In 2019, citizens in many districts in Hong Kong spontaneously built “Lennon Walls”. Two years later, the Lennon Walls in various districts have already “disappeared.” Rebuild Lennon Wall with grid-by-frame collage. His work “Assembly (Assembly)” won the third place in the Professional Event, Social Cause of the IPA International Photography Awards (International Photography Awards) known as the “Photographic Oscar”.
The 27-year-old photographer Harvey told The Position that he was happy to win the prize, but he only recorded the contributions of Hong Kong people, and said, “For the past two years, Hong Kong people have had a hard time, but I hope everyone I still remember my original intention, don’t forget everyone, Hong Kong people continue to cheer.”
The introduction of the IPA website states, “Assembly” is a series of photos that record Lennon Wall during the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement in 2019. The opposition to the “Fugitive Offenders Bill Amendment Draft” triggered large-scale demonstrations. People wrote their appeals in different colors. Post-it notes are posted in different public spaces to piece together a visual art that is hundreds of meters long and represents democracy. Photographers shoot from multiple angles at precise intervals and distances, stitching hundreds of photos into linear street view panoramas.
Harvey also mentioned in an interview with “Stance” in June this year that it took a lot of time to produce the panorama, and the Tai Po Lennon Tunnel alone would take nearly a month to complete.
With his authorization, “Stance” also used some of his photographic works to virtually “rebuild” the 2019 Lennon Wall with an interactive page.
Harvey once said that he believes that democracy means “everyone can speak equally.” Every post-it note on Lennon Wall is the voice of everyone. “Lennon Wall is the place where democracy can best be presented.” Two years later, Lennon Wall has disappeared, but he believes that Lennon Wall has not disappeared. It has only become “On the bus, some people write and put labels; tunnels, now there are people who put stickers…”
Photograph of Lake Natron
In the Professional Nature, Aerial / Drone category of the IPA International Photography Awards, Hong Kong photographer Richard Li’s work “Palette” also won the second place. In September 2019, Richard Li used an aerial camera to photograph Lake Natron on the border of Tanzania and Kenya. The filming was in the dry season. The lake water had a large amount of evaporation and extremely high alkalinity, as shallow as several tens of centimeters. The bottom of the lake showed colorful patterns, and large numbers of flamingoes gathered from time to time. The pictures showed the magical work of nature.
In the non-professional category, 8 Hong Kong photographers have won awards in different categories of photography, including simulated film (other), nature (sunset), and people (street scene). Min Ji Park, Hong Chen and Jason Au won the first place. In the editor/news (general news) sub-item, Leung Man Hei won the second place with a series of photos of the situation in Hong Kong during the epidemic.
