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| Project Details |
| Funding Scheme : | General Research Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Number : | 18608319 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(English) : | Hong Kong Art Deco: Theatre buildings and the rise of modern cinema in transforming the city’s socio-cultural landscape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(Chinese) : | 香港裝飾藝術：現代戲院及電影業興起與香港社會文化面貌的改變 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(English) : | Dr Lau, Leung Kwok Prudence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(Chinese) : | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Department : | Department of Cultural and Creative Arts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Institution : | The Education University of Hong Kong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E-mail Address : | plklau@eduhk.hk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tel : | 2948 7889 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Co - Investigator(s) : |
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| Panel : | Humanities, Social Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subject Area : | Social and Behavioural Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exercise Year : | 2019 / 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fund Approved : | 547,470 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Status : | Completed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Completion Date : | 30-6-2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Objectives : |
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| Abstract as per original application (English/Chinese): |
In the years surrounding the second World War from the 1930s-50s, numerous new theatres opened in different districts across Hong Kong including Majestic Theatre (1928 in Jordan), Cathay Theatre (1939 in Wanchai), Capitol Theatre (1952 in Causeway Bay), etc. These buildings indicated a flourishing of entertainment businesses in Hong Kong and the high demand of this form of leisure from the local society. Interestingly, most of these theatre buildings were built in the Art Deco architectural style. Most of these theatres are now demolished or abandoned, but a socio-history of entertainment and theatre buildings in Hong Kong are missing in academia and there is a need of repositioning in the field. This research argues that Art Deco, a modern architectural style, can be understood as a form of entertainment and demonstration of resistance of the colonized in early twentieth century Hong Kong. The study also aims at demonstrating that these theatre buildings are not passive objects, but rather subjects that are able to consume the dominating culture to ‘self-fashion’ and ‘self-represent’, in using postcolonial theoretical terms. Previous research has been done on Chinese cinema operators and cinema business in Hong Kong in the early twentieth century, but little research has been conducted to link the architecture or socio-cultural landscape of Hong Kong cinema to postcolonial theories.
This project will envision a three-tiered impact. First, the research will reveal the ways in which the patron, architect and the audience of the theatre buildings interacted with each other in laying the foundation of modern cinema and public entertainment history in Hong Kong. Second, based on archival research and visual ethnography, the research will adopt postcolonial theory to analyse and problematize the architectures, and investigate the ways that they ‘self-fashion’ and ‘self-represent’ different identities. Third, on top of formulating a database on Art Deco theatres, the research will propose ways of strengthening the conservation policy for the remaining few surviving Art Deco theatres in Hong Kong. The project will ultimately examine the reach of Art Deco into everyday life of Hong Kong in the form of architecture and cinema, critique the dynamics between the dominated-subjugated in colonial Hong Kong, and offer a new way to conserve architectural heritage through emphasizing its aesthetic and socio-cultural implications.
約在30至50年代第二次世界大戰之時，大量新型戲院於香港各處開業，包括佐敦的京華戲院(1928)、灣仔的國泰戲院(1939)和銅鑼灣的京華戲院(1952)。這些戲院建築均代表了香港當年娛樂事業的蓬勃發展，以及本地社會對戲院的需求。值得一提的是，這些戲院建築大多以裝飾藝術風格建成。這些建築大多現時已消失於歷史洪流，但在學術研究界中關於香港娛樂事業的社會歷史和戲院建築的一頁仍有待填補。本研究議論裝飾藝術作為一種新的建築形式，可以詮釋為一種對娛樂的視覺表達；也是二十世紀中葉香港扺抗殖民化的表現。本研究亦希望以後殖民理論，解構這些戲院建築如何把建築硬件，轉化為主流文化下的自我形像塑造。在此之前，只有零星的學者曾對二十世紀初中資院線和香港戲院產業作出研究，但把這類戲院建築或整個產業的文化景觀以後殖民理論串連起來的研究則寥寥可數。 是次研究盼望帶來三方面影響。首先會研究事業者、建築師及用家如何影響及推動香港戲院業以及娛樂事業的發展歷史。其二，本研究會以後殖民理論加上資料搜集，導出戲院如何以不同的自我形像塑造建構不同的身份認同。再者，本研究會建立一個以裝飾藝術風格的戲院建築作為重點的資料庫並作為引子，為香港碩果僅存的戲院建築保育作建議。本研究最後將會以建築和戲院為基本，以評估裝飾藝術風格在香港的深入程度，評述在殖民地時代香港的權力和自由，並提出著重於建築特色和期社會文化價值的全新保育方針。 |
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| Realisation of objectives: | Objective 1: Understand the importance and implications of an architectural style upon the socio-cultural and political dynamics in the local community Realisation: The project demonstrated how Hong Kong’s theatres have transformed during the turn of the twentieth century in response to government ordinances, public health and safety concerns, as well as socio-cultural development and international exchange. By adopting a postcolonial theoretical framework, the theatres can be better understood under a clearer light by ‘decolonising’ and unravelling the narratives that the architectures presented. Objective 2: Identify the players and stakeholders (architect, patron, etc.) behind the construction and design of theatre buildings: why was Art Deco chosen as an architectural style and what message(s) of modernity it brought to the society Realisation: The data obtained from the interviews correlate with narratives about the role of Chinese theatres in the local community in the late 19th and early 20th century, as well as confirming global influences at the time where design trends were being brought in, evident in both Chinese and European individuals in the city. Some of the interviewee’s statements as well as historic personal writings were quoted directly as they play a crucial role in re-painting a picture of the local microcosm a century ago, ranging from the theatre operator’s point of view, the late architect of the theatre, the clientele and the community at large. Objective 3: Reconstruct and map Hong Kong’s early modern cinema and entertainment history by documenting the theatre buildings, architects and cinema operators and via using visual ethnography Realisation: By adopting a postcolonial analytical framework as well as interpretive-historical and archival research methods to examine primary resources including government documents, historical photos and drawings, interviewing descendants of cinema operators and architects, as well as film archivists and architectural historians, the project details how socio-cultural factors, evolving building regulations and the local industry had impacted upon the transition of theatre architecture over half a century, witnessing indigenous efforts that resisted certain colonial narratives in the design process. The project also scrutinises what potentials the architectures, demolished or still existing, can serve in the context of theatre heritage in postcolonial Hong Kong. Objective 4: Formulate and expand on a database of Art Deco theatres and entertainment buildings in Hong Kong Realisation: Through unveiling a large number of previously unexamined materials, including government documents and personal archives, as well as engaging in interviews, the project listed out the theatres that transformed from ‘Chinese theatres’ to 'Western cinemas' in Hong Kong, and are also presented in the journal papers. The history of the plague and the enaction of the Entertainment Ordinance also reflect in colonial policies directly influencing the earlier architectural designs of the theatres, followed by a ‘resistance’ of Western culture and empowerment of indigenous efforts resulting in localised movies as well as architectural styles beginning in the 1910s. Through the efforts of the descendants of historic but under-researched architects and theatre operators, the Hong Kong Film Archives, and various local researchers, the stories behind these theatres are able to be re-represented. Objective 5: Re-examine and enhance the policy for conserving heritage buildings in Hong Kong, paving the way for a special focus on theatre buildings and cinema heritage Realisation: From resisting colonial narratives of ‘imported’ theatre culture and architecture to resisting bureaucratic heritage conservation processes and policy, of which is regarded as a ‘product of colonial governance’ that reflects ‘Eurocentric biases’, the theatres investigated in this paper can be interpreted as a ‘cultural process’, understood together with the body of social interactions and movements. Afterall, heritage movements come from many directions, and it shows the various ways and depths in which collective identities are made and contested for the theatre buildings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of objectives addressed: |
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| Research Outcome | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major findings and research outcome: | The PI has one paper accepted and one other paper resubmitted, respectively to Surveying & Built Environment journal and the International Journal of Heritage Studies. Both papers are direct outcomes of the project. The major findings from the project are that certain theatres in interwar Hong Kong were characterized by a decorative architectural style that shifted away from revival or neoclassical forms to signify a modern era in theatre design. The project also traced intercultural exchange among architectural practices of the time, contributing to the history of modern Hong Kong theatre by delineating the socio-historical context of Art Deco, the development of local cinema industry in the early 20th century, and analysed the reasons behind the transformation of theatre design in the interwar years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential for further development of the research and the proposed course of action: |
As discovered in the project and also mentioned in the journal papers, some interesting new leads are found, particularly the architect of an Art Deco theatre in Hong Kong (Alhambra Theatre) Wong T.C. was also the architect of a still existing Art Deco theatre in Macau (Apollo Theatre). In fact, this architect is related to Lai Man-wai, regarded the father of modern cinema in Hong Kong (Wong's wife was the sister of Lai). This is a greatly interesting lead and indicates that perhaps there was a close network of relations in the cinema industry during 1930s Hong Kong, and the PI anticipates to continue to uncover more hidden links and narratives behind these architectures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Layman's Summary of Completion Report: | Based on interviews, old newspapers, photographs, as well as personal writings and tracing family lineage of interwar architects, this project revealed that certain architects produced unique regional responses to an adaptive modern architecture in Chinese cities including Hong Kong and Macau. Modern architecture in this region, particularly theatres, may therefore be understood in the context of the dynamics of these architects in reflection of their country’s architectural milieu and adapting to local conditions. It also shows the autonomy of the architect to be able to implement their own preferences and being able to convey unique adaptations of decorative (at times Chinese) elements with modern Western expressions. This project and research will act as a bridge to understand the framework of architectural practices in early twentieth century Hong Kong and China, placed within an international context, and their contribution towards modernist architecture in their urban manifestations in the Chinese cities. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research Output | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peer-reviewed journal publication(s) arising directly from this research project : (* denotes the corresponding author) |
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| Recognized international conference(s) in which paper(s) related to this research project was/were delivered : |
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| Other impact (e.g. award of patents or prizes, collaboration with other research institutions, technology transfer, etc.): |
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| SCREEN ID: SCRRM00542 |