Pierfrancesco Celada
When I feel down I take a train to the Happy Valley
Muddyisland Books, Venice, Hong Kong — 2024
One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Hong Kong is a place of strong contrasts; a claustrophobic urban environment surrounded by water and uncontained nature. I lived in Hong Kong with my family for eight years, from October 2014 to May 2022. This period was marked by significant circumstances. The umbrella revolution in 2014, the series of protests in 2019, and the COVID-19 pandemic; these events left indelible marks on Hong Kong’s collective consciousness.
With the aid of visual metaphors, I have analysed my own relationship with the city, with the intent of drawing a portraiture of Hong Kong and its complex and multilayered realities.
Occasionally, while walking in the city, you could spot a tram go past; its destination sign reading “Happy Valley”, its terminal stop. In those moments, when you feel the weight of the city on your shoulders, I like to imagine that it does offer a sense of hope.
