Cantonese Exile in 越界/粤界 (transgression/cantosphere)
越界/粤界 (transgression/cantosphere) is a multi-media arts exhibition brought to Centre A Gallery by interdisciplinary art company Hong Kong Exile (HKX), linguist Zone Lam, and artist Howie Tsui from January 22 to March 28, 2015. The purpose of the exhibition is to “challenge [the] forces of homogenization” and “grapple with local and international pressures on their mother culture.” This exhibition follows two key events that have happened in the past few years. The first is the Guangdong government wiping Cantonese off public realms and obliterating its usage in the government and schools in 2012. The second is the Occupy Central that happened in Hong Kong in 2014.
Walking into the door, the first thing that captures the eye is a flashing green sign that says “Historic Chinatown” (not unlike the typical road signs in Hong Kong) with越界 (or transgression) flashing over top the words. To the right of the door sits a mah-jong table and through the earphones, one can hear the sounds of a woman teaching man how to properly pronounce the Cantonese words on the mah-jong tiles. At the front are also translations sheets for the rest of the exhibition inside. Moving past the single wall divider, one will see the rest of the exhibition.
The immediate attraction is the hanging screen that is projecting phrase after phrase. One can quickly realize that each group of phrases are playing with tonemes. A single monosyllable character in each series changes and with it the entire phrase changes. Each series starts with a fairly typical Cantonese phrase that, after a series of changes, transforms into an entirely different sentence that holds significance in light of the exhibition’s theme.食飽飯等屎屙 which means “to have nothing to do after a full meal except waiting for the call of nature” becomes 食飽飯等市屙 which means “to have nothing to do after a full meal except waiting for defecating city.” One phrase in particular catches the eye. 光明磊落，暗角打鑊 – “justice” under the glass, beaten up in the dark” is the only standalone phrase among the other 9 series. As the phrases play, overlapping noises are heard in the background and as the show comes to an end, the louder the voices become, questioning over and over.
The chosen phrases are in traditional Chinese. It brings to mind how in addition to eradicating the Cantonese language, the Chinese government has completely switched to the simplified format, erasing the history and background behind each traditional character. While Hong Kong is being “mandarinized,” Vancouver’s Chinatown is being “westernized” – both are contact zones where the original culture is being buried. On both sides of the world, Cantonese is disappearing. Like the aforementioned Chinese phrases say, the city – both Hong Kong and Chinatown – is defecating. The present cities bear poor resemblance tof what the vibrant culture used to be. Although Hong Kong and Vancouver are both multicultural cities that may seem to boast of equality, within closed boundaries, cultures are struggling to survive – justice under the glass, beaten up in the dark.
越界/粤界 (transgression/cantosphere) brings deep nostalgia and even sadness to those who understand the implications of the art and work. Without the given translation, however, the voice of the Cantonese in this exhibition would be lost.
Works Cited:
“Current Exhibition.” Centre A. 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
