3. Phoebe Man "Reunification with China, I am happy…," 1997 by Mandy So

• Title: Reunification with China, I am happy. Reunification with China, I am happy…
• Artist: Phoebe Man
• Year: 1997
• Media: Plastic (Installation Art)

Issues raised by the work:

- Sincerity of the Business Community

- Uncertainty of the future

- Pretense of Hong Kong People

My opinion towards the work:

- Direct and interesting method (mimicry of the buildings, use of color, arrangment)

- A contrast of the feelings of Hong Kong people(Surface: Happy; Hidden: Anxious of the future)

Another work by Phoebe Man

• Title: 97 Budhisattva
• Year: 1995
• Media: Mixed media (installation art)
• Use a sex toy to pretend to be Budhisattva菩薩
--> Hong Kong people concerned more about sex and money more than the Handover

Reference:

• Davis Clarke, “ Living in the Shadow of the Future”, in Hong Kong Art: Culture and Decolonisation, North Carolina: Duke, 2002

• Pun Sing Lui, “Forward”, in Pre’ 97 Special Arts Zone, Hong Kong : Sun Sai Kei Publisher, 1996

Discussion Question:

Do you have the same feeling with Phone Man (pretense of Hong Kong people, uncertainty of future and insincerity of the business community) during 1997 or now ?

Have your attitude towards Handover been changed over these 12 years? And How?