Raining with Memories

Do you remember walking down the ramp at Kai Tak Airport?

Soon after President Xi Jinping left Hong Kong, typhoon Chaba gathered strength and the Hong Kong Observatory declared it was T3 and soon T8.

A friend lamented it was too bad the typhoon arrived 24 hours late...

The artist wants to create nostalgia around Kai Tak

Nevertheless it seemed like an ominous sign, much like 25 years earlier.

That's what I remember most about the handover -- it was dumping with rain outside. Many felt it was not a good sign of what was to come.

The typhoon's gale force winds also disrupted flights in and out of Hong Kong International Airport, which is probably another sign that the typhoon really is that bad.

Speaking of airports and anniversaries, Hong Kong artist Christopher K Ho has created an installation in Vancouver to remember Kai Tak Airport before it closed in 1998.

Next to the Shangri-La hotel is a large art installation that is somewhat reminiscent of the ramp that passengers walked down to greet loved ones waiting for them in the arrival hall.

Even floor tiles are reminiscent of the arrivals hall

It was such a cramped space, but the ramp gave people an opportunity to spot their friends and family and rush over to them on the ramp before helping them push their luggage carts down and towards the taxi stand.

Remember those days?

It was such a chaotic scene that one of the first few times we arrived in Hong Kong it was quite scary seeing so many people staring at you!

Ho calls this work CX889, the Cathay Pacific flight number from Hong Kong to Vancouver. In addition to the ramp there's a tall clock (that doesn't work), as well as a lone baggage cart secured in place. 

Ho even replicates the tiles that are at the end of the ramp, with the words "Please don't...", asking bystanders to not crowd in that space.

There is water collected on the floor, making me wonder if it was deliberate or from the previous days of rain that created this giant puddle of reflection.

Does it bring up nostalgic feelings? You have to be of a certain age to remember it, in other words older than 24 years old to remember what Kai Tak's arrival hall looked like.

A lone luggage cart stands by the ramp

Now Kai Tak is a giant construction site, with some super tall residential buildings completed, others being built and lots of empty land around too. Some Chinese developers ran out of money and had to sell at a much cheaper price than what they had paid for it.

More infrastructure, particularly public transport needs to be sorted as well as shops, supermarkets and so on before people might be interested in living in the area. 

It's funny how Hong Kong changes so much, but people's memories are a constant.

CX889

Christopher K Ho

Offsite

1100 West Georgia Street

Vancouver

Now until October 16, 2022