a ā€œmafiaā€ tactic. He told reporters that he remains the owner of the sculpture, and he has hired a lawyer to protect his property, which was only on loan to the Alliance.

ā€œI hope that my ownership of the sculpture will be respected and that I will be able to transport the sculpture out of Hong Kong under orderly conditions and without it having suffered from any damage,ā€ he said, adding that any damage would be the universityā€™s responsibility.

Galschiot described the act as an attempt to erase China's collective historical memory. In a statement, he wrote in contempt, ā€œChina has made the Pillar of Shame ever taller and bigger in the eyes of the world.ā€

Read Part 2:
Law Firm Refuses to Represent Hong Kong's Top University
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31306

#TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Art #CollectiveMemory

Sources: Stand News; InMediaHK; #Oct18

https://thestandnews.page.link/cWZQyyVUAc2Z255J7

https://thestandnews.page.link/ExESJ1tzktLMiEoR6

https://bit.ly/3vq26O4
#Art #Freedom
Italian city defies China bid to scrap dissident's art show

Source: Stand News, #Oct23

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#Art #Freedom
Italian city defies China bid to scrap dissident's art show

An Italian city is going ahead with plans to host an art exhibition by a Chinese dissident despite a request from China's embassy to cancel it.

The show, called "China is (not) near," is due to run from November 13 to February 13, 2021 in the northern Italian city of Brescia.

The exhibition by #Badiucao, a cartoonist also known as "The Chinese Banksy", is expected to denounce Chinese political repression and censorship of information on the COVID pandemic.

Brescia Mayor #EmilioDelBono told local press that his office would not comply with a request from the Chinese embassy in Italy to scrap it.

He said the friendship between the Italian and Chinese people "is not in question", but "I think it is important to show that you can stay friends while criticising some things".

The deputy mayor, #LauraCastelletti, earlier tweeted that "For us art and freedom of expression are an essential combination".

#Italy #FreedomOfExpression

Source: Stand News, #Oct23 https://thestandnews.page.link/PHgLpzQ5HDsT9fKR8
US Law Firm Withdraws from Representing the University of Hong Kong Amid Outcry from Civic Groups and US Politicians

On behalf of the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the law firm #MayerBrown issued a letter to Danish artist #JensGalschiot, demanding the removal of his famous sculpture #PillarofShame, which has beena symbol commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre and on display on campus since 2003, within six days.

The action prompted an outcry from pro-democracy and human rights groups, who expressed dismay that a US law firm was helping the Chinese regime to suppress the commemoration of the massacre.

28 civil society groups signed an open letter calling for Mayer Brown to withdraw from representing the university, citing the importance of safeguarding the firmā€™s ā€œintegrity in defending the right of freedom of expressionā€.

US Republican senators including Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham also condemned the firm.

Mayer Brown initially defended its representation of the university, saying the dispute was simply a real estate matter. But on October 15, 2021, the firm backed down, saying, "going forward, Mayer Brown will not be representing its longtime client in this matter.ā€

Following Mayer Brown's withdrawal, former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying took to Facebook to denounce the firm as having been "infiltrated by foreign powers" and calling on all "Chinese" clients to withdraw their business.

The sculpture was still in the university campus as the deadline for its removal passed.

The debate over removal of the Pillar of Shame from #HKU was brought to a legislative meeting on October 18, 2021, when pro-Beijing legislator Luk Chung-hung, a representative from the pro-CCP Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, took it in a verbal inquiry.

Luk referred the sculpture as ā€œtrashā€ three times, calling it a "totem of anti-CCP sentiments" that has confused and poisoned youngsters in Hong Kong. He called for local police to assist the university in handling the case.

#TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Art #CollectiveMemory

Sources: Stand News; InmediaHK; #Oct18

https://thestandnews.page.link/cWZQyyVUAc2Z255J7

https://thestandnews.page.link/ExESJ1tzktLMiEoR6

https://bit.ly/3vq26O4