Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts, Hong Kong

Emergence of Contestation: 2018

Tai Kwun police station was redeveloped and opened to the public in 2018, and comprises three former surveillance apparati: the central police station, the central magistracy and Victoria Prison. At first, in the courtyard of the beautifully renovated compound, one sees mostly the American bars and French restaurants, with spaces for shops selling all kinds of crafts and design materials, and, in the upper part of the complex, a gallery for contemporary art. In the buildings, there are a number of signposted notices pertaining to the history of place, as well as a visitor centre that guides you into the overall history of the buildings. History is thus here not hidden but clearly labelled, but judgement on its status remains cautious.

Art in Former Military Sites: Spectres of Geopolitics in Southeast Asia - Gabriel Gee

Queen's Pier

Emergence of Contestation: 2007

The Queen's Pier in Hong Kong can function as a case study of the degree to which (formerly) colonial spaces continue to shape people's relationships to their colonial past and their own identitities even in the post-colonial period, through their spatial design intertwined with colonial education which generate lasting control systems impacting both body and mind.

Tracing the inveterate (post-)colonial controls: Queen's Pier in Hong Kong and the 'Cape No. 7' in Hengchun, Taiwan - Liza Wing Man Kam

June 4th Museum (Tiananmen Incident)

Emergence of Contestation: 2019

The June 4th Museum in Hong Kong commemorates the student democratization movement and the Tiananmen Incident in 1989 in Beijing. There has been several instances that the museum was broken into by the unknown forces and protested against by the pro-Beijing groups in Hong Kong, who claimed that the museum is distorting history. In mainland China the Tiananmen Incident is identified as student riot, which is counter-revolutionary, whereas elsewhere the Incident is widely seen as democratization movement that was repressed by the authorities.

Hengchun

Emergence of Contestation: 1940s

Hengchun in Taiwan can function as a case study of the degree to which (formerly) colonial spaces continue to shape people's relationships to their colonial past and their own identitities even in the post-colonial period, through their spatial design intertwined with colonial education which generate lasting control systems impacting both body and mind.

Tracing the inveterate (post-)colonial controls: Queen's Pier in Hong Kong and the 'Cape No. 7' in Hengchun, Taiwan - Liza Wing Man Kam