Hong Kong film’s golden era shown in Shanghai photo exhibition
Portraits from the 1950s onwards include Hong Kong actors and actresses, and political and nationalistic themes from the Cultural Revolution
A 1970s Shaw Studio starlet looks out from beneath long eyelashes, with perfectly shaped eyebrows, big hair, a coy smile and wearing a form-fitting qipao – it’s the golden era of Hong Kong film and a period of romantic nostalgia.
“Looking back at the 1960s and ’70s, we can’t help but hold on to those collective memories.This remains the allure and power of the photography. It is no different from how the French would adore those iconic Brigitte Bardot pictures,” says the Hong Kong-born Liu.
Liu and Smith’s choice of six photographers might at first seem random, with each artist bringing something very different to the table. But this wide spectrum is intended “for the Chinese public to learn about Hong Kong.”
“I feel Hong Kong’s photography has had its own development from the colonial days to the present, and the social and economic context for Hong Kong photographers is vastly different from that of the mainland,” says Liu.