Dirty Air

 China, Hong Kong, News, Pollution  No Responses »
Mar 232010
 

Hong Kong has just gone through one of the dirtiest air days in history. With the Air Pollution Index hitting 500 in certain areas of Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s government told residents to reduce outdoor activities and schools scrapped sports classes as the city’s air pollution index hit record highs. It’s has been an ongoing problem for years in Hong Kong. It doesn’t help being at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta which funnels all the toxic industrial air pollution from southern China. Here are a few images I shot for Bloomberg News. Thanks for looking!Two men talk on a walkway in Central as the pollution looms overhead and the Wanchai skyline in the background in Hong Kong, China.A woman covers her face from the pollution as she walks across Queens Road Central in Central, Hong Kong, China.A man watches over a major construction zone in Central with the Wanchai skyline in the background as the pollution looms overhead Hong Kong island.As the pollution hangs over Hong Kong island, Fred Mostowy, on vacation from Canada takes photos of the Hong Kong skyline in Central, Hong Kong, China.

Art Walk 2010 In Hong Kong

 Asia, Events, Hong Kong  No Responses »
Mar 192010
 

On Wednesday night I participated in the 2010 ArtWalk in Hong Kong. ArtWalk is a wonderful charity event that has raised over HK$4 million all for charity since it’s beginning in 2001 and supports the annual graduation exhibitions of Hong Kong fine art students. Donations are raised from the sale of the ArtWalk tickets which run HK$430 (about US$55), and this year the benefiting charity is the Society for Community Organization (SoCo). The evening is simple as you can start at any one of the 60+ galleries in Central, Sheung Wan, Wanchai and Causeway Bay and at your leisure you can browse through the different galleries eating and drinking donated food and drinks as you enjoy the wide range of art from pop-art and realism to abstract and 3D installations. While I didn’t get to all the galleries I did visit quite a few and enjoyed the evening. One of the galleries we visited is owned and operated by my friend Lisa Botos who used to be my editor at Time Magazine here in Hong Kong. She has since left the magazine, moved to Singapore but has opened this gallery called Ooi Botos Gallery which is Hong Kong’s leading avant-garde gallery specializing in photography, digital media, video and installation. When we visited the gallery they were featuring the work of Chen Man an incredibly talented Chinese photographer who’s work is simply stunning. Another gallery we visited that I was impressed with with the work was Connoisseur Art Gallery that featured the work of Chinese artists Yan Ya Ya and Zhang Da Zhong both extremely talented Chinese contemporary portrait artists. Below are just a few images from the night. Hope you enjoy!The work of Chen Man is on display at Ooi Botos Gallery in Wanchai.This stunning portrait by Yan Ya Ya can be seen at the Connoisseur Art Gallery on Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong.Another stunning portrait by artist Zhang Da Zhong at Connoisseur Art Gallery on Hollywood Road in Central.People look over the installation at the main office of Society for Community Organization, the benefactor of this years ArtWalk.

The Economy In Hong Kong

 Asia, Economy, Hong Kong  No Responses »
Mar 182010
 

Greetings, I am back in Hong Kong. It’s been a long time but now that I am healed with my shoulder injury it’s good to be back home. I have been wondering around a bit on the streets in between jobs for Bloomberg News and a few other corporate gigs. I am loving being back here as always and feel very much at home. Almost every day I walk past 90 year old Mr. Mak a newspaper and magazine vendor along Sing Woo Road in Happy Valley. (Love that name). His business, which he has had for over 40 years, seems to be doing well unlike others around the world. Back in San Francisco my buddy Justin Sullivan with Getty Images photographed a guy who had to close his newspaper kiosk after being in business for over 30 years. Sad state of the times for sure. It seems to me that Hong Kong is booming while the rest of the world suffers through the ongoing economic crisis. I am not sure if it is because of good management on the part of the Hong Kong government or if Hong Kong is just insulated to this sort of thing. What ever they are doing it seems to be working. In any event it’s great to see that things are on track here in the SAR. (Special Administrative Region) Here are a few photos of my newspaper vendor, Mr Mak. A nice old man with a twinkle in his eye. Thanks for looking! Mr Mak, 90 waits for customers at his newspaper and small items stand along Sing Woo Road in Happy Valley.Mr. Mak, 90 unties a knot in a string as he waits for customers.Newspaper vendor, Mr Mak, 90, gives back change at his Happy Valley newspaper stand on Sing Woo Road.Mr. Mak, 90, folds newspapers at his Happy Valley newspaper stand which he has operated for over 40 years.Mr. Mak, a 90 year old newspaper vendor in Happy Valley waits for his next customer at his kiosk stand that he has operated for over 40 years.