Description

Curated by Edward Stokes and presented by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (HKMM)'s curatorial team, Voyage Through Time is a new exhibition of captivating photographs taken in Hong Kong between the 1940s and 1970s by celebrated photographers Hedda Morrison, Brian Brake and Edward Stokes. These photos portray Hong Kong’s harbour, its port, shipping, maritime life, and boat people. Generously supported by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation HK with additional sponsorship from The Swire Group Charitable Trust, the exhibition is open to the public free of charge, from 13 November 2024 to March 2025.

A Visual Voyage Through the Post-war History of Hong Kong

The three well-respected photographers come from diverse backgrounds but share a common passion: they all found fascination in Hong Kong’s people and places. The exhibition features 40 framed photos, illustrating 30 years of Hong Kong’s development from the end of World War II to the late 1970s. During these decades, Hong Kong emerged from the impacts of a long war, overcoming challenges and setbacks to experience a gradual economic and social resurgence to become a vibrant international port city.

Jeremy Michell, Deputy Director (Curatorial & Education) at HKMM, said, “It is a unique opportunity to have an exhibition by three different, but complementary and well-respected photographers record different periods of post-war Hong Kong. These photographs beautifully capture how Hong Kong’s people overcame the legacies of a long war to work tirelessly to create an energetic and successful city. Through this exhibition, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of that change and its visual impact on Hong Kong and its citizens.”

Each Photograph Tells a Hong Kong Harbour Story

From the post-war era to its rise as a modern metropolis, these photos vividly capture a slice of Hong Kong's history. Each photograph tells a unique harbour story. Hedda Morrison captured post-war maritime Hong Kong with her camera. In one photo, Wan Chai can be seen, still barren after the war, overlooking Victoria Harbour. Life for most people during this period was extremely hard. Many people were gaunt from hunger.

Edward Stokes’ photos were taken in 1979, a pivotal time when Hong Kong transitioned to its emergence as a modern metropolis. There is one photo that depicts two boys who look adequately fed, and almost certainly going to school – an unthinkable benefit for virtually all boat children in 1946.

Digital Display “Past and Present” - A View Through Two Generations Another highlight is the digital display showcasing the contrasting “past and present” photos of the Harbour, its maritime life and environs. The black-and-white photos were taken by Hedda Morrison in 1946–1947. The colour photographs were taken a few years ago by Rogan Coles. During 2024, Anton Aleshin took remarkable drone photos of the harbour and shipping.

*Admission to the "Travelling Through the Years" exhibition is free, but tickets are required to visit other exhibition halls of the museum.

Photo source: Photographers Hedda Morrison, Brian Brake and Edward Stokes