Sculpture with Yellow Raincoats Removed in HK

Ju Ming's Lining Up before it was covered up last year

A sculpture featuring a series of people, including one in a yellow raincoat, and another holding a yellow umbrella has been permanently removed from the piazza at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Entitled Lining Up by well-known Taiwanese artist Ju Ming, 10 people cast in bronze, are seemingly in a queue.

Although the work was created in 2002 and displayed there since 2017, the yellow raincoat and umbrella took on greater significance following the Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protests, as the colour is related to the pro-democracy protesters.

Hoarding covered up the yellow raincoat people

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department blocked the public from viewing, let alone interacting with the work by covering it with hoarding from April last year, with the intention of doing maintenance work.

On the hoarding were photographs of the sculptures, but then grey panels were strategically placed where there are two people wearing yellow raincoats, and another holding a yellow umbrella would have been.

But now Lining Up won't be coming back to its former place.

"As the sculpture concerned had been on display at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza for many years since 2017, it would not be reinstalled in situ," said a spokeswoman from the LCSD.

She did not say whether the decision was related to the yellow raincoats, nor did she give further details on the storage arrangements, or whether keeping it out of public view would be a waste of resources.

Hong Kong-based art critic John Batten, called the decision not to reinstall the work unnecessary, and an overreaction, as the piece was not political in nature. He added the decision was not beneficial for the city's art image overseas.

The Taiwanese sculptor had other works in HK

"It's a much loved work by the public, a very interactive work in a prominent position also with mainlanders going to the area. No one sees that yellow raincoat colour as a political work," Batten said.

"What happened in 2019 is still a strong feeling for everyone in Hong Kong, [but] we all sort of know the boundaries now. The piece was never part of the protest... It's unnecessary."

Batten hopes the sculpture can be exhibited elsewhere in the city.

"I would ask that people, the art lovers in Hong Kong, be respected and the artwork is put back on display."

Originally from Taiwan, Ju Ming originally trained as a woodcarver, and worked with other media, like bronze, ceramics, stainless steel, and styrofoam. He died in 2023 at the age of 85.

In Hong Kong he also has statues doing tai chi in Exchange Square and outside the Bank of China building, both in Central.