What Factors in the Present Situation of Hong Kong Explain the Sudden Surge of Interest in Tsang’s Works?

Often when we talk about culture and belonging, cultural identity is a large component which follows up the traditions, values and customs practised by a group. The most prominent concern there is with Hong Kong’s political and social situation is the issue of independence, nationalism and identity. Hong Kong’s political identity and struggle, although has extensive history, prevails today. The identity crisis began in the year 1997. On July 1st, Hong Kong was handed over back to the People’s Republic of China (PRC); acquiring the title of being a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the PRC. This is only a temporary title, however, as on July 1, 2046, Hong Kong will lose its SAR status, and become a regular state of the PRC. Hence, HKSAR would never really have an independent identity since the colonial regime was just being replaced by another supremacy.

Like any cultured, or rather culturally developing society, Hong Kong developed its own Arts, in terms of visual arts, cinema, music and theatre. Most of the cultural movements during the postcolonial period have glimpses of the colonial time.. After the handover, the arts were all greatly influenced by the British. Several local artists argue that there has been no ‘collective memory’ of the city and its culture through the arts (Lau, 1997). Additionally, since the political movements went from a ‘liberal’ to a more controlling, communist regime, there was definitely more oppression and need for expression by the locals–the arts were an appropriate method of doing so. As the British ruled for 99 years in Hong Kong, their influence was, or even is evident today be it architecture, theatre, cinema or visual arts. The large-scale development that occured in Hong Kong during...

... middle of paper ...

... Lau, ed., ibid.

David Clarke, Hong Kong Art: Culture and Decolonization (London: Reaktion, 2001)

Clarke, David Subaltern Writing, Tsang Tsou Choi: the King of Kowloon, Art Asia Pacific issue 29, 2001- Art

Abbas, M. A.. Hong Kong: culture and the politics of disappearance. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997.

Pomfret, James. "HK mourns graffiti king and his vanishing art." Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/07/26/us-hongkong-art-graffitiking-idUSL263773520070726 (accessed March11, 2014).

Ho, Oscar. "The Problem with Politics: An Interview with Oscar Ho." Yishu: Journal of

Contemporary Chinese Art 4 (2005): 10-13.

Cartier, Carolyn. "Image, Precariousness and the Logic of Cultural Production in Hong Kong."

Clarke, David . "The Culture of a Border within: Hong Kong Art and China." Art Journal 59

Chicago formatting by BibMe.org.