Riddles of Light 燈謎

Riddles of Light, 2015
single channel video projection, a round wall lamp, mosquito nets, single channel video inserted into a table, stand lamps, incense, optical fiber light, censers, an altar, tea leaves and chairs
Dimension variable

video:
part one: http://vimeo.com/140506630, 6min5s
part two: (*based on request), 2min58s





















During the annual reunion of my family for each Mid-Autumn Festival, the Tsukimi, I always encounter and see other relatives on their own rooftops within the village. Here my living place is a traditional village in Hong Kong where it almost keeps the entire clan within the same zone.

Strings of lanterns with shimmering light swing in the air. Occasionally, a gust of wind blow, and few lanterns go dark all of a sudden. Light from street lamps still exist next to the grey and project on human faces. All appearances are thereby deeply drarwn with visible lines as dozens of chiseled, solemn-looking statues.

It is a traditional festival enlivened in the modern time.

Moon cakes, star fruits, lanterns, packaged gifts, bottles of red wine, lighters; all the hustle and bustle intermingled with fireworks and soap operas. The festival has never kept away from modernization, both inside and outside the besieged walls of my village.

Between the real and the artificial, illusion encompasses the light, a dramatic play of sharp black-and-white contrast. It is charismatic. It creates an atmosphere that draws people into indescribable emotions.

Eventually I have recorded the full moon during the festival. Candlelight, moonlight, lamplight, the interplay of light and shadow. Our tradition and capitalism stay in opposite positions while both sides still attempt to neglect or to be integrated.


圍村中秋,每年跟鄰居頂樓相見。

紙燈籠忽淺忽沉的串串灰,偶然被大風一刮,頓即黑了幾處,然街燈在旁配合,光芒收放間強調些臉容,刻劃深刻的皺紋斧鑿數十尊莊嚴塑像。

傳統節慶在現代實踐。

月餅、楊桃、燈籠,相伴禮盒、紅酒、打火機;喧鬧聲混雜煙火和電視劇。圍牆內外的現代化,沒因節慶而被隔絕。

蚊帳作燈籠;盤香作燈罩;光纖作香火;茶杯倒映的天花燈作圓月。真假間,幻象概括了光芒,如黑白對比強烈的戲,既魅惑又懂掌握氣氛,欺騙人一再掉進無以名狀的感受。

燭光、月光、電燈光,光影轉換。傳統與資本,是對立;是相隔;又試圖追溯;再試圖交融。