Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong

Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong - 瓦落叢生

Stefan Irvine's latest series is an invitation to explore the forgotten corners of this vibrant city, and to discover the haunting beauty that lies hidden within its parks and islands.

For centuries before the colonial era, Hong Kong’s population dwelled in isolated villages, subsisting mainly on farming or fishing. When better opportunities arose during the 1960s, many villagers found work in restaurants overseas or in the urban factories of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, their countryside houses - sometimes entire villages - were simply abandoned and left to be reclaimed by nature. Stefan’s photographs breathe new life into the crumbling facades and overgrown relics, allowing readers to witness the enduring charm of these abandoned homes.

“Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong” can be seen as a tribute to the resilience of the Hong Kong people, but also the impermanence of our existence. Such photographs serve as a poignant reminder of both the transient nature of life, and the indelible mark left by those who came before us.

Stefan Irvine 的攝影集《瓦落叢生》，誠邀您一同探索這座充滿活力的城市那些被遺忘的角落，並從中發現隱藏於郊外與島嶼當中的難忘絕景。

在殖民時代前的數個世紀裡，主要以農業或漁業為生的香港人，普遍居住於偏僻的村莊。到六十年代時期，更多更好的就業機會出現，許多村民於海外的餐廳或香港的城市工廠找到工作，因此他們直接捨棄本來居住的鄉村房屋－甚至遺棄整個村落，任由它們回歸大自然。Stefan 的作品為這些搖搖欲墜的外牆和雜草叢生的遺跡注入新生命，讓觀眾一睹這些荒廢房屋那歷久不衰的魅力。

《瓦落叢生》是向香港人堅忍不拔的精神致敬，亦剖析著關於「存在」的無常。這些影像深深的提醒著我們萬物轉瞬即逝，同時亦揭示出前人於歷史所烙下的印記。

These photographs are available as fine art prints in various sizes. To see a small selection of such prints, please click here to visit Blue Lotus Gallery, or for further information, please get in touch here.