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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Hong Kong in Miniature exhibition

A woman peering into a miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to the media preview of the Hong Kong in Miniature exhibition in Sydney on Monday. An exhibition of miniatures in such a public place was exciting enough: but what I didn't know was that the miniature artisits who made the scenes had been flown out from Hong Kong for the duration of the exhibition.

This is Louise Chan, who made three of my favourite scenes on display at the exhibition:
The maker standing next to the miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s at the Hong Kong in Miniature exhibition.
She told me, in her lovely scottish accent, that she started her miniature journey about ten years ago, when she found a shop in a shopping cnetre that sold miniature scenes and items. She was initially only interested in buying and collecting miniature pieces but soon started to experiment with making various miniature items that she couldn't buy.

Louise created this traditional 1960s Hong Kong shoe shop based on the one that featured in the film Echoes of the Rainbow (you can see parts of the shop in the trailer for the movie).
The front of a miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
She made all the shoes in the window
The entrance of a miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
(which I couldn't get close enough to take a good photo of, so here's one from the press pack:)
Front window of a miniature Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
Photo courtesy of the Joyful Miniature Association
The interior of a miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
And above the shop is a simple office space. Louise pointed out how she used a yellow bulb to get the correct old-fashioned glow to the lamp.
Interior of the upstairs office of a miniature model of a Hong Kong shoe shop from the 1960s.
The Hong Kong in Miniature exhibition is on at Westfield Pitt Street during trading hours until September 20. Demonstrations by the miniaturists will be held on Thursday 17 at 10.30 am (Vivian Lee will be making mini dim sims), and on Sunday 20 at 3 pm (Li Loi Yun will showcase how she makes mini plants.)

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3 comments:

  1. Pepper4:21 pm, September 16, 2015

    I wish these sort of exhibitions would come to the UK. Never seen anything like this and how freakin' cool is the illuminated sign outside of the shop? Giving me ideas...Are you sticking around for the demonstrations?

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  2. marionswiss9:48 pm, September 16, 2015

    Wow! Just look at these shoes - all different styles and kind. She did a great job..

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  3. AMCSviatko7:47 am, September 17, 2015

    Marion: I know, right?
    Pepper: Tempting as it is to return for the demonstrations (or, more importantly for the miniaturists' meetup we're trying to arrange between the Hong Kong artists and some local miniaturists), it would be a seven and a half hour round trip so probably not going to happen.
    I thought you'd like the sign: there was much more neon and interesting use of light, so I'm thinking I may need to create a post dedicated to just that... :-)

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