HOPE PAINTERS: Pingche / HK 2017
PROTECT OUR LAND
Location: Ping Che, North District, Hong Kong
Time: 2017
Background: Ping Che is one of the key villages in the North-East, has been targeted by the government development plan* to remove and reconstruct.
The villagers decided to gain attention and exposure to their plight by turning the village into a Mural Village– full of beautiful paintings on the roads and some impressive artworks on the walls of the houses.
#pingche #wallmuralvillage
*North East New Territories New Development Areas Planning (HK)
“Home is not a house but a big community, this is my home.”
THE HIDDEN STORY - “Choi Gor” by Damon Lam
One day I read online news, when we were living in Hong Kong. They were talking about a man, call Choi Gor, who was demonstrating against the development project in the northeast area of Hong Kong. He climbed up on the top of the bridge and he opened a long banner in his hands, with the message: “STOP THE PROJECT“. Very soon the police arrested him and before he got on the police car he said with such a strong determination to the reporter:
“I’m not afraid, I did broke the law but I was not sinning!”
I’ve never met a person like this in Hong Kong, so honestly and genuinely speaking out words full of righteousness without fear.
A year later we get to know him and he invited us to visit his village. He showed us his aquaponics garden (where you plant vegetables and have fish at the same time). He taught himself how to build up the system with the hope of bringing it to the elderly farmers, so they do not need to bend down and hurt their backs harvesting their vegetables.
His passion for the community and his determination to make life better for others deeply moved us, we saw the same passion from many other local villagers while we were painting in the mural village.
Some people we will never forget the love they offered us… Choi Gor and his family, Uncle KK and his family