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Hong Kong’s classic cha chaan teng culture captured in nostalgic exhibition
The exhibition at the K11 Art Mall captures the scenes, objects and sentiments of Hong Kong’s traditional local diners
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A shared love of photography and tea is the inspiration behind an exhibition of five artists now showing at the K11 Art Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Specifically, however, it is a Hongkonger’s idea of having tea – which is not much about the drink at all.
“Having ‘tea’ is never really about tea as a beverage, however great it may be,” says Enoch Ho, a photographer and the designated spokesperson for the group, about the exhibition titled “Jo Cha Photography Club”, which runs until November 23 in the mall’s How To Live Well store.
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The five artists – Ho, Chan Kit, Jeremy Cheung, Hong and Maoshan Connie – met through different circles, with their first group meet-up at a dim sum spot in November last year. Now, they regularly meet for tea around the city, not just to create independent projects but to catch up as friends.
“[Tea] is just an excuse to meet – it brings people together, and these teahouses are places where community happens,” Ho says. “The ‘tea’, especially in cha chaan teng [or ‘tea restaurant’], also refers to a form of establishment that’s unique to Hong Kong: a blend of East and West, practically as no-nonsense as it gets, and the result is something that represents Hong Kong as a culture to a tee, or tea, pun intended.”
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