Comics @ Central (2012)

A redesign of the exterior marquee of Central Market in Hong Kong in 2012. Three comics artists including Lee Wai-chun, Lee Chi-ching and Wong Chiu-tat (justin) are invited to create illustrations for the design of the exterior marquee. 

Project website:
http://www.hkac.org.hk/en/calendar.php?id=852

Presented and organised:
The Urban Renewel Authority
Public Art Hong Kong

Description from artist

Whenever I think of Central, the same scene always comes to my mind: It’s around three to four o’clock in the afternoon with air filled with dust; the glaring sun is still blazes onto Queen’s Road Central. All the office workers are busy hustling between old and modern buildings. Even when the clock approaches six, the city shows no sign of halting. Yet, not far from Queen’s Road Central, elderly are dozing off in their traditional shops, withdrawing themselves from the hassle on the streets... 

This is exactly the scene that inspired my creation for the Central Market. I always hoped that everyone in Central, from CEOs in IFC to old hawkers on the Ladder Street, can take a moment off their work and simply enjoy a nap… Maybe it only could last for a short five minute, yet the city would be all charged up to its exuberant power. City dwellers usually think desperately to go on luxury travels to get out of their stagnant lives, but one could have also imagined a short nap could liberate the mind. Through the work The Central’s Nap, I intend to bring audience my expectation on the Central Market - that is, we do not need luxury decorations nor advanced technology. On the contrary, what people need is only space, maybe a bench would be more than enough for us to relax our bodies and daydream delightfully. 

想起中環，腦裏就會浮現一個畫面：時間是下午三、四時左右，仍然猛烈的陽光大刺刺地照在皇后大道中上，翳焗的空氣中佈滿灰塵。西裝畢挺的上班族滿頭大汗地穿梭在舊街新店之間。時鐘慢慢接近下班時間，整個城市卻沒有停下來的跡象。然而，不遠的街角卻看到老街坊懶理街外的熙來攘往，悠然地在店舖內打瞌睡…… 

這情景就是創作中環街市這作品的起點。經常想像：有一天，無論是IFC頂樓的CEO，還是樓梯街上的老檔主，整個中環的人若能同一時間放下工作，來一個痛快的午睡……哪怕只是短短的五分鐘，整個城市在經過這短暫的充電後，將會再次得到重生。城市人想盡辦法去籌劃豪華旅遊，卻沒想過一個簡單的小休可能已夠讓腦袋得到解放。希望透過《中環午睡圖》帶出我們對未來中環街市的一點期待——我們不需要豪華裝修、尖端的科技。相反，只要給予我們真正的空間，哪怕只是一張長椅，已經足夠讓我們放下疲憊的身驅，痛痛快快地發一場白日夢了！