• Interview 採訪:Law Yuk-mui/ 羅玉梅
    Editing 編輯、整理:Law Yuk-mui/ 羅玉梅
    English Translation 英譯 : Winnie Chau/ 周潁榆
    Transcription 謄錄: Janie Chan Tsang/ 陳錚

  • 02/11/2015

  • Hong Kong/ 香港

  • , , , , ,

Wong Fuk-kuen believes that there is a vibrant place beyond the world he knows. He wishes that this place would guide and inspire his creations with sound and space.
https://vimeo.com/user9026430

Fuk kuen

The Library: Why would Granny Yee Woo[1] (Evelyna Liang-Kan Yee Woo) ask you to make the recording?

Wong Fuk-kuen: It was in fact a 20th anniversary activity by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. All participating artists received a sponsored piano. Their original intention was only to decorate the pianos, e.g. with drawing, by sticking something on it. Yet, Granny Erhu would like to do something related to sound. Hence, she contacted me.

The Library: But why was it the sound of the Umbrella Movement?

Wong Fuk-kuen: Before the Umbrella Movement took place, she said she wanted to record some street sounds. A month later, this unforeseen event took place and we adopted a new direction right away. Actually, every participating artist had a theme. Granny Erhu’s theme was ‘contemporary music’. It is a very broad theme, which means anything goes. Contemporary sounds in the midst of the Umbrella Movement, using this as an entry point, this is in fact contemporary music already.

The Library: If Granny Erhu didn’t ask you to make the recording, would you have taken part in this movement?

Wong Fuk-kuen: Certainly. But instead, if you asked me: would I make recordings if there had not been Granny Yee Woo’s project? I would, but probably not this much.

At that time, I went to the occupied areas in Mong Kok and Admiralty intermittently for five to six days. I wandered around without specific purposes. I am fond of things that subvert the ordinary and the Umbrella Movement was precisely subverting the ordinary. For instance, I like it most when typhoon signal no. 8 is hoisted. Everyone on the street walks towards the same direction. I find it amazing. Everyone stops working and packs up spontaneously. On a normal day, people invariably walk in all directions: right and left, forwards and backwards; once typhoon signal no. 8 is hoisted, everyone returns home in the same direction, changing the whole scenery.

The Library: What have you recorded eventually?

Wong Fuk-kuen: It’s mainly conversations of some people. Apart from the contents, I am interested in the identity and the grouping of the speakers, as well as the entire atmosphere. For instance, there is a clip that was recorded on a bridge in Admiralty at night. There were people singing on the slope across the road afar; at a distance below the slope, people made a circle and shouted every 30 seconds. Afterwards, they roared, quieted down for 10 seconds and roared again. I stood on the bridge to listen. Such experience, combinations and distance are very special.

The Circle
10:00PM, 10/19/2014, Admiralty

  

Besides, there were ambient sounds that would only appear at that time. For instance, there is a kerb between the two main roads in Admiralty. Some people had built some stairs for others to go past in the middle. The design or installation was very special, as it only appeared for the Occupy Movement. People walked up and down there and generated some sound. I found that very special so I sat there to record the sound of people crossing.

The Poem
08:30PM, 10/19/2014, Admiralty

  

The Library: Was it the first time you took part in a social movement? Have you had any similar experience previously?

Wong Fuk-kuen: How could I not have? When I was interning at Inmedia, I was always in touch with these things.

The Library: Right. I remember that you passed me a leaflet during the July 1st protest in 2014. Why did you intern there?

Wong Fuk-kuen: Perhaps because I wouldn’t want to live in an ivory tower or create behind closed doors. In the past, I seldom concerned myself with politics. I wasn’t interested in it; I just wanted to learn about it. After learning about it, I would know if I like it or not, but I must get to understand it first.

The Library: What influence has your internship at Inmedia brought to you?

Wong Fuk-kuen: There I came across and paid attention to many social issues. Working directly with these people helps me realize, first and foremost, there is such a group of enthusiastic people. Even if I wouldn’t spend much time here, I would know there is such a group of people and what they do is influencing me and the society.

[1] Evelyna Liang-Kan Yee Woo, known as Granny Yee Woo, is an artist, community art advocate and founder of Art for All, dedicated to helping the disadvantaged in society through art.

 

黃福權相信在他所知道的世界以外有另一個充滿能量的地方,他希望這個地方會引導和啟發他對於聲音與空間的創作。
https://vimeo.com/user9026430

聲音圖書館: 為什麼二胡婆婆(梁以瑚)[1]會找你錄音?

黃福權: 其實是康文署的一個二十多周年紀念活動,參展的藝術家都獲贊助一座鋼琴。他們原來的目的只想藝術家在琴上做一些裝飾,例如畫畫,貼一些東西,但二胡婆婆想做關於聲音的東西,所以找了我。

聲音圖書館: 但為什麼是雨傘運動的聲音?

黃福權:在雨傘運動未發生之前,她說要錄一些街頭的聲音。怎料一個月後發生了這件事,便立即改變方向。事實上每個參展的藝術家都有一個題目,二胡婆婆的題目是 「當代音樂」,很闊的一個主題,即是什麼都可以。當代的聲音,雨傘運動正在發生,以此作為切入點,這便是當代音樂。

聲音圖書館: 如果二胡婆婆沒有找你錄音,你會不會參加這個運動?

黃福權: 當然會,反而是,如果你問我,沒有了二胡婆婆這個項目,我會不會錄音?我會錄,但未必會錄這麼多。

那時候我五、六天,斷斷續續地去旺角和金鐘的佔領區,周圍逛,沒有特定的目的。因為我喜歡一些顛倒日常的東西,雨傘運動就是顛倒了日常。譬如,打八號風球,我最喜歡了。整條街上的人都可以向著同一方向走,我覺得很神奇,自然可以令全部人「收檔」(粤語:意思是停止或結束)。平日人們都是左左右右前前後後,往不同的方向走,八號風球一到,全部人都走同一條路回家,改變了整個景象。

聲音圖書館: 你最後錄了些什麼?

黃福權: 主要是一些人對話的內容。除了內容本身,我感興趣的是說話者的身份和組合,還有整個環境氣氛。譬如有一段錄音是晚上在金鐘那條天橋上錄的,遠處的馬路斜坡上有人在唱歌;斜坡下面,相隔一段距離的位置,人們圍了一個圈,每隔半分鐘便大叫,然後起哄,靜下來十秒後又再起哄。我站在天橋上聽,這種經歷、組合和距離,很特別。

圍圈
10:00PM, 10/19/2014, 金鐘

  

另外就是一些只會在那時候發生的環境聲音。譬如金鐘有一個石壆位,即是兩條大馬路中間那個位置,有人築起了一些樓梯的結構,讓人可以在中間穿梭。這個設計或裝置很特別,是因為佔領運動才會出現的東西。人們在這裡上上落落,產生一些聲音,我覺得很特別,就坐在那裡,錄人們走過的聲音。

唸詩
08:30PM, 10/19/2014, 金鐘

  

聲音圖書館: 這是不是你第一次參與社會運動?你以前有沒有類似的經驗?

黃福權: 怎會沒有呢?在獨立媒體做實習生的時候都會接觸到這些東西。

聲音圖書館: 對,2014年的7・1遊行我接過你派的傳單,你為什麼會在那裡做實習生?

黃福權: 可能是不想那麼離地或閉門創作,政治的東西我以前很少接觸。我不是有興趣,我是想了解而已,了解後自己不喜歡便不喜歡,但一定要知道這些事情。

聲音圖書館: 在獨立媒體做實習生對你有什麼影響?

黃福權: 在那裡我接觸、留意多了很多社會議題。直接地和這群人合作過,首先令我知道有這一群那麼熱心的人,就算我將來不會花太多時間在這裡,我都知道有這一群人在,而且他們所做的正在影響著我和社會。

[1]梁以瑚,人稱二胡婆婆,藝術家及社區藝術推動者,「全人藝動」(Art for All)創辨人,致力以藝術去幫助社會弱勢社

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Happy Birthday/ 生日快樂
09:00PM, 10/04/2014, Admiralty /金鐘

  

The Drama/ 街頭話劇
09:30PM, 10/18/2014, Admiralty /金鐘