Photo: Ho Leong Kwan
Photo: Lucilla Chan
Photo: Thomas Leung
Photo: Thomas Leung
Photo: Thomas Leung
Photo: Tse Hiuyu
Photo: Mary Chan
The Real Culture Bureau 文化號
The Hong Kong Government was trying to set up a Cultural Bureau few years ago. The official they were trying to appoint doesn’t really know much about art and culture policy and has a suspicious Communist background. This angered many art and cultural people, they worried the bureau will eventually become a tool of suppression. Another inspiration comes from the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) of the People Liberation Army (PLA). Linking these two events, I built a cardboard tank-like APC on a trolley so it can be moved easily. I also dressed up like a Communist official wearing Chinese tunic suit, Ray Ban sunglasses and red pins, playing the role of ‘Real Cultural Bureau Director’. One of the greatest achievements of my bureau is that the director’s photo got published on the Communist newspaper Ta Kung Pao. The reporter didn’t know the sarcastic meaning of the artwork and took a photograph of me during an art opening. I guess I infiltrated them after all!
幾年前香港政府說要成立文化局。將會是哪一位去帶領呢？市民懷疑是有「紅色背景」的官員。於是文化界人士起來反對讓文化局成為一個劣質政治洗腦工具。「文化號」的另一靈感來自解放軍的裝甲運兵車，紙皮造的裝甲車安裝在手推車上，推動非常方便。抗爭時我穿中山裝戴黑眼鏡，扮演著一個來自內地的「真文化局長」，專負責來香港收買市民。我還特別準備了一箱自己印製的藝術鈔票，用官方口吻大叫：「現在命令你們全部離開！不要作出反抗！這裡有錢，每人一億！拿去花吧！」「真文化局」最強的戰績是上了共產黨報──《大公報》。有一次《藝術學院》邀請我出席開幕典禮，《大公報》的記者居然把我拍攝下來，並登於報上，我猜我滲透他們了！
Wood, cardboard, speaker, push cart, banners, fake money
July 1st, 2012
The Real Culture Bureau 文化號
In 2012, the Hong Kong Government was trying to set up a Cultural Bureau to overlook all arts but the official they were trying to appoint have suspicious Communist ties. This alarmed many artists and cultural workers and they worried the bureau will eventually become a tool of cultural repression. The form of this work comes from the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) of the People Liberation Army (PLA). The cardboard APC was built on top of a trolley so it can be push easily. The artist dressed up like a Communist government official wearing black Chinese tunic suit, sunglasses and worn red pins, portraying the fictitious role of the ‘Real Cultural Bureau Director’. Equipped with fake money the artist printed himself, he scolded every politician and protestor and trying to bride them into submission. He shouted” I now order all of you to leave immediately! Do not resist! Here is some money, 100 million dollars each! Take it!” Acting out the ridiculous cultural political buy out drama in the streets of protest.
2012年香港政府要成立文化局，但將會是哪一位去帶領呢？市民懷疑將是有「紅色背景」的官員。於是文化界人士起來反對，抗議文化局成為一個劣質政治洗腦工具。「文化號」的靈感來自中國解放軍的裝甲運兵車，紙皮造的裝甲車安裝在手推車上，推動非常方便。抗爭時藝術家穿中山裝戴黑眼鏡，扮演一個來自中共的「真文化局長」，專負責來香港收買市民，還特別準備了一箱自己印製的藝術鈔票，用官方口吻向著示威群眾大叫：「現在命令你們全部離開！不要作出反抗！這裡有錢，每人一億！拿去花吧！」把荒誕的文化統戰政治劇在街道上演活出來。
Cardboard, wood, push trolley, paint, flags, & speaker,
430 cm (L) x 200 cm (W) x 200 cm (H)
July 1st, 2012