In a bustling city like Hong Kong, new buildings are one of the ingredients to push the city forward. While another skyscraper International Commerce Centre is being built at West Kowloon, a 40 years public estate, Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate will soon be knocked down. As we are saying goodbye to this old estate, its peers, the grass root living style and the community spirit will be missed by Hong Kong people. Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate Dinner Bell – Resettlement Estate Farewell Exhibition not only shows the magic of the local culture and a collective memory, it has also gathered 9 local artists to present the authentic culture and spirit of the estate through photographs, videos, illustrations, sounds, installation art and text.

Unlike most of the exhibitions, Lower NTK Estate Dinner Bell Exhibition takes place in shops and restaurants within the NTK estate as display venue. 9 artists have prepared the “9-course banquet” to serve the viewers and help them to take a tour of the place and share their memories.

Among the unique exhibits, local renowned illustrator, Stella So has drawn a step-by-step interesting comic of her haircut experience in Wah Wah Barber Shop at the estate.

Yip Wing Han, one of the residents in NTK estate. She has made use of the space of each block’s top floors and created an installation that combined paint, sunset and signature NTK estate wall of bricks. Her installation captures the essence of the estate with the surrounding.

Photographer Simon Wu has created a photography project about typical mid-age women around the area. These portraits reflect the true “Hong Kong spirit” and are a tribute to all the hardworking women in the city.

Besides the exhibition, they held an auction in mid-April, which sold out 40 retro items from the shops or restaurants in NTK estate. From old benches and chairs in the restaurant to over 40 years old TV, every items is full of its beautiful memories, but soon will be moved from the scene.

Lower NTK Estate Dinner Bell Exhibition is to re-tell the story and culture of resettlement estates and hopefully it will be shared to the next generations. This is also a wake up call for everyone that “all good things must come to an end” as what people say.

Lower NTK Estate Dinner Bell Exhibition
Date: from 1st March 2009 until the day it got demolished
Place: Lower Ngau Tau Kok (NTK) Estate

Text: Justin Tsui