Professor Ho Siu-Kee
Could you briefly introduce your art for anyone not be familiar with it?
I trained as a sculptor. Over the past 20 years my works have been focusing on how bodily perception can be a means of expression, particularly in the form of wearable sculpture and performative installations, while photos and videos can be used for documentation and presentation.
Why do you think activist art is important?
Not every artist or piece of artwork needs to be engaged in social issues directly but as a member of society, an artist, like any other person, should be concerned with issues that affect the living environment. It's an important objective for me, sometimes exemplified in my art in a more direct way, and sometimes in a more subtle way.
Could you tell us more about your piece for this exhibition, Confessional?
It includes a shark fin/cage-like metal sculpture, a performative installation on the sea, and a photo documentation. For the exhibition, I’ll show the sculpture and the photo and do a performance (standing inside the sculpture quietly) during the opening ceremony. The performative component connotes the confession of what human beings have done to other species — 100 million sharks killed every year.
If you were to recommend one other piece at the exhibition, what would it be?
I would recommend Wang Lu-yan’s Downward Force on Upward Moving Objects, which is a more conceptual piece.
Are there other social issues that you would like to base future works on?
I'm currently looking into organic farming in a metropolitan city like Hong Kong. I might develop some works along this line.
In partnership with international non-profit organisation WildAid, the Hong Kong Maritime Museum and Parkview Arts Action are joining forces to present On Sharks and Humanity. Through its multidisciplinary collection, which includes sculptures, paintings, films, photography and poetry, the exhibition aims to draw public attention to the issue of shark preservation.
The exhibition is open to the public at Hong Kong Maritime Museum from June 28 to September 29. For the Hong Kong edition, the works of two local talents – Peggy Chan and Professor Ho Siu-Kee – are being showcased alongside 32 internationally recognised and emerging artists from China, Singapore and Taiwan.
Ahead of the show we chat with Professor Ho about his work and discuss with WildAid ambassador and photographer Alex Hofford about WildAid’s mission and what they're currently doing to reduce the demand for shark fin in Hong Kong. By Sarah Lau
