CREATIVE CONCEPT

Tree shades are organic scenes staged by trees, the Sun and surfaces. They are living and transforming at all times as the Earth and clouds move. Tree shades offer us a cool, pleasant environment to slow down and relax. They serve as a communal picnic mat that always welcome the community to meet and gather around. They highlight the outline of treescape like a moving landscape painting displayed on the ground for us to enjoy as we walk by. When we take a moment to pause and stand under the trees, we instantly bring ourselves to a time- and site-specific context inspired by nature, and gradually imagine that we are in fact part of nature’s creations.

On a hot summer day, we stand under the shade of trees. We look at the dancing tree shadows and breathe in moist air released by the trees. What kind of observations, imaginations and interactions would come to your mind?

We invite visitors to the exhibition “Under the Trees” at Oil Street Art Space. Through the exhibits and public engagement activities, visitors are encouraged to make alternative speculations on their connections with the natural landscape and local community ‘cultivated’ under the trees in the local neighbourhood.

ABOUT THE EXPLORATIONS

Exploration 1: Leaf Calligraphy
(UUendy Lau, 2022)

Sometimes we may keep our heads down and walk in a hurry, but the leaves scattered on the ground always catch our attention and signal us to take a pause. We bend down to have a close look at the leaves, and we look up to observe the trees and the surrounding environment.

Each falling leaf records a particular moment of time and weather. It falls from the tree, and it slowly lands on the ground as if adding a stroke or drawing line to the earth that resembles a living calligraphy book. “Leaf Calligraphy” invites visitors to explore “under the trees” and pick a fallen leaf to practise alternative calligraphy. It hopes to offer a moment of serenity and encourage more critical thoughts towards the local community and the environment.

Participants’ writings are collected after the exhibition and turned into a short video clip.

Exploration 2: Collective Map
(UUendy Lau, 2022)

We live in a community where trees and buildings interweave. As we walk along, we may consider tree shades as the community lookout platform that guides us to slow down and take a closer look at how our city and nature coexist and thrive. We start to observe, feel and imagine, so that we may learn more about different aspects of our neighbourhood.

“Collective Map” invites the public to use their senses and explore the local neighbourhood through a different lens “under the trees”. Visitors can document their insights and interesting speculations on location cards and place them onto the giant map. The participatory exhibit hopes to gather public voices and memories, it also encourages us to reconnect with our community and learn more about individual stories.

Participants' input are collected after the exhibition and turned into postcards.

USER MANUAL MAP

A folded map-manual was also designed as a simple visual-navigation for the exhibition “Under the Trees”. Instead of highlighting typical landmarks and buildings, the map focuses on the natural environment and gives a brief introduction on the trees at Oil Street Art Space and the surrounding neighbourhood. Visitors can get a free copy and are invited to do a short self-tour of the space (both indoor and outdoor) and find ways to make alternative observations and (re)connect with the local community.

EXPLORATIVE WORKSHOP

Activity 1: Leaf Calligraphy

Date: 30 Jul 2022 | 2:30 - 3:30pm

Activity 2: Collective Map

Date: 31 Jul 2022 | 2:30 - 3:30pm

COMMUNITY POSTCARDS

After the exhibition, some of the participants' input are turned into postcards as gifts and distributed to the community.

PRESS/ COVERAGE

City Magazine
Date: 26 Jul 2022 Link: Here

Being Hong Kong
Date: 29 Jul 2022 Link: Here

Vouge Hong Kong
Date: Jul 2022

Obscura
Date: 3 Aug 2022 Link: Here

Art and Piece
Date: 27 Jul 2022 Link: Here