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Intimate Portrait
Intimate PortraitFung Wing-lam
J: Can you tell us about your artistic path? Why did you choose to major in New Media?
F: I did not start my artistic training with any particular field of interest in mind. Not until I came across interactive media at Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) did I gradually fell for this type of creation. I am a novelty seeker who lacks patience, and that is why when I had to choose a major at university, I went for New Media – for it strives for everything innovative and cutting edge.
A bachelor degree in Arts and Science was rather novel – in fact, I was one of the graduates from the second cohort – that many people who read my resume thought it was a typo. A multidisciplinary field of study allowed me to cover subjects such as mathematics, physics and biology, on top of the modules available in the New Media Department, so that I could construct creative concepts via different angles and disciplines.
J: How can Biology be applied to artistic creation?
F: Take DNA for example: even though it is old news in this day and age, its visually pleasing double helix structure continues to inspire many artists,.
Engaging in intellectual interaction with biology students has also inspired me to create works about slime mold. I am not referring to the “slime” kids like to play with, but a kind of yellow protist that cannot be found in Hong Kong. Slime molds are light-sensitive; therefore they prefer dark places and shroud objects such that light cannot penetrate – like algae. In my work, Locus of Slime Mold, I focus on their light-sensitive feature and gave it a twist, juxtaposing slime mold with light bulbs.
J: It seems that arts is more often associated with sensibility, while rationality is the domain of science, do you agree?
F: I don’t think there is a definite division of sensibility and rationality between arts and science. Many artistic creations carry well thought out themes and messages – sometimes even political critique. Hence, art is more than just an outcome of sensibility. On the other hand, many may think that science is all about logic, analogous to the operation of a computer relying solely on specific formulae. However, more often than not, scientific discoveries or researches are based on gut feelings, or sparked by curiosity, which are not always rational. No matter how much one prepares and calculates, at the end of the day, even science needs a bit of luck or hunch to send a rocket to space.
Some people may consider media art as simply technology, with a time stamp attached. I am not going to define whether or not my creations are works of art; rather, I am interested in the interactivity of my works and public involvement.
J: Can you tell us about the creative concept behind the artwork, Blah, Blah, Blah?
F: My creative concept usually revolves around objects and happenings in everyday life. Every time I discover something with development potential, I would restlessly study its possibility. High tech components and complicated setup are not prerequisites of media creation . My work, Blah, Blah, Blah, was a demonstration of this concept – by adding different elements to a network of 555 timer IC, a simple integrated circuit, I try to maximise its usage and explore different variations that can be achieved. This is one of the experiments in my Daily Practice 555 series, in which I incorporate simple mechanic parts with minuscule details of the everyday life. I give the works cheeky names inspired by colloquial proverbs. The next work in this series will feature motors, title, Hinder and Hinder.
J: Through various media such as electronic devices, audio and programmed installations, what sort of experience are you intending to bring to the audience?
F: My works are like open experiments – different people would experience them differently. For example, some may think that Blah, Blah, Blah is too noisy and incomprehensible, and asked if it could be switched off. Yet, this corresponds exactly to its title – a string of never-ending soundwaves. I had deliberately not included a power-off button in this work.
J: The five senses are primary receptors to our surroundings. But if you have to choose one of them, which would it be? And why?
F: Hearing, as it gives people infinite space for imagination. I remember having attended lectures on Foley, learning how to create sound effects for films with unrelated objects. For example, we used rice grains and beans to imitate the sound of rain. Sound, combined with imagination and memories, can fill in the missing senses. Therefore, with just hearing, we can still visualise objects in our minds.
J: We know you have just participated in the “Algorithmic Art: Shuffling Space and Time” exhibition, and won the “Silver Award” (Media Art category) in the Hong Kong Independent Short Film & Video Awards (ifva). Can you share with us your experiences?
F: The “Algorithmic Art: Shuffling Space and Time” exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong, and aims to look into the future development of art through the lens of new media. Exhibits include Toshio Iwai’s 1985 creation, as well as a series of works by local artists themed upon Dr. Shi-Kuo Chang’s famous science fiction Nebula Suite. In this exhibition, I joined the production team for Object-Subjectivities: a Techno-art Saga, assisting Professor Linda Lai in the research of the keywords collected by her from the exhibition contents, before actualising the findings into an interactive chronology projected to the screen. Visitors can point the cursor on any keywords on the timeline to find out more about the exhibiting artworks they associate with. This prompted me to consider the history of an artwork. What some may consider cutting edge technology could have stemmed from prehistoric incarnations. The creation of new technologies is undoubtedly a form of breakthrough, but on a deeper level, if one manages to constitute different outcomes using the same technology, that in itself is already an advancement.
Meanwhile, the award-winning work, Integrated Branching City was my first new media work, in collaboration with fellow course-mates from HKDI. We tried to collect brainwaves as we show audience news video clippings, displaying their level of attention to current affairs in real-time using different colours. I remember being asked, “if photos of food items are displayed, do you think that would inflict a different brainwave response?” In fact, the two are not contradictory, since the main purpose of this work is to analyse the focus point and attention span on general subjects – is the boiling frog a fable or an allegory? Does prolonged exposure numbs one’s senses?
Fung Wing-lam
J: Do you think JCCAC has helped your artistic development?
F: I have been living in this neighbourhood since I was a child, so naturally I prefer to continue my artistic pursuit here. JCCAC is a great platform for me to learn more about different art genres, plus it provides me with ample opportunities to interact with other local artists.
