From Hong Kong to Wickford: A Multifaceted Pictorial Display with Stories

From Hong Kong to Wickford: A Multifaceted Pictorial Display with Stories
by Ho Wai-On * and friends (* known locally as Ann-Kay)
25 September – 16 December 2023
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN

The multifaceted pictorial display created by Wickford-based composer Ho Wai-On features stories of a lifetime of interaction with UK-Hong Kong based artists/people that have resulted in many creative works. Includes work by Clark Ainsworth, Juliet Chenery-Robson, Ruth Cutler, Graham Ekins, Polly Hope, Kitty Kwan, Stephen Matthews, Choy May-Chu, Ben Rector, Roy Reed, Martin Singleton, Albert Tang, Marcus West, and Benson Wong ...

Exhibition viewing evening – Friday 6 October, 7.00 – 9.00 pm.

St Andrew’s is usually open: Sat 9am-12.30pm; Sun 9.30am-12 noon; Mon 2-3.45pm; Tue 1-4.30pm; Wed 10am-12 noon; Fri 10am-1pm

FROM HONG KONG TO WICKFORD
A Multifaceted Pictorial Display with Stories
At Wickford Andrew's Church 25 Sep to 16 Dec 2023
Project by Dr Ho Wai-On (known as Ann-Kay locally) *
and Revd Jonathan Evens

* Ho Wai-On: surname HO, known to colleagues as Wai-On. In Hong Kong the surname is followed by the given name that represents the individual. Known to locals as Ann-Kay (her childhood name).

Ho Wai-On is best known as a composer and creator/director of combined arts works and projects.

My memory of life in Hong Kong (HK) is about 15 years, which is about the same as I have been living in Wickford. In between, for more than 30 years, I lived mostly in London and went back to HK from time to time. With UK-based professionals in creative and performing arts, I created and staged performances of works/projects that combine music, dance, drama and visual art across different cultures, sometimes with relevant displays. Wickford is not an art/cultural centre like London and my health makes me more housebound, so I use the Internet as my performing venue. I focus on creating music videos and a multifaceted website where I update new materials regularly.

My Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AKLHWO/videos
My Website: howaion.co.uk

During the Tiananmen Square incident I happened to be in HK staging a performance. At that time, the HK press/media showed me what I would not have seen had I been in London. I was moved by the HK people's pro-democracy activities and their fear of the 1991 Handover. As HK was under British rule and had been practising the British judicial system since 1841, many Hongkongers considered emigrating to the UK. To promote greater understanding between the two people, I staged “Theme Hong Kong” - a one week event of HK-UK related creative performative programmes at London's Southbank Centre, with relevant displays at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and other London Boroughs. The 2nd leg was held in Hong Kong.

The recent upheavals in HK resulted in many Hongkongers moving to the UK again. This multifaceted pictorial display at St. Andrew's Church features stories of my lifetime's interaction with UK-HK based artists and people and the resulting creative works, and tells you about these people and their work. I hope this might encourage audiences' interest in getting to know more.

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Ho Wai-On - Fly Wild.