A Kung Ngam: Shek

石 (Stone) - 1: A solid concretion of earthy or mineral matter of indeterminate size or shape. It can be used in building constructions or taken as a singular unit for other purposes such as demarcation, ornamentation or tool-making. It can be a functional or ritualistic object, continuously appearing in our everyday life. When strong winds sweep across Hong Kong, you can find them anchoring the rooftops of many villages, securing the house together.

石 (Stone) - 2: The foundational material used to construct A Kung Ngam Village (亞公岩村)  in Shau Kei Wan (筲箕灣), which was primarily built by Hakka migrants from Guangdong. Employed by the nearby quarry as skilled stonemasons, the villagers supplied Hong Kong with its foundational granite and brought prosperity to the community. The villagers built temples from it, while the shipyards exporting stone doubled as places for dragon boat racing, making the object not only an architectural tool but a communal binding agent in every sense of the word. It provided homes, livelihood and cultural connection to those living in the area.

石 (Stone) - 3: The family name of artist Shek Po Kwan. Born in A Kung Kok (亞公角) in 1988, he has been practicing photography for fifteen years. He came across A Kung Ngam Village while searching for a studio space and chanced upon a unit in the building next door, where he also co-founded the artist-run space EJAR RAGORA. He has nurtured relations with the village’s inhabitants throughout his time there, solidifying links for the past two years. With the upcoming redevelopment of the area, this project honours its community and the material at its core. “Stone” becomes a vessel of personal and cultural significance, a material steeped in the foundations of Hong Kong and its people.

Text by: Amandine Vabre Chau