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Rachel Blundy

The whimsical life of Hong Kong’s shop cats is showcased in a new book by a Dutch photographer after his portraits gathered thousands of fans worldwide on Instagram.
Marcel Heijnen’s book includes scores of portraits of the city’s felines keeping their owners company at work.
The 52-year-old photographer, who lives in Sai Ying Pun, shot to internet fame at the beginning of this year with the series on his Instagram page @Chinesewhiskers, which has amassed more than 12,000 followers.
His project features his furry subjects exploring traditional shops selling Chinese medicine, crafts and furniture, among other things. He took most of the photographs in Sheung Wan, where there is a high concentration of shop cats, but some were captured in Sai Ying Pun, Mong Kok and Tai Po.

This week the series is being exhibited by Blue Lotus Gallery at the pop-up ZZHK gallery in Sheung Wan to promote Heijnen’s book launch.
Heijnen hails from The Hague but returned to Hong Kong in December last year after an 18-year hiatus. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, he said he enjoyed how his images reflected the city’s range of local culture and expressed concern that gentrification was leading to the closure of some traditional small businesses.
“I like it when neighbourhoods keep a balance,” he said. “Change is inevitable. Some of these shops are thriving businesses so they are still here. But some of them are being forced to close when a big developer comes in.

“[My project] is about the cats, but it kind of isn’t at the same time. It’s just as much about the context; these chaotic yet organically organised traditional Chinese shops that form beautiful photogenic subjects in their own right.”
Hong Kong Shop Cats, which is now available in local bookstores and online for HK$250, also features an introduction and cat stories by Catharine Nicol, haiku poems by Ian Row and calligraphy by old master Taiyuan Sensan.


Heijnen’s favourite cat, Dau Ding (which translates as “Little Bean”), features on the book’s front cover and has become one of his most popular portraits on Instagram. The tabby lives in a Chinese medicine shop with his owner near Heijnen’s home.
Heijnen said he remained fascinated by the behaviour of cats. “I love cats because they have a mind of their own,” he said. “I find them to have more their own character than dogs. There is an other worldliness to them. Some people have this theory that they are invaders from another planet. They are often the hosts of these stores.”

Heijnen, who has previously focused on creating textural cityscapes for his photo series, said he planned to put together a book next year of Hong Kong’s market cats, while continuing to update his current Instagram page.
He said he was glad that Hong Kong allowed cats to roam the aisles of small businesses, adding that he had found business owners to be very amenable.
“Shop owners are very friendly when they realise I’m photographing their cat and not them,” he said. “They are very proud and amused. [The cats] are very ‘zen’ and calm, as they are used to people coming in and out and moving boxed around.”
Sarah Greene, founder of Blue Lotus Gallery, said the exhibition fitted well with her gallery’s focus on Hong Kong identity.
“The book is a celebration of old traditional trades,” she said. “The shops are so fascinating and interesting, and so much a part of Hong Kong culture. Unfortunately some of these shops are disappearing because of gentrification. But they are part of Hong Kong’s identity”.
The Hong Kong Shop Cats exhibition runs at ZZHK, 3 Wa Lane, Sheung Wan, until December 18.


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City Weekend

Hong Kong’s shop cats immortalised in new photography book from Sai Ying Pun photographer Marcel Heijnen

Hong Kong shop cat photographer Marcel Heijnen and one of his subjects.

Marcel Heijnen Hong Kong shop cats, market cats and alley cats.

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Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen won thousands of fans on Instagram for his feline portraits and then published a book containing the pictures


Hong Kong’s shop cats immortalised in new photography book from Sai Ying Pun photographer Marcel Heijnen

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen won thousands of fans on Instagram for his feline portraits and then published a book containing the pictures

Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen won thousands of fans on Instagram for his feline portraits and then published a book containing the pictures