Project241_living in the city 活在城中
Installation
for East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) Public Artwork Commissioning Project
Inspired by flocks of sparrows resting on poles or being fed on streets, the sculptural installation Living in the City mimics the lively behaviours of sparrows. This serves as a metaphor for the robust mentality of ordinary people living in the city.
This artwork, Living in the City, created by STICKYLINE, captures common traits of sparrows. It metaphorizes the ordinary people of Hong Kong as they strive for their living. These lively birds have left the wild and settled in the metropolis, a testimony to their extraordinary courage and adaptability. The work should resonate with viewers, living in a similar situation, as they endeavour to achieve their personal goals in the midst of a city in transformation. Standing at the feet of the sparrows offers varied perspectives of the district, which has evolved from a resettlement cum industrial area to an urban, commercial and residential zone. The installation is a manifestation of everyday scenes with the aims to evoke viewers’ memories of the ever-changing city and their appreciation of small things in life.
Using minimal shapes to trace the contours of sparrows, the geometric sculptures become an abstract form of their dynamic movements. They are meticulously set at The Plaza and The Steps of the EKCC, and their scale attracts viewers’ attention even from afar. Mirrored surfaces reflect an eclectic mix of streetscapes around the EKCC and the buzz of East Kowloon district, blending in the surroundings seamlessly. The gleaming sparrows allow space for imagination, both up close and from a distance.
《活在城中》以日常可見的麻雀群為靈感，生動地呈現牠們在欄上歇息或於街上覓食的生活形態，喻意城市人為生活拼搏的精神。
STICKYLINE透過《活在城中》捕捉麻雀的共同特徵，比喻香港人為生活而奮鬥。可愛的麻雀離開野外叢林而定居於都市之中，表現牠們非凡的勇氣和適應力。作品可以引起觀賞者的共鳴，有如訴說他們在城市變幻中朝著目標默默前進的故事。站在麻雀的腳下，我們可以從不同的視角見證東九龍從徙置工業區轉型至現代化商住地帶。作品刻意放大日常生活情景，以喚起觀賞者對城市的個人回憶，提醒他們勿忘欣賞生活中的微小事物。
藝術家利用少許幾何面，勾勒出麻雀的輪廓，以簡約抽象的形式表現牠們的動態。大型麻雀雕塑設於東九文化中心的廣場和前階，觀賞者即使從遠處也為之吸引。雕塑鏡面反映東九文化中心周圍不拘一格的街景和區内的繁華熱鬧，使作品融入四周環境。閃閃發光的麻雀為近距離和遠距離的觀賞者帶來想像空間。
structural consultant : Wyan Yeung@08 Collective
production partner : Soda Art
photo credit : The Light Particles
/ 2024
East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) Aug 2024