WONG WEI-HIM & REIMAGINE HONG KONG

In 2022 during the COVId-19 pandemic, photographer Wong Wei-him collaborated with writer Jia Jia on the book project - Reimagine Hong Kong. Wong provided all illustrations for the book as well as created the book’s chapter titles.

From a fishing village in 1841 to an international trading hub, Hong Kong was culturally shaped throughout by China and late imperialism until the end of the Second World War. In Reimagine Hong Kong, writer Jia Jia explores the former British colony’s identity and local culture which began to come into its own only after Mao Zedong established a new regime. He delves deep into the contradictions and dichotomies that define this vibrant metropolis, weaving together history, architecture, philosophy, economics, and sociology. His exploration of the media landscape and popular culture offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on Hong Kong’s past, present, and future. Reimagine Hong Kong examines three fundamental questions: Does Hong Kong have an ‘identity crisis’? Why has Hong Kong been called a ‘cultural desert’? Has Hong Kong produced its own ‘meaninglessness’ and ‘tastelessness’? The author challenges readers to join his critique and invites them to co-create the future. Reimagine Hong Kong is a compelling read that takes readers on an unforgettable global journey from London's theatres, New York's skyscrapers, Tokyo's nano homes, back to local heritage architecture, neon signs, and tea restaurants alongside metaphysical concepts. Jia Jia thinks it is about time someone took a long look at Hong Kong after two decades since its handover to China and started writing this memoir of Hong Kong during its last wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2022. The talented, well-documented author with experiences in art and culture and creative businesses collaborated with Hong Kong architect and photographer Wong Wei-him to give readers an aesthetically pleasing reading experience. This first collection of essays is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Hong Kong amid these unprecedented changes. NOTE: NOWHERE is not the publisher, representative, or agent of the book Reimagine Hong Kong. NOWHERE is only representing Wong Wei-him in the sales and marketing of photographs and artworks associated with Reimagine Hong Kong.

Wong Wei-him is the founder and chief of his Hong Kong-based architectural design practice In-between Architects. He is also a street photographer who uses a LeicaM6 camera to capture specific moments of daily lives in Hong Kong. His works, under different collections including ‘On the Waterfront,’ ‘Ferrytale’ and ‘Somewhere In-between,’ have been featured in different publications and shown in different exhibitions in Hong Kong and London. He has received awards and recognitions for select pieces of work

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Jia Jia spent most of the 1990s studying in Britain. He is a Christian. At the age of twenty, Jia Jia's first project was covered by several Hong Kong interior design journals. Around the same time, he wrote his first article for International Property, a magazine based in Britain. After graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science, he has been engaged in different businesses and creative works related to real estate in Hong Kong. His notable projects have been internationally recognised in books and documentaries, as well as exhibited in museums, including M+ in Hong Kong.
Jia Jia has been involved in volunteering work for non-profit organisations, including being a director and co-founder. Passionate about art and culture, he has attended talks and discussions as a speaker and moderator at universities and major events. He has written many published articles, including ones for a column in Capital Entrepreneur, a Hong Kong business magazine.
In 2023, Jia Jia created a series of poems for 'After Sunset', an art project involving over fifty artists from different disciplines. This piece of literary work has since been extensively exhibited in different Asian cities on many occasions, including Venice Architecture Biennale Hong Kong Exhibition in 2024 organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects.