BY STEVE BISSON
This new work Instragrams (Faces) follows the journey of visual research began with the previous series Instragrams (Landscape), and Instagrams (Flowers). The title deliberately deceives the observer and could lead one to think of some bizarre contemporary photographic art. Nothing could be much further from the truth. Just take a look at the works made by Ng Sai-Kit, since the eighties, to understand that we face a meaningful investigation on the potential of the medium.
© Ng Sai-Kit
There is confidence and creativity in the images created by Hong Kong base photographer, yet I see also a great ability to cut out significant moments from reality, as well as a desire to translate the pictures into fragments of simplicity that joined together may constitute a poetics of place.
From this point of view, compared to the previous works I feel the same commitment to relate critically to his own places, but with less drama and a different tension, through a mature detachment, and perhaps with a greater awareness.
© Ng Sai-Kit
The photographer plays with space and with the faces. The images due to their reproducibility has invaded the city. And so happen to be in private with Jimi Hendrix on a tshirt while ignoring those we actually face. Or again becomes himself a reflection in the mirror along with others.
© Ng Sai-Kit
Among the faces magnified, magnified, forgotten moves the photographer. Smiling faces, faces crumpled on the ground, faces that overlap almost as in Mimmo Rotella’s torn iconic posters, becoming a raw materials, a commodity exchange. Is this the new face of Hong Kong?
© Ng Sai-Kit
Biography. Ng Sai-Kit was born in Hong Kong in 1957. He has started his photography projects since the early 80s; at the same period, he set up the photography workshop The Photoventurers Workshop with other photographers. At that time, his photography was inspired by Ng Hon-lam and Cheung King-hung; in 1985, he participated his first group photography exhibition “Sensitive, Transitive”, which was curated by them. Afterward, between 1989 to 1990, he travelled to France and some of his photography works were collected by the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, France. After he returned to Hong Kong, The Photoventurers Workshop was reformed as The Workshop. Between 1993 to 1999, he took part in the editorial of eleven issues of non-periodical visual culture publications issued by The Workshop with the sponsorship from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. Between 2005 to 2008, the Photocrafters workshop was set up. This workshop aims at promoting visual cultural activities in Hong Kong and it held many photography courses and exhibitions. In 2008, he set up the Out-Focus Group with friends at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong. Until now, his works have been exhibited in Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo, Canada and Paris, and some of the works were collected by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.