In the hustle and bustle of city life, do you ever take a few moments to slow down and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings? Visual artist Raymond Yau Wai-man leads you to do just that in his labyrinthine exhibition of miniature snapshots which aim to arouse our long lost fascination with our surroundings. The exhibition titled Vxs - which stands for 'view', 'extra', 'small' - suggests seeing things in close-up, says Yau, 37, a graduate of graphic design at the School of Visual Arts, New York, and currently a lecturer at the Hong Kong Chingying Institute of Visual Arts. More than 100 one-centimetre-squared photos taken by Yau are featured in this exhibition. In order to see these images clearly, viewers have to peer through magnifying glasses, microscopes and binoculars hanging randomly around the gallery. 'We're bombarded with information every day. But we seldom pay attention to the details of things and people around us,' Yau said. 'Even when people go to exhibitions, they don't have the time or patience to appreciate the subtle beauty of each art piece. Sometimes it's good to sit back and look at the tiny little things around us. You may find unexpected fun and joy.' 'Magnifying glasses and microscopes are mainly used in laboratories for functional purposes. They are rarely used in an art context,' he said. 'Also, not many people have used a microscope before. This can be a brand new experience for them.' In one of his works, more than 50 black-and-white and coloured snapshots are put in a transparent box. Viewers use a stick to move the images around in order to see each image. The box is a tangible collection of a decade's worth of memories as it contains photos Yau has taken over the last 10 years. Proving that the exhibition is not only a photographic display but a playful, multi-media experience, a video work in the gallery's basement shows moving images of Yau's friends as well as strangers. Children romp in playgrounds and passengers while away the minutes on buses. But viewers can only see parts of the people's bodies - a forearm, for example - from a distance through a pair of binoculars. 'Most people want to see the whole picture. But I think showing the viewers only part of the objects stimulates their imagination and curiosity,' he explained. 'At first glimpse, the exhibition is an installation show. But when you look closer, you can find wonder in each tiny photo. Viewers can only complete the whole experience through manipulating tools. It's like having fun in a playground where viewers have something to touch, to see and to experience,' said Yau. The exhibition takes place at Agnes b Librairie Galerie (22 Elgin Street, Central) until Friday. Free admission from noon to 8.30pm. The gallery is closed on Mondays. For more information call 2869 5505.
