Art & Stories: Be Water – Everlasting Spirits

Relief-scuplture: "Everlasting Spirits"
How Is The Large Relief-sculpture Made
2019 was a very unusual year for Hong Kong, or maybe even the world.
A series of events such as the proposed legislation of the 2019 Hong Kong extradition bill, the Causeway Bay Books disappearances fear triggered large-scale serious concerns and fear of losing a “high degree of autonomy” in general Hong Kong populations, resulted a series of protests participated by all walks of life of Hong Kong citizens – unprecedentedly in recent Hong Kong’s history.
Subsequent actions by the police – such as mass arrests and police violence, as well as additional concerning events – such as mysterious death of young female protestors, perceived illegitimate legislative processes – sparked additional protests throughout the city.
In facing such situation, “Be Water” – a take on a famous Bruce Lee quote to be “formless, shapeless, like water” – soon be adopted and perfected as the rallying strategy of the protest movement: formless and shapeless – no leader, no organizer, no occupying i.e. no blockage of traffic or “taking over” of buildings – but at the same time, quick, massive, and flowing everywhere.
Young students – college & high-school – and young professionals, equipped with umbrellas and sports helmets and game masks to protect themselves from tear gas, backed by their aged grand-parents or parents, gradually standout more and more so, acting for Hong Kong’s – also their own – future.
Many people around the world were watching and touched by Hong Kong people’s courageous yet peaceful movements, so were the hearts of two artists in Toronto Canada.

One, illustrator DaXiong, researched lots of photos and videos captured and posted on the social media at the time, and created a vivid, life-like large scale illustration of the movement.
The other, sculptor Ben Li, saw and moved by that illustrate, took it upon himself to turn that into a large-scale relief-sculpture.

Next, it resulted an NTDC hosted exhibition for the both artworks in 2021, and the relief being donated to NTDC (and gratefully accepted) as a permanent display for the public.

