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Can you imagine how books, posters, and other printed matters were made before the emergence of computerised typesetting and offset printing? “Between the Lines – The Legends of Hong Kong Printing” presents an array of interesting stories about two traditional printing methods: movable type and lithography. In addition to showcasing the lost art of traditional printing techniques, the exhibition illustrates how young designers are injecting their creative ideas into a new generation of printed products, reviving and transforming the tradition of movable type and letterpress printing.

The exhibition goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, when Robert Morrison left the UK and came to China as a missionary, where he led the development of letterpress printing in modern China. In those days, the “Ming typeface” designed by Anglo-Chinese College was known as the “Hong Kong Type” and was considered to be the most beautiful Chinese type. It was sold overseas and was used in The Chinese Classics, translated by James Legge, the English and Chinese Dictionary, with the Punti and Mandarin Pronunciation, compiled by Wilhelm Lobscheid, the Universal Circulating Herald, founded by Wang Tao, and The Self Educator, written by Johnson Sun to help Chinese labourers working in Australia learn English.

Lithography arrived in China in 1826 and became widely adopted within decades, as it was easier than woodblocks and cheaper than movable types. In 1884, Shen Bao issued the Dianshizhai Pictorial in Shanghai, the first image-based journal. This ushered in the new age of graphic storytelling, which was made possible by the introduction of lithography. By the 1930s, chromolithographic posters were a common sight. Thanks to the technology of colour separation, platemaking and subtractive processes, readers were introduced to vibrant colours in print and a more engaging visual experience.

Today, lithography has developed into offset printing, which is now the mainstream practice in the printing industry. Movable type printing is inscribed on the list of intangible cultural heritage. Many young people now aspire to revive traditional craftsmanship by exploring the possibilities of incorporating old printing techniques into contemporary designs.

Traces of Life is an honest response to the current state of affairs in Hong Kong. 2020 has been a challenging year for all. Uncertainties have displaced expectations and disoriented city dwellers. Through this exhibition, we re-anchor ourselves by observing, documenting and engaging with the place that is most familiar to us – our home. Through collecting and recording traces of life in the space that we call ‘home’, we wish to outline each home’s uniqueness and share them with you. Along the journey, we hope that you find a point of reflection, discover the familiar despite differences, and explore what ‘home’ might mean to you.

10 Chancery Lane Gallery is proud to present Unfolding into the Expanse, a series of works by Beijing based artist Liang Hao. This marks Liang’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Curated by Tang Zehui, Unfolding into the Expanse will be on display from the 16th January – 29th February 2020. The content’s of Liang’s ethereal paintings present the paradoxical of a metaphor both concrete and immaterial. The works place the viewer within a space of psychological weightlessness. The bright and even canvas creates a sterile plane while the luminescent objects seems to melt into the frame. A relationship between concrete and abstract emerges. Heavily inspired by baroque philosophy Liang delves into philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s explication of The Fold. Deleuze posits that our current reality is constantly becoming, or coming into being, therefore folds between the different expressions of the present contain unique reflections of reality. Liang believes that painting is a mirror to life, and thus he uses a mirror within his work to create another layer of perception. The mirror creates a disillusion. Liang explains, “I realized that in fact, I was attracted by another thing — the image of reflection, perhaps mostly because of its spatial attribute, or the attribute of unknown space. If the mirror is presented as a kind of reflection, I think it is a kind of replication of space or image, however the reflection of metal, is like information going from another space, like data, which has an infinite sense of distance in my imagination.” The viewer is asked to consider ones self within these folds of time, space and materiality. The human form is the subject but is never presented as a whole. The experience of the viewer in conversation with the work becomes supreme. As Liang creates his own world within each painting he is focused on transmitting this same exploration within the viewer. Faces are never seen in their totality and fragments of hands are painted with extreme detail — another reflection back at the viewer. Ultimately, Liang creates a visceral look into the self, ignited by a meditation in the constant metamorphosis of reality.

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This content is only available in Chinese

This content is only available in Chinese

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