Wednesday, July 29, 2009
links about Hong Kong artist Movana Chen:
video of perfomance/sculpture by Movana Chen outside clothing store Shanghai Tang in Central, Hong Kong
Coincidentally (or fortuitously), in relation to our last post about The Uniform Project, one of our presenters at the City University of Hong Conference (December 8,9,10 2009), Hong Kong artist Movana Chen is currently in an exhibition at the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, in Ansan City, Korea (a short distance from Seoul) titled “Fashion Ethics – Wear Good” which runs from July 23 to October 4, 2009
Here’s something from their press release:
Fashion Ethics - Wear Good will be presenting artworks, costumes, images and installations that either propound ethical messages or follow "ethical" production methods. Participants of 19 teams from 6 countries (UK, France etc.) consisted of fashion designers, architects, installation artists, designers and photographers. Orsola de Castro and Fillippo Ricci uses left over or piece-meal stock fabric; Yun Jin Sun, Hong Sun Young and Chae Soo Kyoung dissemble and reconstruct old clothes donated by various supporters; Movana Chen's installation is composed of paper scraps from document shredders; and Lee Kyoung Jae exhibits dresses made of alternative fiber from eco-friendly materials such as corn or nettle. Of course, some of the works draw their inspirations from the topic of fair trade; Ana Paula Freitas displays bags and dresses made of recycled aluminum can parts produced with third world labor recruited through fair trade, while g:ru, Hong Sung Wan experiments with eco-friendly clothes, also produced by fair trade. Works such as Yoon Mee Jin's architectural costume - a Mobius Strip wrap made of felt - or, Yoon Jung Won's maron doll installation wearing recycled materials reflects in-depth contemplation on the basic action of "wearing clothes" within the context of fashion ethics.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
link to The Uniform Project :
Pictured above (click on pic for larger image) is July 22, 23, 24, 25 at The Uniform Project a political fashion project, or fashion project for economic equality, or how to maintain an aesthetic on a low budget project . . .
From their website:
Starting May 2009, I have pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accoutrements, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies. Think of it as wearing a daily uniform with enough creative license to make it look like I just crawled out of the Marquis de Sade's boudoir.
The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Visitor Information:
Welcome to Hong Kong:
Hong Kong is a compact, congested city, with seemingly endless highrise apartment complexes, offices, and shopping malls. Yet it also has much open park land, hiking trails, and of course beaches, being located on the South China Sea. The landmass of Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and The New Territories. There is a border crossing into mainland China at Lo Wu / Shenzhen, approximately 25K from Central, HK.
In the above photo you are looking at Hong Kong harbor from Lantau Island (where international airport is located) with Hong Kong Island on right, and Kowloon (specifically buildings in and around Tsim Sha Tsui) on left. Click here for Google map of Hong Kong.
City University of Hong Kong (location and maps):
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/cityu/visitors/location.htm
City University of Hong Kong is located on the MTR Kwun Tong Line at Kowloon Tong station and/or on the KCR East Rail at Kowloon Tong station. There will be signs at station directing you to City U, which you will find after passing through the Festival Walk shopping mall.
Discover Hong Kong –
Official Travel Guide from Hong Kong Tourism Board :
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/index.html
Visa Requirement:
Most travelers do not need a visa to visit Hong Kong.
For detailed visa requirements please check the Hong Kong Immigration Department website: http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm#part1
If you are planning to visit Mainland China, a visa is necessary in most cases and you are strongly advised to obtain your visa before your departure to Hong Kong. Please consult your travel agent for details.
Transportation:
Hong Kong has a well-developed public transport system. Trains, buses and ferries runs frequently at intervals of minutes. Taxis are ample and can be hailed on the street. An overview of the Hong Kong transport system is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong
And for MTR train system:
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/system_map.html
From and to the Hong Kong International Airport:
* Airport Express : special train linking the airport on Lantau Island to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. They also have free shuttle buses taking you from their Kowloon or Hong Kong station to different locations (after you have taken the Airport Express train, or are planning to take train to the airport). There are 6 shuttle bus routes.
The Airport Express train is a comfortable ride of about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the Central District, Hong Kong. It takes a slightly shorter time to go to Kowloon Station. It generally runs every 12 minutes and costs HK$100 (~US$12.50) one way.
* Airbus/Cityflyer: they take you from the airport to the urban areas
Hong Kong International Airport is well served by public bus routes, taking passengers to and from most parts of Hong Kong. Comfortable and relatively inexpensive, they offer a convenient transport option.
A11 – To Causeway Bay, Wanchai, Central, Sheung Wan
A22 – To Yau Ma Tei
E22 – To Kowloon Tong / City University of Hong Kong
* Taxi - they can take you from anywhere to the airport. But you need to get the right taxi when going from the airport to your destination. It is probably the fastest way unless there is a traffic jam.
There are 3 kinds: red, green, and blue.
The red ones can go anywhere except for outlying islands not connected with a bridge. The green ones can only operate in the outerly New Territories.
The blue ones can only operate on the Lantau Island (where the airport is located), where the Disneyland is.
The approximate costs to go from the airport to the City University of Hong Kong is HK$280, to Mongkok is HK$300, to Tsim Sha Tsui is $300, to Central is HK$350.
Octopus Card – stored value card:
Conference participants can obtain an Octopus Card for convenience during their stay in Hong Kong. Octopus Card is a handy alternative to cash for small payments. It is widely accepted in Hong Kong on almost all public transport, fast food chains, convenience stores, vending machines and the university campus canteen where meals will be served during the Conference.
Visitors may obtain Octopus Cards at customer service centers of all train stations and the Airport Express Line customer service centre at the Hong Kong International Airport. The minimum initial value of an Octopus Card is HK$150 (US$19.20) inclusive of HK$50 deposit for the card and HK$100 stored value. Upon return to the customer service centers at the train stations or the Airport Express Line at the airport, the HK$50 deposit and the unspent stored value on the card will be refunded with a small handling fee of HK$7 (US$0.9).
Stored value of the Octopus Card can be topped up at train stations, fast food chains and convenience stores, and the balance value is shown each time the card is used.
Additional Visitors’ Tips :
Weather :
During Hong Kong winter you can expect temperatures to be around 17C or 63 F, with little rain. You may want to bring a sweater, or jacket.
http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/current.htm
Banks :
ATMs are easy to find in Hong Kong, and most accept foreign bank cards. There is a Hang Seng Bank on City U campus next to the Library, and an HSBC in the Festival Walk shopping mall (next to campus). The current rate of exchange (July 2009) between US and HK dollar is HK$7.75 to US$1.
Hotels:
An extensive list of hotels can be sent via email upon your request. Write us at: extraordinarydresscode@yahoo.com
Language:
Hong Kong is supposedly a tri-lingual city (Cantonese, Mandarin/Putonghua, and English), though the majority language is Cantonese. English and Putonghua are widely spoken and understood, but occasionally you’ll run into an impass. It is a good idea when traveling by taxi, to have a business card for addresses, or the address written in Chinese characters.
Museums and Movies:
Leisure and Cultural Services Department - Museums
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/cs_mus_lcsd.php
Para/Site Art Space:
http://www.para-site.org.hk/
Hong Kong Film Archive:
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/english/eindex.html
Broadway Circuit (movies);
http://www2.cinema.com.hk/revamp/html/index.php?lang=e
Hong Kong is a compact, congested city, with seemingly endless highrise apartment complexes, offices, and shopping malls. Yet it also has much open park land, hiking trails, and of course beaches, being located on the South China Sea. The landmass of Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and The New Territories. There is a border crossing into mainland China at Lo Wu / Shenzhen, approximately 25K from Central, HK.
In the above photo you are looking at Hong Kong harbor from Lantau Island (where international airport is located) with Hong Kong Island on right, and Kowloon (specifically buildings in and around Tsim Sha Tsui) on left. Click here for Google map of Hong Kong.
City University of Hong Kong (location and maps):
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/cityu/visitors/location.htm
City University of Hong Kong is located on the MTR Kwun Tong Line at Kowloon Tong station and/or on the KCR East Rail at Kowloon Tong station. There will be signs at station directing you to City U, which you will find after passing through the Festival Walk shopping mall.
Discover Hong Kong –
Official Travel Guide from Hong Kong Tourism Board :
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/index.html
Visa Requirement:
Most travelers do not need a visa to visit Hong Kong.
For detailed visa requirements please check the Hong Kong Immigration Department website: http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm#part1
If you are planning to visit Mainland China, a visa is necessary in most cases and you are strongly advised to obtain your visa before your departure to Hong Kong. Please consult your travel agent for details.
Transportation:
Hong Kong has a well-developed public transport system. Trains, buses and ferries runs frequently at intervals of minutes. Taxis are ample and can be hailed on the street. An overview of the Hong Kong transport system is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong
And for MTR train system:
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/system_map.html
From and to the Hong Kong International Airport:
* Airport Express : special train linking the airport on Lantau Island to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. They also have free shuttle buses taking you from their Kowloon or Hong Kong station to different locations (after you have taken the Airport Express train, or are planning to take train to the airport). There are 6 shuttle bus routes.
The Airport Express train is a comfortable ride of about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the Central District, Hong Kong. It takes a slightly shorter time to go to Kowloon Station. It generally runs every 12 minutes and costs HK$100 (~US$12.50) one way.
* Airbus/Cityflyer: they take you from the airport to the urban areas
Hong Kong International Airport is well served by public bus routes, taking passengers to and from most parts of Hong Kong. Comfortable and relatively inexpensive, they offer a convenient transport option.
A11 – To Causeway Bay, Wanchai, Central, Sheung Wan
A22 – To Yau Ma Tei
E22 – To Kowloon Tong / City University of Hong Kong
* Taxi - they can take you from anywhere to the airport. But you need to get the right taxi when going from the airport to your destination. It is probably the fastest way unless there is a traffic jam.
There are 3 kinds: red, green, and blue.
The red ones can go anywhere except for outlying islands not connected with a bridge. The green ones can only operate in the outerly New Territories.
The blue ones can only operate on the Lantau Island (where the airport is located), where the Disneyland is.
The approximate costs to go from the airport to the City University of Hong Kong is HK$280, to Mongkok is HK$300, to Tsim Sha Tsui is $300, to Central is HK$350.
Octopus Card – stored value card:
Conference participants can obtain an Octopus Card for convenience during their stay in Hong Kong. Octopus Card is a handy alternative to cash for small payments. It is widely accepted in Hong Kong on almost all public transport, fast food chains, convenience stores, vending machines and the university campus canteen where meals will be served during the Conference.
Visitors may obtain Octopus Cards at customer service centers of all train stations and the Airport Express Line customer service centre at the Hong Kong International Airport. The minimum initial value of an Octopus Card is HK$150 (US$19.20) inclusive of HK$50 deposit for the card and HK$100 stored value. Upon return to the customer service centers at the train stations or the Airport Express Line at the airport, the HK$50 deposit and the unspent stored value on the card will be refunded with a small handling fee of HK$7 (US$0.9).
Stored value of the Octopus Card can be topped up at train stations, fast food chains and convenience stores, and the balance value is shown each time the card is used.
Additional Visitors’ Tips :
Weather :
During Hong Kong winter you can expect temperatures to be around 17C or 63 F, with little rain. You may want to bring a sweater, or jacket.
http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/current.htm
Banks :
ATMs are easy to find in Hong Kong, and most accept foreign bank cards. There is a Hang Seng Bank on City U campus next to the Library, and an HSBC in the Festival Walk shopping mall (next to campus). The current rate of exchange (July 2009) between US and HK dollar is HK$7.75 to US$1.
Hotels:
An extensive list of hotels can be sent via email upon your request. Write us at: extraordinarydresscode@yahoo.com
Language:
Hong Kong is supposedly a tri-lingual city (Cantonese, Mandarin/Putonghua, and English), though the majority language is Cantonese. English and Putonghua are widely spoken and understood, but occasionally you’ll run into an impass. It is a good idea when traveling by taxi, to have a business card for addresses, or the address written in Chinese characters.
Museums and Movies:
Leisure and Cultural Services Department - Museums
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/cs_mus_lcsd.php
Para/Site Art Space:
http://www.para-site.org.hk/
Hong Kong Film Archive:
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/english/eindex.html
Broadway Circuit (movies);
http://www2.cinema.com.hk/revamp/html/index.php?lang=e
link to Louise Bak article
Hu Ming is a renowned Chinese artist who joined the People’s Liberation Army during the time of the Cultural Revolution. She was instructed to paint heroic portraits of Mao Zedong repeatedly, but one day she was fascinated and petrified to encounter a book by Michelangelo. It featured male nudes and, while reprimanded for this, Hu went on to paint sensuous Chinese women with physical vigour.
Just thought I'd throw this into the mix . . .
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Updated list of presenters:
Here is a more complete list of presenters and topics (in no particular order) AS IT STANDS NOW
for the City University of Hong Kong conference: Extra/Ordinary Dress Code: Skin Skin and Costuming, December 8,9, & 10 2009.
Viki Karaminas - Über Men: Fashionable Heroics, Costume and Masculine Style in American Superhero Comics
Ellen Pearlman - Sexuality and Costume as Power and Individuation
Tim Sedo - We are not Athletes!
Xavier Tam, Siu Yan - Globalizing Yaoi: Tracing Boys Love across Chinese Cinemas
Holly Alford - The Influence of African American Hip Hop on Japanese Youth Culture
Luke Sharp - MAID UP: An Exploration of the Cosplay Maid Character in Japan
Gillian Davies - Urban Warriors 2009
Isaac Leung - Queering Sex machines: The Re-articulation of Non-normative Sexualities and Technosexual Bodies
Movana Chen - two-way communication
Ali Khan - Bollywoodization of American Pop Culture
Damayanthie Eluwawalage - Fashion and Popular Culture: a Philosophical Approach
Nesterova Maria, Spitsyna Ksenia - Victorian costume as a trend of contextual fashion in Japan: cultural and aesthetic analyses
Katalin Medvedev - From Waste to Taste: Cambodian Street Kids Craft Stylish Items From Garbage
Mathew Chew, Lu Chen - The Subculture and Subcultural Capital of Cosplay in China
Emily Schwarzwald - Dresscode. What Dresscode?! Styles in QueerLesbianWomanTrans BDSM Subculture
Tsang Kim Wa (Kim Peacock) - am as a text
Sophia Erray - The Past is Another Country
Silvia Fok - Nudity as Self-fashioning in Chinese Performance Art
Kazumi Nagaike, Kaori Yoshida - Cosplay Discourse in Japanese Girls’/Women’s Manga Comics
Kate Lingley - Cross-dressing and Silk Road Fashion in the Early Tang
Rodolfo Canete (Jun) – TBA
Gina Marchetti - LUST, CAUTION, Fashion
Farhana Ibrahim - Cloth, Identity, Meaning
陳世樂 (ah3) - 「乜你今日有打扮過咩？！」⎯⎯香港跨性別人士的衣飾觀念與打扮策略
Ma. Bernadette Bravo - Pinoy Cosplay: Defining the Filipino Take on the Cosplay Subculture
Theresa M. Winge - Modern Domesticity Tied in a Bow at the Back of the Zoku Apron
Gabrielle Chang - Western Vogue, Chinese Chic: Fashion Illustration in Early 20th Century China
IN ADDITION I list four of our featured speakers with links to their blogs OR to online articles:
Mia Chen - http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/09/16/2003271933/print
Louise Bak - http://individual.utoronto.ca/betts/eng356/LouiseBak.htm
Hazel Clark - http://www.popmatters.com/books/reviews/o/old-clothes-new-looks.shtml
Sharon Kinsella - http://www.kinsellaresearch.com/
for the City University of Hong Kong conference: Extra/Ordinary Dress Code: Skin Skin and Costuming, December 8,9, & 10 2009.
Viki Karaminas - Über Men: Fashionable Heroics, Costume and Masculine Style in American Superhero Comics
Ellen Pearlman - Sexuality and Costume as Power and Individuation
Tim Sedo - We are not Athletes!
Xavier Tam, Siu Yan - Globalizing Yaoi: Tracing Boys Love across Chinese Cinemas
Holly Alford - The Influence of African American Hip Hop on Japanese Youth Culture
Luke Sharp - MAID UP: An Exploration of the Cosplay Maid Character in Japan
Gillian Davies - Urban Warriors 2009
Isaac Leung - Queering Sex machines: The Re-articulation of Non-normative Sexualities and Technosexual Bodies
Movana Chen - two-way communication
Ali Khan - Bollywoodization of American Pop Culture
Damayanthie Eluwawalage - Fashion and Popular Culture: a Philosophical Approach
Nesterova Maria, Spitsyna Ksenia - Victorian costume as a trend of contextual fashion in Japan: cultural and aesthetic analyses
Katalin Medvedev - From Waste to Taste: Cambodian Street Kids Craft Stylish Items From Garbage
Mathew Chew, Lu Chen - The Subculture and Subcultural Capital of Cosplay in China
Emily Schwarzwald - Dresscode. What Dresscode?! Styles in QueerLesbianWomanTrans BDSM Subculture
Tsang Kim Wa (Kim Peacock) - am as a text
Sophia Erray - The Past is Another Country
Silvia Fok - Nudity as Self-fashioning in Chinese Performance Art
Kazumi Nagaike, Kaori Yoshida - Cosplay Discourse in Japanese Girls’/Women’s Manga Comics
Kate Lingley - Cross-dressing and Silk Road Fashion in the Early Tang
Rodolfo Canete (Jun) – TBA
Gina Marchetti - LUST, CAUTION, Fashion
Farhana Ibrahim - Cloth, Identity, Meaning
陳世樂 (ah3) - 「乜你今日有打扮過咩？！」⎯⎯香港跨性別人士的衣飾觀念與打扮策略
Ma. Bernadette Bravo - Pinoy Cosplay: Defining the Filipino Take on the Cosplay Subculture
Theresa M. Winge - Modern Domesticity Tied in a Bow at the Back of the Zoku Apron
Gabrielle Chang - Western Vogue, Chinese Chic: Fashion Illustration in Early 20th Century China
IN ADDITION I list four of our featured speakers with links to their blogs OR to online articles:
Mia Chen - http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/09/16/2003271933/print
Louise Bak - http://individual.utoronto.ca/betts/eng356/LouiseBak.htm
Hazel Clark - http://www.popmatters.com/books/reviews/o/old-clothes-new-looks.shtml
Sharon Kinsella - http://www.kinsellaresearch.com/
Saturday, July 11, 2009
another take on Second Skin
What is the second skin? We have many layers of epidermis on our fantastic (biological) bodies to protect us from the harsh environment of our beloved earth. So why would we need a “second skin” (especially since, biologically speaking, it is far from number two)? Of course clothing keeps us warm (so we can evolve in harsher climates). So why do we wear clothing in Hong Kong (average temperature 25 c)?
Coincidentally, other creative types (other than yours truly) have considered the “second skin” from their own unique vantage points. Here is an up-coming show of two Hong Kong (showing in Singapore) artists worthy of attention: http://www.osagegallery.com/
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