A Gathering of Past, Present and Future at Fenwick Pier

"A Gathering of Past, Present and Future at Fenwick Pier" is a community art project for the local community to celebrate this humble historical site. It is organised by Yang Tong Studio and sponsored by the Servicemen’s Guides Association.

This project includes three invited artists/artist groups. Each of them presents an artwork based on a topic that they observed in Fenwick Pier. Apart from the invited artist, the project curator Yang Tong has also collected some interview video clips and drawings which individuals produce among the general public as part of the community project.

Besides the actual exhibition space, an IG platform(@gatheratfenwick) is another showroom for this project. Combining the historical images and the present images shared by the public to celebrate the past, present, and future.

• Location: G/F, Fenwick Pier, 1 Lung King Street, Wanchai

• Opening hours: 10:30am - 6:30pm

• Exhibition date: 8 -22 Jan 2022

In light of the latest social distancing measures announced by the government, please wear the mask the whole time while visiting the Fenwick Pier and scan LeaveHomeSafe code before entering the venue. Thanks for your understanding,

Curator's words

Past - Initiated within culture: Having hosted over 50,000 service members of 14 different nationalities, Fenwick Pier was a unique location for connecting international people with the local culture. First, it was a private pier built by George Fenwick at Johnston Road in 1887 and later moved to its current location at Lung King Street. By the time the Fleet House was built in 1960, Fenwick Pier was then managed by the Servicemen's Guides Association as a foothold to the young servicemen internationally and providing the cultural guide to starting their journey in Hong Kong.

Present - Parallel universe carried with passion and authenticity: After the pandemic hit in 2019, Fenwick pier is no longer functioning as in the old days. However, the shops inside are still vivid, serving the local communities. Italian restaurant and market, Tailor, hairdresser, music studio, and souvenir shops, some of them have been running since 1960, and some came later, even during the recent years. These are the tributes that can pass through time boundaries, and probably that is why it still attracts and gathers people with different cultural backgrounds. The people, the building, and the energy all created a particular space that differs from the outside environment. I found something universal carried among the people in this space: passion and authenticity. For me, it is like a parallel world where we can feel the old days of Hong Kong but still connect intimately with the present.

Future – Manifest with hope: 11 February 2022 will be the last day of Fenwick Pier. This timing is a meeting point of time(past, present, and future) carried within the memories of Hong Kong and the hope of people. Some shops are already moving to the new sites, and some will probably be closed down forever. They share the past and present in the same space, and the future will separate them and guide them to a different context in which each of them belongs. And SGA, who started the story of Fenwick Pier will continue to spread the spirit of connecting cultures and diversities throughout Hong Kong in search of a new site.

I decided to record the stories of Fenwick Pier at this specific timing with a form of community art project. To document this humble historical site where diversity connects, the diversity of people, the diversity of the culture, as well as the diversity of the era.

Follow us on @Gatheratfenwick on IG and stay tuned.

Let's celebrate the story of this space, the authenticity and passion, for the past, for the present, and of course, towards the future!

If you have any queries about the event, please contact us at [email protected].

Host or Publisher Yang Tong Studio