Photographer wants to photograph old gwulo families for exhibition | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Photographer wants to photograph old gwulo families for exhibition

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Submitted by lizzyg on Wed, 2013-08-07 11:29

Does anyone know any expat families of 3 or 4 generations who are currently living in HK?

HK photographer Leong Ka-tai is keen to take their family portrait for the Festival Flare exhibition on Families, at the HK International Photo Festival.

Leong is keen to show the contribution to HK made by diverse ethnic groups, saying: “I should like very much to include an old family in my project to bring home the idea that there are expats who settle here and make this place their home."

Each family will be photographed in a location mutually agreed between the family and the photographer. If it is impossible to assemble the whole family, he should like to represent the 3 or 4 generations. There is a tight deadline though – photographs would need to be taken by mid-August.

Each family will be given a large print of the photograph, and a selection of the family portraits will be shown in a book and exhibition, held from September to November at the Hong Kong Design Institute. www.hkipf.org.hk/300

You can see Leong Ka Tai’s wonderful work here:  www.camera22.com/leongkatai/personal/index.html

Thanks,  Lizzy 

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Submitted by Adam on Wed, 2013-08-07 17:45.

Second generation (i.e. born here) people wouldn't be 'expats', would they? Nitpicking aside, it's a good idea, but apart from the usual suspects (Kadoorie, Keswick, etc) I doubt there are many, and those that remain one imagines cloistered in obscure corners of the Peak district. Before World War II there were a great many expat families of working class who had been here for generations, but they seemed to break up or leave during the Japanese occupation. 

Good luck, anyway.

Submitted by harryhktc on Wed, 2013-08-07 18:47.

Hi Adam - admire your imagination of old expats living in 'obscure corners of the Peak' ! Truth is, once the 'perks' of accommodation, medical, travel, paid leaves etc. come to an end, there are very few retired expats who can afford to live up there or even mid-levels.. More likely to find them in the NT, the Islands and perhaps Stanley.

Cheers :-)

Submitted by C on Wed, 2013-08-07 23:09.

Hi lizzyg,

You can probably try contacting the owners of old Indian and Parsi trading companies, e.g. Kayamally.

Submitted by lizzyg on Thu, 2013-08-08 16:37.

Thanks a lot everyone. We'll keep hunting!

Submitted by harryhktc on Fri, 2013-08-09 04:20.

The Harilela family more than meets your criteria. Several generations having lived in HK since 1911 ....

Good luck.

Submitted by wann on Fri, 2013-11-29 12:57.

lizzig etc, i thought i met mr leung earlier at the hokhoi dinner though we were not formally introduced. wonder if lkt's achieved his target before the deadline, but if he still wants to photograph the harilelas, i might be able to help...