It was a big question a decade ago. Will local artists enjoy the same degree of freedom after the handover? Today, a major independent art exhibition featuring 23 veteran and up-and-coming visual artists will open to show that freedom of expression is alive and kicking and to challenge the notion of 'subversion'.
Organised by 1a Space and the Asia Art Archive (AAA), Talkover/Handover - Dialogues on Hong Kong Art 10 Years after 1997 is among a plethora of handover-themed shows, including one at the Artist Commune across the Cattle Depot compound - although this is probably the weightiest.
Jointly curated by Selina Ho Chui-fun and AAA's Law Nga-wing (Wen Yau), participating artists include Kurt Chan Yuk-keung, Ellen Pau, Leung Chi-wo, Stanley Wong Ping-pui, Kwok Mang-ho, Leung Mee-ping, Kith Tsang Tak-ping, Phoebe Man Ching-ying, Anthony Leung Po-shan, So Hing-keung, Kum Chi-keung, Luke Ching Chin-wai, Lam Wai-kit, Jeff Leung Chin-fung and Gum Cheng Yee-man. They have been asked to work in pairs, to complement or challenge each other's work.
'My partner, Tse Yim-on, likes to use the internet to express his ideas,' says Chan. 'While the traditional mass media has a lot of limitations, the alternative media can be very flexible and effective. They're challenging the establishment, like waging a guerilla war.
'I will put a toy gun [in the installation] and create a situation: a surrendered sniper who still shoots. The work is not logical but resembles the situation after the handover. Hong Kong has gone back to China but still fights.'
Ching chooses a more pacifying tool, a fire extinguisher, to illustrate his view: 'I've never fought in my life. I hope the viewers can try to use the fire extinguisher at the venue and experience the action.'
How much these works reflect the historical, social and political significance of the moment is yet to be seen. According to Ho, the main objective of the exhibition is to create a critical dialogue between the artists. 'I know there will be a lot of exhibitions,' says the former manager of 1a Space. 'But I'm confident that there will be quality works in this show because the artists have to go through a process of working with a partner. The theme is about dialogue. Artists active during 1997 were approached; of course, whether it works depends on their chemistry.'