HK71七一
DOGS! …are people here. They possess so much personality as they roam the streets of Hong Kong, often without a leash, by themselves. In fact, some dogs even know when its the right time to walk the crosswalk. It’s fascinating to watch them strut on the streets and show love to their owners in a special and unique way. I even believe that if an American dog were to face a Chinese dog, they would not speak the same language. I can sense that dogs act differently here than they do in the states. Even though the idea of domesticating animals seems a bit odd, we enjoy their company because we communicate to them in a way that could never be communicated among humans.
This was day 七一.
HK70七十
Every day, every night. This woman hides behind a white blanket, camps out on the streets of Hong Kong, gets kicked out by the police, and then comes back in the same exact spot. She lays on the corner between consumerism and greed. This is her home. This is her territory. People pass her by, because they see her there so often that they don’t even see her anymore. I’m not showing this picture for exploitation or any other personal motives, I am simply communicating this odd juxtaposition that the world has created.
HK69六九
Day two of Semi-Permanent conference = even more awesome. Sagmeister, Dainippon Type Organization, 180 amsterdam, Anomaly, Kayt Jones, Industrial Light & Magic. (dainippon.type.org, www.sagmeister.com, anomaly.com, 180amsterdam.com, kaytjones.com, ilm.com) It was all great and truly inspiring. There are so many amazing things going on in the design and art industry right now that it’s mind blowing. But whats even more mind blowing is that I only have 5 days left in Hong Kong.
This was day 六九.
HK68六八
First day of Semi Permanent design conference = awesome. Many inspiring speakers, profound questions, and powerful work. It’s amazing to see how design can inspire change in the world and question our knowledge and perspective on life. This is why I wanted to be a designer in the first place, in order to communicate a higher purpose to the world through a visual language. (www.semipermanent.com) Day two is tomorrow, including a talk from Stefan Sagmeister. Should be rad.
On an another note, for those wondering about the Japan tsunami, Hong Kong was not affected by it. Japan and Hong Kong are actually relatively far away from each other. (http://bit.ly/ezZIhZ) But I pray for the people of Japan, and I fervently hope they can find refuge in the midst of destruction. Thanks everyone for the concerns.
This was day 六八.
HK67六七
Okay let’s all get it out at once, OMGTHEYRESOCUTEIJUSTWANTTOTAKEONEHOMEAHHHH. Okay, now that we’ve done that, I will proceed with my blog post. On my top ten list of the cutest things ever known to mankind, Asian children are on this list. While all children are cute to some degree, I believe that Asian children are the cutest. They have a contagious energy, but also release a peculiar calm presence, which is what makes them intriguing and adorable to me.
We can learn much more from children than we ever could with adults. They talk, live, breathe, SEE the world in a pure and untainted way. Even though they are confined underneath the care taking of their parents, they are free to imagine. They are free to release inner curiosity. They are free. Adulthood can leave us feeling broken, poisoned, restless and mundane. Next time you see a child, watch their actions. (But don’t watch in a creepy way…) Look at the way they see the world. Society tells us that once we notice the “real world”, childhood is gone, and that our inner curiosity should be squashed in order to “move on” into maturity.
But really, our way of thinking and childlike perspective is never gone. It’s still there, and always will be. It just becomes hidden underneath the layers of our adulthood conformity. Our inner curiosity has not vanished. I believe this is best represented in one of my favorite films, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The scene that I am referring to is when Joel is able to escape into the depths of his memory and place himself into specific moments when he was a child. He splashes around in the rain, plays in his backyard, hides underneath his kitchen table, and instantly begins to feel the same feelings and curiosity that he had as a child. His childlike mindset was present in his memory all along, he just had to dig deep to find it and become himself again.
And so, as I begin to make very “adultlike” decisions in the next few months, as well as for the rest of my life, I hope I can bring out my inner child, my inner curiosity. I still remember being four years old, and I have exceptionally vivid memories of specific events and emotions that were felt in my childhood. I may not be able to fit into small spaces or lose baby teeth anymore, but I am still free to imagine. I am still free to release my inner curiosity. I am still the same person that I was at four years old, and I hope that never changes.
This was day 六七.
HK66六六
Sometimes what we regard as ugly, is indeed quite beautiful.
This was day 六六.
HK65六五
Another cool thing about Asia: WILD MONKEYS! It’s incredible to watch them interact as families, a clan, a group of beings loving and taking care of one another. Mothers protect their babies, as babies scavenge for food. But if you give the monkeys eye contact, they sense confrontation, and could possibly attack if they feel harmed in any way. While we may not be the same species (or perhaps we are?), we live, breathe, feel and love the same. And OMGHOWADORABLEARETHEBABYMONKEYS! Photos taken from my awesome photographer roommate, Jessica Sornson.
This was day 六五.
HK64六四
In Hong Kong, the traffic light sequence is as follows: green, yellow, red, yellow, green. I apologize for this incredibly mundane post, but it was an incredibly mundane day.
This was day 六四.
HK63六三
As I begin to mentally prepare myself for the oh so wonderfully comfortable 16 hour plane ride back to America next week, I realized that I will be living out of my suitcase for the next 12 weeks. Hong Kong -> China -> Russia -> Arctic Ocean -> Alaska -> Canada -> Chicago -> Cincinnati -> Atlanta -> Savannah -> Charlotte -> New York City -> Charlotte -> Savannah -> Atlanta -> Savannah -> Florida -> Savannah -> ??
This was day 六三.
