Non-places: A look back at Eastern Corridor
非人化地域 · 回望東區走廊
2024
Handmade photo zine 手造攝影小誌
It was in 2010 when I did a series of works about the Victoria harborfront in Hong Kong that I found this particular section of the space in the area of Quarry Bay underneath the Eastern Corridor—an
elevated expressway.
My original intention was to negotiate that space of the non-place under the expressway—which was never created for people’s use, with railings installed to ban access.
Yet people found their ways to it and had their ways of negotiation—recreational fishing, taking smoke breaks, or just having me time.
This year, I would like to revisit this space by creating a small handmade photo book to present some of the photos that I took onsite but never showed.
But why a re-visit now? That’s because the look and feel as well as how people might use the space will soon be changed invarious ways.
A few months ago, there was an official announcement that half of boardwalk underneath the Eastern Corridor and above the bridge piers (the supporting structure closest to the water) has been installed.
During my recent visit, I found access to the space and other spaces underneath the elevated
expressway has been blocked for the installation process.
The space will no longer be the same and people would only know if they enjoy the space after its full opening. I hope we’d continue to negotiate different spaces, as a way of living hopefully and being aware of the ever-changing spaces in Hong Kong.
此書的鰂魚涌部份東區走廊(一條高架公路)照片早於2010年 拍攝,當時我正在創作一組關於城市岸邊的作品。
我的初衷是協商(negotiate) 非人化地域(non-place,常被譯作非場所)的空間,而這些非人化地域的空間從來不是為人而設。東區走廊下的空間外也裝上欄桿,防止行人進入。
然而,人總會找到進入這些空間及協商空間的方法。一直以來,這個空間都有人來釣魚、抽煙或享受一個人的時間。
今年,我再次重訪與再思這個空間,並手造一本小書來展示一些我在那裡拍攝但從未展出的照片。但為何現在才重訪呢?因爲這空間的外觀、氛圍及人使用它的方式很快就會大幅改變。
幾個月前,有官方消息發放,東區走廊的行人板道已安裝了一半。這板道設在東區走廊下方與橋墩之間。
近日到訪該處時,我看到通往高架公路下方的空間和其他附近空間的通道,因工程關係,已被封鎖。
公眾人士只有在空間完全開放後才知道自己喜歡它的新模樣與否,而它將不再是原來的樣子了。我希望我們能夠繼續探索及重新想像不同的空間,以作為一種對前路仍懷有希望的生活方
式,並在香港不斷變化的環境中覺察圍繞我們的空間。