VIS 104 Group Project - Research Expression
Li Hoi Ching (Ching)
Lai Mei Yu (May)
Ma Man Yee (Macy)
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| Title: The Persistence of Memory Artist Salvador Dalí Year 1931 Type Oil on canvas Dimensions 24 cm × 33 cm (9.5 in × 13 in) |
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| Title The Near Extinction of Collective Memory Artist Ching, May & Macy Year 2011 Type Acrylic on canvas Dimensions 50 cm × 60 cm |
The artwork that is picked and chosen to do an updated version is Salvador Dli’s The Persistence of Memory made in 1931, which is an oil painting on canvas. After the new details are incorporated into the paintings created by our project group, it became a new version of painting about present day Hong Kong. The new version of painting is titled "The Near Extinction of Collective Memory".
First, one of the similarity is the composition between both two works, the only changes are the subjects that are painted on the painting, other than that, the replaced subjects all are placed in the exact same position. Both works mainly consist of three main parts which are the left part, middle part and the background. In the original work, there is a dead tree at the left side with a melting pocket watch hung on. In the new one, it is the red and white chimney with a signboard of Hong Kong local store hung on it melting. There is a melting gold pocket in the old painting, in the new one, a camera film reel is placed on exact same spot. There is also a pocket watch covered by ants, a signboard of 7-11 convenience store is placed on that spot in new painting. Both paintings have sea that is in the exact same position. In the middle, the original painting places a melting pocket watch on a creature resembling a human face, and this new one also has a melting clock placing on a thing consisting of boat shape.
In comparison between two works’ style, there is similarity to the use of space as well. Both paintings feature an endless sea and the sky in the background, both of them successfully create a feeling of distance and give us an illusion of space. We could see the perspective is foreshortening, because we could see the objects like the dead tree and the chimney in the foreground from both different paintings that are larger than the mountain and the MTR far away, which makes viewers have an illusion that the larger one is closer to them.
Both paintings also have similarity when it comes to subject matter, content. The original work focuses on the expression of passage of time and memory, all the melting things presented in the original painting are the pocket watch and the unknown creatures, which possibly is a representation of himself in a stage of unconsciousness since the creature resembles half of a human face with a seemingly closed eye. It means that all the things that melt are some abstract concepts exist in human’s mind, for example dream and time are concepts in human mind. Those things that don’t melt in the original painting are things that actually exist, not only in human’s consciousness or memory and they actually have physical form and stay current and constant, and the place that the painting shows is Catalonia, where Dali grew up. As the place must have meant a lot to him because of his memory.1 So possibly the whole scene represents a memory in Dali mind. Then the theme is that time is passing, signified by the melting watches, the memory will probably fade away, but the memory presents a version of Catalonia that only exists in Dali’s mind. The Catalonia that exists in physical world will remain the same, even after the memory fades away or Dali died with it. It signifies the limited time a human being can have compared to eternity of things, possibly nature. And that is the theme of the new updated version that all the things melt signifies the passage of time as they became past, as the chimney reflect the industrial and factories Hong Kong once had, but since only very few still existed in Hong Kong, and the local stores continue to decrease, also the melting boat in the middle represents the idea that our harbor is getting narrow, few boats can be seen. And what exist and stay solid right now are the likes of chain convenience stores 7-11 and the mass transit railway and the trains, it is exactly the contradiction of reality and memory.
But there is difference when it comes to the theme that the new version has a political and social undertones to it. The original painting mainly is about Dali’s idea of time and memory reflected through his personal memory, but doesn’t necessarily reflect any social aspect. So all the things melted in the new version of the paintings don’t only represent fading time and memory, together with the solid matter, these overall represent a theme of Hong Kong’s urbanization that comes to bury Hong Kong’s collective memories that would be important to central value historically and spiritually to Hong Kong.
For example, On the Chimney, there is a melting signboard of a traditionally local store. The Chinese character on that is “ X記士多 “ , which in English called “ X's Store”. In the past, store was very popular in Hong Kong. They would sell lots of cheap things for the people around neighborhood to share, they can buy cheap things, and the owner can make a living, they represent the idea of close bond between neighborhood. However, this kind of traditional stores are disappearing because “The Link Management Limited“ was managing the shopping mall and market of the estates in Hong Kong in 2005.2 The Link is trying to replace the traditional store into large developers' like 7-11, Parking Super Market in order to make more profit. The 7-11 sign in the left hand corner is a big contrast to the store signboard, which shows development in Hong Kong is monopolized by large developers.3 On right hand side, there is a melting boat or building, with a melting clock. Actually, this two are actually also representing a event in 2010. In 2010, the Central Star Ferry terminal and bell tower was destructed for building more buildings and roads.4 However, the Central Star Ferry terminal is historically valuable. The MTR on the right top make a contrast to these two subject matters. It represent the will of the Government-- comparing with keeping the old buildings, they are willing to build more new buildings or high-speed rail, ignoring the importance of preserving historical value.
Finally, there is also similarity, it is that both paintings have bleak mood and a sad, depressing undertone. The dead tree in the original painting and ants on the watch give people a feeling of dying and decaying. The whole place is dark with shadow and full of space, it gives a feeling of melancholy. In the new version of painting, it also has a quality of bleakness, as the painting overall seems dark on the ground and seems to have no soul, there are only convenience store signboard, a train and the chimney. It gives the feeling of emptiness in general. “ “
Overall, the new version is quite similar simply in term of the style, as it uses the style on purpose to not only express the original theme, but only the newly updated theme of Hong Kong’s social aspect.
1 Meredith Etherington-Smith: The persistence of memory : a biography of Dali (Da Capo Press, 1995), p. 411
2 “ 支持領匯上市－－歷史不會忘記“ , 林忌, http://plastichk.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_30.html (accessed Jul. 30, 2009)
Bibliography
Meredith Etherington-Smith: The persistence of memory : a biography of Dali. Da Capo Press, 1995.
“ 支持領匯上市－－歷史不會忘記“ , 林忌, http://plastichk.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_30.html (accessed Jul. 30, 2009)
關平. “ 領匯公營化“,Tai Kung Po Daily, Dec. 25, 2008
朗昕. ”Conservation gaining weight in urban renewal projects” Sing Tao Daily, Mar. 18, 2010
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