Hong Kong and China: Pillar of Shame Exhibition During Olympics

The Time Square in Hong Kong is having an art exhibition during Beijing Olympics until Aug 19. Two of the artworks look like the Pillar of Shame, an artwork to memorize the June 4 massacre. Local art group invited Szeto Wah to give a radical interpretation of the artworks, esp. the two pillars at Time Square. The background of the art action is at inmediahk.net, with a embedded video from youtube.

7 comments

  • yanghua

    想说明什么?

  • J. Lynn

    Bcoz he’s the victim of June 4, but actually these people deserve nothing of sympathy, betrayors of nation, and collaborate of westerners. They’re nothing, but westerner’s dogs, and westerners only treat them as dogs when they need to use curb China.

    Shame of you, Oiwan Lam. Dog~ to be cursed

  • SUPPORT_CHINA

    These dogs are running wild without owners. Let’s take them dogs home to raise as pets.

  • so_damn_lame

    Hey guys,

    Give Oiwan a break. Don’t sweat little things like that pillar of shame stuff.

    We should take in the deeper significance of the pillar. That is, in addition to what its artist, Jens Galschiot, intended it to be — which is one that will always reflect western perception of what occurred in 6/4.

    The important thing that we, as Chinese, should keep in mind is that the event signified by this pillar represent a time when we as a nation and as a people were perceived as inferior and inadequate not only in the eyes of the international community, but more importantly in the eyes of our own people.

    We were so desperate to become America Jr. that we forgot that we must forge our own identity, and walk our own path. We loved America so much that we created an idealized fantasy of America that belies its reality. Look at the goddess of liberty — a blatant knock off that screams to the world that we are not good enough; so much so, that we were willing to copy all things American lock, stock and barrel.

    All because we were inadequate and inferior, not only in western eyes, but also in our own eyes. To me, that god awful pillar represents a time when, as a people, we lack a modern identity that can we can be proud of. A modern identity that we can say to other people, “Hey, this is what means to be Chinese, and I am proud of it.”

    That fact that the mere mentioning of this pillar still provokes indignation tells us that we haven’t completely shed our cloak of inferiority yet. What adds to this reality is that despite more and more people in Hong Kong, Taiwain, and abroad beginning to embrace their Chinese-ness, many more are still actively denying the fact that they are Chinese.

    We can put this to a test directly and ask Oiwan Lam whether or not he feel he is at all Chinese.

    So, Oiwan Lam, are you Chinese?

    And we are not talking about the matter of citizenship. It is a matter of of identity.

    Anyhow, regardless of Oiwan’s answer is or whether or not he answers at all, we shouldn’t be so indignant about some little pillar. We should keep in mind what the pillar represents in the eyes of its creator, its audience in the west, and what it is a reminder of to us Chinese.

  • Random Chinese guy

    Comments such as #2 and #3 are yet another example of the ultra-sensitivity that many Chinese have towards the image of their country or government and any criticism that might damage it. Sadly, such inane comments tend to further hurt our reputation, not improve it.

    No government or country is perfect. This includes both China and the US. Get over it. Learn to deal with criticism, accept (and learn from) what you believe to be true, and forget the rest.

    The world would be a better place if we could just learn to agree to disagree.

  • chan

    Agreed with comment #4.
    Fake “freedom” & “human right” for any political intention to create Chaos can cause Seperation, be reminded of the lesson learned.Fake “human Right” & “Freedom” could be an psychological attacks for creating or triggering Chaos, like propaganda.
    I am a true “Human Right” & “freedom” lover”.
    I believe that Good Human Right and Freedom should bring dignity, progress and benefits to all the people, all human races, but not Chaos.
    Who am I ? I am as I am.

  • oiwan

    regarding szeto wah, i don’t think anyone can call him a “running” dog. he is an anti-colonialism fighter in hk before i was born. he fought for the official status of “Chinese” language in hk, fought for “Chinese education”, fought for “national unity” (protect the diaoyutai).

    he is more patriotic than most Chinese in mainland china, who see the government or the ccp as the “only” official national representative.

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