Located in Wanchai, Hong Kong, Fenwick Pier stands along the Victoria harbor, next to the Hong Kong Government Headquarters building, and echoes the International Convention and Exhibition Center. Fenwick Pier, with 135 years History has received more than 50,000 young navies of 14 nationalities and has provided voluntary local cultural guidance to them. We can say that without Fenwick Pier, there would be no bars and restaurants in Wanchai, nor would there be the renowned red light district depicted in "The World of Suzie Huang" in the Hong Kong-British era, and there would be no prosperity of both cultural and commercial sectors in Wanchai today.
Due to its secluded and hidden location, Fenwick Pier has successfully preserved its unique vibe in a highly commercialized Hong Kong society. The vibe could be understood as a memory of Hong Kong in a certain period of time during the history. It would possibly bring you back to 80s,90s, or even earlier. The merchants in the Fenwick Pier have also carried their unique origins: including a restaurant “Giá” founded by Italian chef Gianni Caprioli, as well as his “Mercato Gourmet”; Hong Kong tailor Tony and his third-generation Shanghainese tailor shop “Fushing & Sons”; John Lee's Music studios, whose father Tom Lee established the very first “Tom Lee Music instrument” in Fenwick Pier as well. Last but not least the retro souvenir shops and barbershops that served international navies during the past 60 years. For its private location and atmosphere, Fenwick Pier used to be a place where Hong Kong celebrities dine and shop, it has been invisible among the general public for many years until 2021. When the demolishment notice was implemented in 2021, medias start to expose this hidden ”Paradise“ among the Hong Kong public. The term "Fenwick Pier" started to be viral since then.
I first stepped into Fenwick Pier as a graphic designer candidate of Giando Group at the end of 2020. The moment I entered this ragged building sitting among the skyscrapers in the very centred CBD of Hong Kong, an inspiration had sparked immediately in my mind. In July 2021, I started planning officially a community art project based on Fenwick Pier, where I later gathered the creations and inspirations of artists, video graphers and the general public. The story of Fenwick Pier which has been kept secretly underneath its ragged skin finally got discovered by Hong Kong people. The first exhibition "A Gathering of the Past, Present, and Future, at Fenwick Pier" got its successful closure in January 2022. Through the exposure of the local media, the exhibition and the historical values of Fenwick Pier were presented to an even wider general public among Hong Kong.
After almost 2 years of joint effort with MeralinkArt, Dennissoap, Tsz Ching Yu, Chan Wing Lam, and Chan Yin Chi, a new version of Fenwick Pier is now available in the digital realm, transforming a demolishing historical building into a digital cultural archive. Integrating past, present, and future, a trans-historical conversation about Hong Kong culture is being continued among the public. In the meanwhile, an emerging discourse of art and technology are being raised at the same time.
--Yang Tong (Curator)
