動機、MOTION
香港はまるでメタファーだ。
近年、一気に進んだテクノロジーのため、
私たちの本能は失われつつあるのではないかと思う。
今も街に点在するオールド香港の風情。
忘れかけた伝統や歴史を、
記憶の中から呼び覚ましてくれる。
古い街並み、昔から変わらぬ人々の営み。
世界中でグローバル化が進む中、今も息づく貴重な景色。
次に来た時も、ここにあるのだろうか？
そんな思いが、いつしか頻繁にわたしを香港に連れてきた。
そしてあれは何度めの香港だっただろう？
シャッターを押しながら、
昔見たチェン・カイコー監督の映画「夢幻百花」を思い出していた。
物語の舞台は高度成長期の北京。
更地で偶然に掘り出された鐘の音によって、
一瞬幻のように現れ、消え去るかつての邸宅…
わたしが愛してやまないオールド香港も、
近代化という波に飲み込まれ、消えゆく運命なのかもしれない。
この写真集が、私たちが忘れかけているものを思い起こし、
そこで暮らす人達への幸せの鐘の音になって欲しいと願っている。
オールド香港。
それらを守り、受け継いでいる全ての人へ。
感謝をこめて。
ナオコ・イナガキ・クレール
A question of time
I am a native New Yorker but I have not returned in some years.
The main reason I imagine is that the New York I knew the New York.
They helped to shape me and form my values just no longer exists.
A reality I find difficult to accept.
As we mature and grow in time life becomes increasingly a series of memories.
Memories you seek not to tarnish.
Memories you simply wish to cherish and keep in place, something you come to rely on.
Which brings us to the subject of Hong Kong a village that has emerged as our second home,
our Home away from Home as it were, a place we have come to love, a place familiar to us.
Having said this about ten years ago we began to notice considerable change.
A local shop demolished, replaced by some faceless chain store.
A neighbor who has been evicted as rents continue to grow sky high, a park closed down paving the way for Another super highway.
Clearly it was evident Hong Kong was becoming un-recognizable and it was devastating.
So what to do?
It was there and then Nao decided to record what was going on.
Not so much a warning but rather as a lament a testament to our own greed and inability to see.
The mass devastation we were harvesting and legitimizing.
To perhaps illustrate.
The fact that there was no turning back so "Footsteps in Silence" was born.
A eight year project.a chronicle of sorts.
Most certainly as outsiders we held reservations.
Had we the right to impose our philosophy or morality on Hong Kongers.
Well this was a belief which was without merit as the book has had such overwhelming support by the Hong Kongers themselves and it has left us humbled.
There are those who say this is a battle you can not win.
Our response that does not mean you surrender and cease to fight.
In fact it gave us incentive so we attempt to show Hong Kong as A vision of how we were and why it matters and hope in some small measure we have succeeded.
Gene Krell