Wong Kan-tai

Born in 1957 in Hong Kong, Wong started his career as photo-journalist in the 1970s. From 1982 to 1986, he pursued a photography course in Japan. His photographic collections published include Tiananmen '89, Land Reclaim and Walled City: Hong Kong 2002 - 2007. Wong now lives in Japan and works as a freelance photographer.

In 2006, I was commissioned by the HA to record the clearance and demolition of Shek Kip Mei Estate in images.

People gone, buildings now empty. Filling the space are reminiscences of a bewildering array of legacies. Posters and pictures left hanging on the walls tell of their previous dwellers' aspirations for a better life. Every here and there are portraits of the God of Fortune and pictures of enchanting scenic spots from around the world...

Many who had lived and grown up here revisited this place just before the wire meshes were erected to fence off the demolition site, taking pictures and saying good-bye to their good old days.