Gum and Jay Lau belong to two generations of Hong Kong people: one was born and raised in Hong Kong, and the other was born in mainland China in 1997. When Jay was at the age of five, he moved to Hong Kong following his father, who fled from Shenzhen and settled in Hong Kong before the abolition of the touch base policy in late 70’s. The touch base policy was the immigration policy of the British HK government started in 1974, it allowed illegal immigrants from China to get a new life in HK if they could reach the Boundary Street in Kowloon. The two artists spent their growth in Hong Kong.

There is a saying that Hong Kong is “a borrowed place on borrowed time”. Because of the instability of politics in the mainland, the number of immigrants from China to Hong Kong increased drastically, and the population coming from the mainland to Hong Kong has gradually become the mainstream of Hong Kong residents. Under the political tranquillity and the stability of the rule of law, people living here can show their talents under equal opportunities, thus creating the Hong Kong economic miracle. The political movement and the poverty of socialism from mainland have had no real impact on Hong Kong people. Later, people here gradually changed from their original mentality as a passer-by and regarded Hong Kong as a springboard, a place to jump to foreign countries, to the mentality of Hong Kong has become their home.

Gallery address: 1902, Sungib Industrial Centre, 53 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang