Hong Kong as it was
Hedda Morrison's Photographs 1946-47
By: Edward Stokes, Hedda Morrison
In September 1946, when the photographer Hedda Morrison reached Hong Kong, it remained little changed from decades earlier. Acclaimed for her images of China taken in the 1930s and 1940s, Hedda Morrison delighted in recording the patterns of everyday life. Now, captivated by Hong Kong and its people, she embraced the colony's diversity. For six months, cameras in hand, Morrison roamed its districts, streets, coasts and valleys. Within years, much of what Hedda Morrison witnessed in 1946-47 would be swept aside. Yet when she was there Hong Kong life still had its old feel and traditions, with fine colonial precincts, tenement streets, bustling markets, itinerant hawkers, fisherfolk and rice farmers. In this book, Morrison's telling images are complemented by Edward Stokes' essays portraying the postwar years. Hedda Morrison's photographs are the work of a masterful, artistic photographer. However, fewer than thirty of this book's photographs had been published before. It was those images, first sighted in a 1946 government report, that led Edward Stokes to begin searching for Morrison's original negatives--which later were discovered at the Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University. This is a unique record of a now vanished Hong Kong--the most complete pictorial account of how the colony looked during the decades from the early 1930s to the 1950s. Hedda Morrison's photographs will appeal to all who value documentary images and Asian history. This new edition contains over three-quarters of the photographs from Hedda Morrison's Hong Kong, the original edition of this book published in 2005. The complete English text, which has been widely praised, accompanies the photographs. Reviews of Hedda Morrison's Hong Kong appear below and on the back jacket.
AI Overview
Title: "Hong Kong As It Was: Hedda Morrison's Photographs 1946–47"
Authors: Hedda Morrison (photographer) and Edward Stokes (essayist)
Publisher: Hong Kong University Press (2009)
Overview: "Hong Kong As It Was" is a unique and comprehensive photographic record of Hong Kong during the post-war period, specifically in 1946 and 1947. The book is a collection of photographs taken by Hedda Morrison, complemented by essays written by Edward Stokes. Morrison, an acclaimed photographer known for her images of China in the 1930s and 1940s, captured the everyday life and traditions of Hong Kong during a time when the colony was still largely unchanged from its earlier decades.
Key Themes:
- Historical Documentation: The book provides a detailed and poignant portrayal of Hong Kong's colonial era, capturing its fine colonial precincts, tenement streets, bustling markets, itinerant hawkers, fisherfolk, and rice farmers.
- Cultural Preservation: Morrison's photographs and Stokes' essays work together to preserve the cultural heritage of Hong Kong at a moment when much of what she witnessed would soon be swept aside by rapid modernization.
- Artistic Photography: The book highlights Morrison's masterful and artistic photography skills, showcasing her ability to capture the essence of everyday life in a way that is both personal and ethnographic.
Plot Summary: In September 1946, Hedda Morrison arrived in Hong Kong, a place that remained relatively unchanged from decades earlier. Over the next six months, she roamed the districts, streets, coasts, and valleys of the colony, documenting the patterns of everyday life. Her photographs reveal a Hong Kong that was rich in tradition and diversity, with fine colonial buildings, bustling markets, and a vibrant community of people engaged in various occupations.
Critical Reception: The book has received positive reviews for its historical significance and artistic merit. It is considered a sensitively produced record, interpretation, and ethnographic memoir of Hong Kong during the post-war period. The discovery of Morrison's original negatives at the Harvard-Yenching Library added to the book's significance, as fewer than thirty of the photographs had been published before.
Publication Details:
- Size: 29 (L) x 26.4 (W) cm
- Binding: Hardcover
- Pages: 228 pages
- Publisher: Hong Kong University Press (2009)
Overall, "Hong Kong As It Was" is a valuable historical and cultural document that provides a unique glimpse into the past of Hong Kong, making it an essential read for those interested in documentary photography, Asian history, and cultural preservation.