Rituals of Chinese legend the Seven Fairies examined in Hong Kong arts workshop
South Korean artist Mooni Perry, who studies female-focused rituals, is holding the workshop at Chat in Tsuen Wan on September 21
South Korean artist Mooni Perry is fascinated by the rites and rituals surrounding Asian folklore festivals, especially when they have a strong female focus.
Her passion for the subject lured her to Hong Kong where, for the past three months, she has been artist in residence at the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat), a non-profit in Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan district.
Perry’s research explores the cultural significance of female communities and rituals in Hong Kong and nearby regions, with one popular Chinese legend – the story of the Seven Fairies, the seven celestial daughters of the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother of the West – fuelling much of her work.
What she discovered is that the beliefs surrounding this ancient tale – it has been around for more than 2,000 years – vary from region to region.
“It can be quite confusing,” says Perry, who is based between Berlin and her native Seoul. “In the end, you feel like they are different stories.”
Understanding the original story is important, she adds.
