Memory Tanks

The 30th Stratagem: Exchange the role of guest for the host
Memory Tanks

For many years, Hong Kong inherited a habit of urban development that emphasizes “forget the past and look for the future”. The scene of taking down historical buildings or villages in order to allow “economic development” is repeating constantly, many of us witnessed the history of Hong Kong and share collective memories. Social values are hooked up to money, and often labeled with price tags.
Architecture is a carrier that breeds different life and stories while recording the transformation of the context. The core value of architecture is in the space, in the function, and in the history. These values enhance the significance of every piece of architecture. It should
not be valued only on the beauty of form, popularity or commercial value.
In this exhibition, I will focus in my ancestor house located in the rural area of New Territories in Hong Kong. It may not have history of centuries, but it was once an established fish farm. The place has been through ups and downs of Hong Kong over 40 years and inherited 3 generations. I will pick out evidence of history and true stories that witness the transformation of this beautiful city.
Memory Tanks is an installation comprising 150 small fish tanks recovered from the storage of my ancestor house. These tanks were the primary tools for fish breeding of certain species, which were then sold around the world. I reinterpret these tanks into memory tanks that hold and breed different stories and memories recovered from around the place and they could be inherit to the future generations.
“Understanding the past and look for the future.”
My frontier is a mental battle against this distorted
moral practice of Money Talks taking over our society.
I would like to apply my architectural perspective to make a record of stories and history of the ancestor house and its context through photography and videography,
as the introduction of North East New Territories New Development in 2008 may soon see the Long Valley wetland area redeveloped.