Data Collecting (Universe)

22.288750103387716, 114.19297186220577, Infographic art, 2022.

The projection installation is a fictional narrative of the historical building. It is a collective effort by a group of artists who researched site-specific stories about the Oi! area.

1) Ocean – This is a metaphor for the departure of the ocean, reflecting the land reclamation right outside the building.

2) Rabbit – This is based on research from the book “The First Artist Village in Hong Kong: Oil Street and Cattle Depot”, written by Lotus Chan. On the last day years ago, the artists stayed in their studios on Oil Street and watched the firework together from the rooftop of the old building before they moved out at the end of a short rental period.

3) Lemon – Imagine if the farming area at Oi! was actually built by aliens, who had come from another planet to collect data on earthlings.

4) Wind bards – This is based on conversations with local residents. Some of them remember an animal on top of the wind bards of the building (the current venue). However, we could find nothing about it in the archival materials. We wonder why so many older residents remember this.

5) The Battle of My Neighbour Trees – This is an observation of the interaction between a newly grown tree and a 70-year-old tree at Oi!

6) Fish – This is one of the darkest collective memories we found on the internet and in newspapers. Rumour has it that locals were afraid to walk too close by the sea because of the stories about dead bodies, ghost and someone even said those fish might attack people.

7) Gate – The grey, “H” shaped gate seems mysterious. No one seems to know what exactly it is and why it remains here.

8) Power Station – This was inspired by the collective memory of a black-out event in the North Point Power Station in 1977.

9) Time – This is the conclusion of the story. It is about our observations of time, emotions and the on-going changes in the cityscape from the perspective of the historical building.

10) Stay or Leave – The spaceship (narrator) is asked whether it will stay on or leave the Earth. The open ending allows the audience to continue the story using their imagination.

Data Collecting (Universe)

2022

Data Collecting (Universe) is a research-based art project starting with found objects in the Oil Street Art Space (Oi!). A series of sci-fi symbols that resemble these objects have been created to respond to the historical context of the site. The fluidity of the exhibition experience, the collective written sci-fi allegory, the re-construction of symbols, and internet-based work pose questions about the reality of the historical site, ensuring its collective memory through the power of art.

The installation work located at the Oi! Warehouse is a time-based experimental space. The fictional map is an infographic work about the fictional narrative of the urban planning of the Oi!. Inspired by the 70-year-old trees on site, Date Collecting (Tree) connects personal, inner, meditative moments for the audience to experience their inner self and emotions. The collective written allegory is about observations of the moment in between change and the unchanged. We can see artificial shadows travel through translucent sculptural objects and hear the sound of invisible vibration floating freely around the visible structure of the interior space. Finally, the internet-based work 11152182852000 is a flight recorder of a spaceship, as well as an archival platform in-between the reality and fictional elements based on this research project.

The process of mediative personal observation of the site and research about the historical events and collective memories related to the site has been an awakening journey for both the inner self and the collective imagination through the new discoveries of the site.

位於油街倉庫的裝置作品是一個時效性的實驗空間，透過虛構的科幻地圖重新規劃隱藏在油街的不可見的傳說和意境。映像裝置《樹木數據接收中》以油街的七十年老樹作為研究對象，利用靈性及科幻的微觀影像勾起觀眾內在最深處的意識和情感本能。虛構的科幻寓言引領觀眾去觀察空間中變與不變的狀態。人造的影子穿越介乎於液態與固態的在地遺物，配合音聲裝置讓不可見頻率隨著光影自由地遊走。最後，虛擬網絡作品《11152182852000》，是一只太空船的飛行紀錄儀，同時是一個介乎於現實和虛構的網絡資料庫。

在解構油街實現歷史的研究中，不論是靜觀的過程、搜尋都市傳說或是整理她的多重歷史脈絡，都讓我感受到隱藏於空間中不可言喻的能量；就像在穿越朦朧的星雲時，一邊驚嘆旅途中多變的光景，一邊感受著我們在宇宙中的渺小。空間的觀察，亦即對觀察者自身的觀察。透過解構空間的表象，並由外在反映內在，思考自我與世界的連繫。這種自我與空間的主體和客體相互交替，本是一種尋找真實的過程。

Collaboration Team for Oi! On-site Project (Exhibition)

Concept and Artwork: Jessica Fu

Creative Writer: Tsui Tsz Ching, Catherine

Digital Designer: Ryan Ho

Infographic Designer: Heiwa Wong

Sound Artist: Elaine Wong

Videographer: Chan Pui shan

3D Modelling Artist: Harrison Wong

Image credit to Oi!