december 1997 / planet of the arts 15 ULTURAL DIALECTICS 17 Latvian Typography Harald Gravelsins Letter forms and the politics of hope. 49 Imperialist Globalization Ethel Farrales The effects of APEC on education, culture, and civilization. és 7k Entrepreneurial Practices in Contemporary Art Jonathan Lander Sex sells (but don’t buy Naked NY). Whereof Hong Kong? The city’s culture 1s actually not that hard to find. Lame clichés might make for good PR, but not for a good film. by Ling Chiu aybe I’m just being a loud Asian. But Luc Schaebler’s 75 minute documen- tary, Hong Kong, pissed me off. Schaebler takes Hong Kong at face value, and walks away leaving only a touristical impression of the complexities of a dynamic city at a time of great transition; the handover from British sover- eignty to Chinese rule. Knowing he is an academic scholar, I expected his educational training to provide him with the skills to create more than a surface analysis. Knowing he is an anthropology student, I expected him to be careful and self-critical in his research to avoid problems of objectification, exo- tification, and misrepresentation. Knowing he is a Swiss choosing to make a doc- umentary on a society that’s predominantly Chinese, I expected him to go out of his way ahead of time to acquire above-average sensitivity and sensibility to Asian culture. Schaebler’s research was carelessly superficial, his lack of understanding of Hong Kong culture obvious and as a result, he has created a substan- dard portrayal of Hong Kong. This past summer I lived in Hong Kong, and I wasn’t interested in cheap deals on Calvin Klein merchandise. Rather, I was searching to under- stand the Chinese component to my otherwise Canadian-made composition. : And I dare say, like Schaebler I was researching and planning for a film project. However, my entrance into Hong Kong was very different to Schaebler’s arrival. As my plane began its descent, | remember feeling nervous, but I also had a huge uncontrol- lable smile on my face. When I stepped off the plane, for the first time in my life, I felt comfort- able about being Chinese. As Schaebler’s plane touched down, I imagine him staring out the window in awe. He described being surprised by the lack of space between Hong Kong’s skyscrapers and being overwhelmed by the disparity between living space and business space. There’s no question that Hong Kong is crowd- ed and is an intensely active capitalist centre. And at night, the cityscape, intertwined with neon, is illusively spectacular. But any viewpoint of Hong Kong that goes no further than these aspects will ‘be horribly oversimplified. Schaebler is unable to offer an accurate repre- sentation of Hong Kong because he does not seem to have the sensitivity towards Asian concerns and the careful methodology that it would take to move beyond these surface impressions. Schaebler intercuts footage of Hong Kong (its cityscape, its people’s daily lives, and TV and film clips) with interviews of six residents speaking about their relationship with the city. Peter is the ex-patriot from England working first as a policeman and then as a civil servant. Nicole is a freelance journalist from South Africa with a disdainful attitude towards the city. Eric, a professor of architecture at Hong Kong University, talks about the effects of colonization and touches on some aspects of Hong Kong culture. Guo grew up in Hong Kong asa child of refugee parents, and is now an activist/rock musician/freelance journal- ist. Azfal, originally from Pakistan, is a perfor- mance artist concerned with the problems of emi- gration. And finally, Mohan, who left India to get rich, owns a textile shop in Chungking Mansions. The experiences and opinions conveyed by these six people appear genuine and at times their comments are interesting. However, more often than not, Schaebler chooses to include statements in his documentary that play into the predictable capitalist image for which Hong Kong is famous worldwide. These statements were not challenged nor satisfactorily explored. Comments like Eric’s description of down- town Hong Kong as “everyone’s living room” because “no one has a home (large enough) to entertain’, will pique the interest of the common audience participant. But in leaving such state- ments unexplored Schaebler only reinforces the the clichés that Hong Kong is, as Nicole scornfully describes it, “a wet dream for capitalism.” Indeed Eric’s statement reaffirms that business needs are the priority in this city rather than per- sonal comfort. Cramped living spaces cause social gatherings to occur outside of the home. The question Schaebler fails to ask here is, Are the peo- ple of Hong Kong desirous of such a society or are a a a a ae Ais they, perhaps unwillingly, trapped within the cap- italist machine? Questions of this nature would prompt the audience to look beyond predeter- mined assumptions created by typical Western media coverage of Hong Kong. How unique are Hong Kong’s elements of aggression and rudeness, in comparison to other world-class cities? How interesting or worthwhile is it to dwell on Hong Kong’s capitalist character- istics — as all Schaebler’s interviewees do — when the Western media already provides us with such stories? Not very. Schaebler’s ability to deliver a unique and insightful documentary that goes beyond a tourist’s viewpoint depends heavily on his open- ness to explore in depth the city, its people, and its culture. It appears, however, that he was mesmer- ized by the city’s fast-paced exterior, fell into stereotypical conclusions, and as a result, created a portrayal of Hong Kong that is conveniently easy for Western audiences to accept. Nicole’s comment, “Hong Kong has no cul- ture” and “it’s a city without a soul”, would have viewers justified into believing the stereotypical continued on page 16, see “Hong Kong” PHOTOGRAPH BY NANCY BLECK fe ee ee ee december 1997 / plonet of the orts 15 ULTURAL DIALECTICS Latvian Typography par ac 2 Ay) 23 Entrepreneurial Practices Im Contemporary Art Jonathan ander Whereof Hong Kong? The city’s culture is actually not that hard to find. Lame clichés might make for good PR, but not for a good film. by Ling Chiu yb Tn jt Big Youd A,B M: Sebi 75 min doce Hog Kong pled me of Schacbler takes Hong Kong at fice value, and walls away leaving only a touristicl impression of the complexities ofa dynamic city at atime of reat transition; the handover fom British sver: ignty to Chinese rule. Knowing he his educational traning to provide him withthe san academic scholar, expected silt create more than a surface anal. Knowing be is a expected him to be cael and slit in his esearch to avoid problems of objectification, exo thropology student, ‘ication, and misrepresentation, Knowing hes Swiss choosing to make a doc ‘umentary on a society that's predominantly Chinese, expected im to go out of his way ahead of time to acquire above-average sensitivity and sensibility to Asan cute. Schacbler’s esearch was carelessly superficial, his lack of understanding of Hong Kong culture ‘obvious and as a result he has rete a substan ard portrayal of Hong Kong, This past summer ved in Hong Kong, nd 1 ‘wasn't interested in cheap dels om Calvin Kin merchandise, Rather, was searching 10 under: stand the Chinese component to my otherwise Canadian-made composition. And I dare sy ike Schacber Iwas researching and planning for a film projet. However, my erance into Hong Kong was very different t0 Schacble’s arial Plane began its descent, 1 remember fecing nervous, but Lalo ad a huge uncontol- lable smile on my fice, When Ff stepped off the plane, forthe first time in my if, 1 Felt consort able about beng Chines ‘As Schaeble’s plane touched down, imagine him staring out the window in awe. He described ‘bing surprised bythe ack of spc between Hong. Kong's skyscraper and being overwhelmed by the iparity between tvng space and business space Hong Kong is crow ‘ed and isan intensely active capitalist centr, And at night, the cityscape, intertwined with neon, is ilsively spectacular. But any viewpoint of Hong, Kong that goes no further than these aspects will be horsibly oversimplified Schacber is unable to oer an accurate repre- ‘sentation of Hong Kong because he doesnot seem to have the sensitivity towards Asan concerns and the careful methodology that it would take to ‘move beyond thes surface impressions Schacblerimercuts footage of Hong Kong (its -tycape its people's dil ves, and TV and film clips) with interviews of six residents speaking about their relationship wit Peter is the ex-patrot from England working first asa policeman and then a a civil servant [Nicole is feelanc journalist from South Africa witha disdsinflatttode towards the city ri, a professor of architecture t Hong Kong Univesity talks about the ffs of colonization and touches ‘on some aspects of Hong Kong culture. Go grew ‘up in Hong Kong asa child of refugee parents and {snow an activist rock musician/reelance journal {s. Axl exiginaly fom Pakistan, isa peror mance artist concerned with the problems of emi tration, And finally, Mohan, who lft Indi to get Fic, owns textile shop in Chungking Mansions ‘The experiences and opinions conveyed by these six people appear gene and at times their ‘comments are interesting. However, more often than not, Shaebler chooses to include statements im his documentary that play into the predictable ‘apitlist image for which Hong Kong is famous worldwide, These statements were not challenged nor satisfactorily explored ‘Comments lke Erics description of dove: town Hong Kong as “everyone living. oom because “no one has 2 home (large enough) to ‘entertain will pique the interest of the common audience participant. But in leaving such state rents unexplored Schaebler only reinforces the the clichés that Hong Kong iss Nicole corfally describes ita wet dream for capitalism?” Indeed Erie's statement raf reeds ate the priority inthis city rather than per Cramped living spaces cause social rings to occur outside of the home. The that busines sonal comfort. et vestion Schacbler ito ask here i, Ae the peo ple of Hong Kong desirous of such a society of ae they, perhaps unwilling trapped within the cap italt machine? Questions of this nature would 10 look beyond predeter: mined assumptions created by typical Western media coverage of Hong Kong How unique are Hong Kong’ elements of aggression and rudeness in comparison to other world-class cites? How interesting or worthwhile ist wo dwell on Hong Kong’ capitalist character- ines ~ a all Schacler’ interviewees do = when prompt the audi the Western media already provides us with such Schacbler’s ability to deliver a unique and insightful documentary that goes beyond a tourist’ viewpoint depends heavily on his open nes to explore in dept the city its people, and its ‘culture. I appears, however, that he was mesmer ined by the city’ fast-paced exterior, fll imo stereotypical conclusions and as result created a portrayal of Hong Kong that is conveniently easy for Westen audiences to accept. Nicole’ comment, “Hong Kong has no cul ture" and “its a city without a soul, would have Viewers justified into believing the sercotypical contin on pe 16s “hon Kong