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Label... Category... Standard Entry Video Information Press Release Event News

• HK ArtFair 2011

  Thursday, May 26, 2011 7:30PM / Standard Entry

  Phew! What a busy week we've had! HK really is a city that never sleeps!
  
  I'd just finished a very long tour of a HK International ArtFair yesterday (which was covering over 2 levels this year. With the attendance of thousands of special guests from the world over, I have to say I was very impressed with it this year.
  
  
  
  Lots of Work From All Over The World
  
  The collection this year was certainly a lot broader than it was last year. Last year consisted mainly of photos and paintings and some sculpture work but this time the venue was greatly expanded. Onto two levels! For the first time I saw a lot of work also coming out from Europe. As well as work from Asia (like it did last year), a number of interesting pieces was coming also from the States, including from places like Germany and remote places like Turkey.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Prominent Artists Exhibiting and Attending
  
  There were some well known artists work I saw at the show. People such as Damien Hurst and Sam Leech, as well as many galleries and artists (foreign and domestic) who resided within China. While I was browsing through the levels I came across HK artist Louis Koo, and even people like actress Tang Wei! Tang looked a bit plain without makeup I have to say, but I guess that's HK life for you right? People are still people nonetheless and they need to enjoy life, no matter what they do.
  
  Interesting Exhibits
  
  There was some very interesting exhibits that I came across last night. Apart from the usual paintings and sculptures (like some amazing pieces like a miniature Chinese restaurant and great landscape pic) there were many where the user could actually try out and 'wear' the said artpiece! (in the 2nd pic above).
  
  Then...I also found some truly innovate displays!
  
  Amazing Interactive Display
  
  
  
  I came across this amazing interactive display yesterday. It is displayed on a TV and inside is a person standing looking around on a street, with a phone number above their heads. If you managed to call through to the number above the person inside the TV they will pick it up and answer....and then something happens to them. I will leave this for you to decide what happens next....
  
  Miniature Chinese Restaurant and Amazing Embossed Prints
  
  I came across this amazing looking piece.
  The first bit looks like this. You walk inside....
  
  
  
  ...and you see this!
  
  
  
  Then you will see this......and be treated to a miniature Chinese restaurant, complete with sounds. Fun eh?
  
  
  
  Embossed Prints
  
  There was some truly amazing work being shown at yesterdays show. I think of them had to be this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This was a series of about 3 prints which were made using an embossing technique. Incredibly detailed it is truly delicate work because all it consisted of were straight lines, it must have taken the artist ages to complete. And probably was worth a lot of money too....
  
  Amazing Landscape Print
  
  
  
  
  
  Also came across this amazing landscape print from China, which is over a metre long in 3 parts and depicts buildings as like in ancient Chinese-style mountain paintings. There was also an interactive version of this painting by the same artist, but showing moving cars in streets and waterfall moving.
  
  Meeting with Lisa S
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I also managed to meet up with resident AnD artiste Lisa S. last night at the Diesel showcase out of chance. Lisa explained that Daniel was unable to make the opening as he was still in Beijing shooting a new movie, I was glad I asked her because we had a hand to play in the development of that whole exhibit (printed by yours truly ^^) and I was anxious for their feedback. She said we had 'made them all look really good!' and was pleased with the results so I was well chuffed. At least it was worth it because it was all completed for Diesel and AsiaOne (the book publishers) under a very tight schedule.....
  

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• Property Issues

  Tuesday, Apr 6, 2010 3:31AM / Standard Entry

  Been watching the news tonight about HK property. It seems that the prices in HK of late have been getting incredibly high in all places because of demand but also vast speculation also from mainlanders, who are asset-rich and simply just snapping up property wherever they can find it.

  
  

  Whilst I understand that developers and owners like to make a living out of the HK property, the news I saw tonight on ATV was particularly incredibly interesting yet disturbing at the same time....

  
  

  The news report had interviewed a young lady who was born in the early 80s. She is of working age, had come out from university, but she explained she simply cannot afford to buy her own home (at the current prices).

  
  

  According to the report it is estimated that, there are at least 52,000 single people who are of working age but do not have a property to their name currently in HK. Because they are not married, or have a good income to support themselves, many cannot fill the requirements of getting a good mortgage or support from social welfare.

  
  

  It is said the price of an average flat in HK is about HK$4-5 million. To get a deposit for the home, it would cost someone HK$600,000 to do so. For an average young person on $12,000 HKD a month (like the girl featured in the report) it would take approximately 10 years before they can afford to actually have the money to pay for a deposit! How crazy is that? After 10 years, you are only paying for the deposit on your home!

  
  

  I have for years complained about the state of property prices in UK (and HK), that it is abnormal and unfairly too high in our world....but also the attitude with which property developers are given too free a reign in terms of what they want to be done (especially in HK)....an illness of British colonial rule one could say. But the worse is that, we have created a hugely stupid society (and market system), whereby property that should be occupied is being left mostly vacant, because they are being used as commodity and bought and sold (mainly to the highest bidder). Our property today is made and sold for economic and monetary reasons, when in truth they should be made for the benefit of society (to actually be made to be lived in).

  
  

  But the situation for space now seems to be getting worse in HK.....youngsters are unable to afford their own property unlike their folks because of the current high prices and financial limitations that has been placed upon them, and it is detrimental to our young because they cannot have family and move on with their life. This is not a wholesome development at all for society in general, because we are also wasting a lot of resources and living space that could be used better overall, that could improve the human condition.....which I feel is our most important asset (and issue to consider) as a race. For if we improve the lives of others, our own life (naturally) I believe will improve also. But if we are acting so stupid now about how our resources are used or shared on Earth, then like animals, we cannot consider ourselves intelligent, or worthy of being a human being. It is high time we in society use our brains more, and lobby our government to somehow regulate the industry better in HK (and everywhere else on our planet) so that all in society benefit, not just a few........

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• Disappearing Car Door

  Friday, Oct 2, 2009 8:20PM / Standard Entry

  I've seen inventions, but this has gotta be one really really ingenious idea.......a disappearing car door! Check out the following video for more :)

  
  

  Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAtkoje4-eM
  

  
  

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• Help Needed! Missing Person in HK/Asia

  Monday, Dec 29, 2008 2:42AM / Standard Entry

  Hi Guys...
  

  
  

  Its not often I would have a request for you, but this request I feel is a really important subject for everyone....especially for the family of the person in question.

  
  

  Shopping with my mum in Causeway Bay recently, I came across a poster the other day of a person who was said to be sadly missing in Hong Kong. After searching online I discovered she was someone who went missing only very recently in HK. Named Ani Ashekian, she is a 30 year old Canadian tourist who came to HK on November 9th....and for some reason after the 10th (following day) after leaving the Chungking Mansions in TST, has not been seen since.

  
  

  She was meant to have come to China/HK before moving onto other parts of Asia like India, Vietnam and Cambodia. The last known whereabouts of her was when she was seen at Chungking Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui, a well-known backpacker's hostel in HK wearing a white shirt and a carrying a rucksack on November 10th. Someone on Facebook mentioned they think someone saw her talk to some Indian guy. On that same day had she used an ATM machine in Causeway Bay MTR Station and took out HK$2000 and HK$800 using her Visa card. Since taking her money out her accounts have not been touched since her disappearance and her passport record says she had not left Hong Kong after entering on the 9th. She was due to fly back to Toronto on the 15th this month, but she never boarded the plane....so all her friends and family at the moment are concerned for her safety....and we need your help to find/trace the whereabouts of this young lady.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  If you know of anyone, especially those who have travelled to Asia recently please pass this message on. She is described as about 1.6 metres tall, of normal build and weighs 54kg. She has a pointed face, white complexion and long curly brown hair. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or who may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit, Hong Kong Island, on (852) 2860-1045 or any police station.

  
  

  Websites on about Ani:

  
  

  www.kinzie.com/ani.htm

  
  

  Facebook

  www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54077259736

  
  

  YouTube-Hong Kong
hk.youtube.com/watch?v=jD1jXH0GKyg

  
  

  Google Video
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=345116040184675121&ei=Jl5OSck1g_r5AcidkL0K&q=an+ashekian&hl=en

  
  

  Yahoo Video
ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/4157165/11194499

  
  

  Hang Posters
Download, share, print and distribute MISSING poster
English version:

  www.kinzie.com/print/aniPOSTER.p

  
  

  Chinese version: 

  http://dl-client.getdropbox.com/u/65643/Ani%20-%20Chinese%20Version.pdf

  
  

  Donate
A trust fund has been set up to help the Ashekian Family pay for the cost of a private investigator in Hong Kong.

  
  

  To donate, visit any TD Canada Trust location and make a deposit to the fund : SOSSY ASHEKIAN - IN TRUST

  
  

  Contacts

  ▪ Tel / SMS +852 9534 9531

  ▪ [email protected]

  
  

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• Beautiful Smile

  Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 2:57PM / Standard Entry

  I've just been for lunch, and couldn't help but want to blog about this.
  Earlier this afternoon I was going over to a local restaurant for a spot of Dim Sum with my mother when I passed by the street, and saw this young girl (late teens) in a white and yellow dress. As she walked past us she had this really sweet and innocent smile, like as if she really couldn't care anything less about the world around her. The smile (which caught me by surprise), was so blissful and infectious I feel I have been affected too. I can't think of nothing else but smiling like her too, and that my worries for the rest of the day have completely gone! 

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