Art Space MERGE

This solo show marks the first time this series has been exhibited to the public since I began shooting it over 3 years ago. Being a frequent country park user for hiking and swimming I began to notice that car crashes occurred fairly often on Bride’s Pool Road.  Initially fascinated by them but at a loss as to how to document what I was seeing and relate it to how I felt about the area I simply made notes and did not do any real shooting. Then one day while riding along Bride’s Pool I suddenly noticed how all the fresh cement from the recently replaced lampposts, knocked down in various crashes, stood out. I had finally envisioned a way to begin to approach the project, by connecting to back to my art history classes and the study of ‘momento mori’ paintings of the past. This also allowed me to distance myself from a more l journalistic approach and move beyond conventional documentary, evoking the old Dutch painting styles at night and the ethereal colours of a Turner scene that meld beauty with tragedy during the day scenes.

I began by documenting the lampposts that were continuously knocked down and rest again by the highways department, then whilst shooting the posts I saw some glimmering objects beyond the posts in the jungle which turned out to be remnants of  accidents that were gradually succumbing to the jungle. I decided to add these to the project as well. Later while doing research on Bride’s Pool Road to find more background information and details on the crashes I found out about the legend of the Bride’s, where the road derives its name, as well as police reports on the crashes dating back over 20 years. These reports provided me with locations and  dates of incidents and spawned the third part of the series where I returned on the  anniversaries of the accidents and captured ghostly traces of cars and lights and even a few racers challenging themselves on the notorious roads curves.

 

The series was selected for a solo exhibition and featured at Open Art Space MERGE in Busan, Korea from May 21st~30th, 2024.

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Description

In this series, shot over the course of three years, we delve into the enigmatic heart of Hong Kong’s Northeast New Territories, where Bride’s Pool Road resides as both a poignant legend and a haunting reality. Named after a fateful incident wherein a bride met her tragic end while enroute to her nuptials, flung into the waterfall’s abyss by a fateful misstep of her sedan chair bearers, this spectral locale beckons us to unravel its mysteries.

Bride’s Pool Road, a paradox of ethereal beauty and sombre history, stands as an oasis of biodiversity amidst the sprawling urbanity of Hong Kong. It hosts a symphony of life, with lush, mountainous jungles teeming with the songs of returning spring birds, harmonizing with vibrant flora and verdant foliage. Yet, amid this natural symphony, a discordant note arises, the resonant hum of Ferraris, Ducatis, modded Subarus, and Hondas navigating its treacherous curves with the precision of virtuosos. These daredevil drivers, often labelled as ‘boy racers,’ chase an adrenaline fix on this iconic jungle track, oblivious to the relentless toll it extracts. Bride’s Pool Road, the fabled divider of Hong Kong’s untouched green expanses, has witnessed numerous souls relinquish their grasp on life to its perilous curves.

Against this backdrop, lampposts punctuate the landscape, silent sentinels bearing witness to the tragedies that have unfolded over the years. Recently replaced, their fresh cement foundations serve as ‘memento mori,’ stark reminders of the fragility of existence. In a perpetual choreography of renewal these posts represent a poignant cycle of transformation. Their steel frames and weathered concrete, echo the inexorable passage of time. As one traverses the verdant mountainsides and meandering drainage ditches surrounding these lampposts, a hidden tapestry of the road’s past emerges. Relics of vehicular calamities, from bumpers to badges, and engine parts, bear witness to the turbulent history that continues to be reclaimed by the relentless encroachment of the jungle.

‘Bride’s Pool Road,’ a testament to the intricate interplay of life, death, and the ceaseless march of nature, invites viewers to explore the symbiosis of beauty and tragedy that defines this enigmatic realm. Through these images, we unravel the untold stories etched in the very fabric of this captivating landscape, where the past lingers in hushed tones amid the cacophony of existence.

 

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