The Correspondent, October-December 2024

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

On 29 August, two Hong Kong journalists were convicted of a crime for articles they published.

Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, formerly of non-pro t digital news outlet Stand News, were found guilty of sedition for their roles in reporting, editing and publishing 11 interviews, features and opinion pieces.

e Stand News Case has long been regarded by many as a litmus test for press freedom in the city. It may still be too early to understand the full impact of this verdict on journalists in Hong Kong, but one thing I already know for certain is that our work has never been more vital.

In the face of unprecedented challenges, the FCC will continue to work in service of our mission to support journalists, to facilitate journalism of the highest standard and to defend press freedom in Hong Kong and across the region.

We will also continue to provide a space for the free exchange of ideas and viewpoints. In the last few months we have hosted talks with a diverse roster of speakers including the economist Stephen Roach, New York Times executive editor Joseph Kahn, diplomat Kishore Mahbubani and Huang Jingrui, spokesman for the Commissioner’s O ce of China’s Ministry of Foreign A airs in Hong Kong, who gave his rst public, on-the-record remarks in Hong Kong at the FCC. We are committed to maintaining the Club’s strong tradition of bringing newsmakers and lawmakers into the Club to speak and eld questions from our Members.

In addition, we will also continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to secure the long-term future of our Club. By the time you read this, the most visible manifestation of our investment and con dence in the future—the stunning rainbow sca olding that has been wrapped around the building for ve months—will have been taken down, marking the completion of a HK$5 million restoration project to the Grade One heritage building of which we have been proud custodians for more than 40 years.

is year marks 75 years since our Club le Shanghai and relocated to Hong Kong, safely ensconcing itself among the rights and freedoms that have long distinguished the city from mainland China.

Today, our Board of Governors is looking ahead to the next 75 years and the role that the FCC can play in helping to defend those enshrined freedoms that make Hong Kong so special. For decades, the city’s rule of law and freedom of the press have been a key driver of its continued prosperity. Our success will be Hong Kong’s success.

Lee Williamson

Hong Kong

September 2024

“We

will also continue to provide a space for the free exchange of ideas and viewpoints’’

PHOTO: BEN MARANS

The Board of Governors 2024-2025

President Lee Williamson

First Vice President Morgan Davis

Second Vice President Tim Huxley

Correspondent Member Governors Karly Cox, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh, Kristie Lu Stout, Dean Napolitano, Peter Parks, Laura Westbrook, William Zheng

Journalist Member Governors Zela Chin, Joe Pan

Associate Member Governors Liu Kin-ming, Lynne Mulholland, Christopher Slaughter, Barbara Yu Larsson

Club Treasurer Tim Huxley

Club Secretary Liu Kin-ming

Professional Committee Conveners: Lee Williamson, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh, Joe Pan, William Zheng

Journalism Conference Sub-Committee Convener: Dean Napolitano

Press Freedom Committee Conveners: Lee Williamson, Morgan Davis, Jennifer Jett, Karen Koh

Constitutional Committee Conveners: Liu Kin-ming, Peter Parks

Membership Committee Conveners: Karly Cox, Jennifer Jett, Zela Chin, Dean Napolitano

Communications Committee Conveners: Zela Chin, Morgan Davis, Dean Napolitano

Finance Committee Treasurer: Tim Huxley Conveners: Karen Koh, Lynne Mulholland

House/Food and Beverage Committee Conveners: Lynne Mulholland, Barbara Yu Larsson

Building – Project and Maintenance Committee Conveners: Liu Kin-ming, Christopher Slaughter

Wall Committee Conveners: Kristie Lu Stout, Peter Parks

Charity Committee Convener: Morgan Davis

CONTRIBUTORS

John Batten

John comments, broadcasts and writes on art, culture, urban planning, heritage and policy issues for Hong Kong newspapers and overseas magazines and is a former art critic and contributor for the South China Morning Post. He is also a director of the arts education group Rooftop Institute and currently President of AICAHK.

Aaron Busch

Aaron studied journalism at Curtin University, Western Australia before embarking on a career in radio ournalism print and finall radio announcing. He currently runs one X account for Hong Kong news @tripperhead with 45k followers, and a nightly Substack newsletter. He is also the X social media manager for the Kowloon Cricket Club.

Editor Ann Tsang Email: editor@fcchk.org

Publisher Artmazing! Noel de Guzman Email: artmazingcompany@gmail.com

Cover image SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film

Printing Elite Printing: Tel: 2558 0119

Advertising Enquiries ront fice el 5 1 1511

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong

2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2521 1511

Fax: (852) 2868 4092

Email: fcc@fcchk.org

Website: www.fcchk.org

Alexandra Hamlyn

Brought up in Asia, Alexandra is a graduate of St. Andrew’s University with an MA (Honours) in English Literature and Art History. She has travelled extensively though Asia, South America and Europe and is a freelance writer who focuses predominantly on the world of art and all of its intricacies. She is a mother of three boys and currently resides in the U.K.

Hugo Novales

Hugo is originally from Chicago and joined the FCC after graduating from HKU's Master of Journalism programme. As the Club’s in-house journalist, he covers events for the website and social media, contributes to The Correspondent, and also helps organise and promote workshops for early/midcareer journalists.

The Correspondent ©2024

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong

TheCorrespondent©2024ispublishedfourtimesayearbyTheForeignCorrespondents’Club, HongKong.Allviewsexpressedinallarticlesarethoseoftheauthorsandarenotnecessarily thoseofTheForeignCorrespondents’Club.AllcontentcontainedwithinTheCorrespondent magazinemaynotbereproducedinanymannerwhatsoeverwithoutauthorisation.

14

Few movements in history have had as lasting a legacy and impact as Surrealism, which still has the ability to transform our visual perceptions and way of thinking. In its time, it garnered a remarkable degree of public recognition, and its in uence on artists continues to be felt today. is year marks the centennial of the inception of Surrealism with the publication of ‘ e Surrealist Manifesto’ in Paris in October 1924. Photographer Man Ray was one groundbreaking photographer who wholeheartedly freed art from preconceptions and the boundaries of reason. His work remains as innovative today as it was over a century ago.

Couture Redefined

Guo Pei is China’s most renowned couturière and the rst Chinese national designer invited to join the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture For almost 30 years, she has dressed royalty, political elite and international stars. Her show-stopping, magni cent creations make her a modern messenger of her cultural heritage. From now through 6 April, 2025, M+ is showcasing Guo’s key collections and early designs, highlighting her unique career connecting China and the rest of the world and the cultural symbols created through her sophisticated and visually dazzling practice.

20

Shadows of The Past

As a remarkable visual story-teller, photographer James Chung Man-Lurk captured a charming Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s with his artistic, caring and penetrating perspective. His works o er an alluring and nostalgic album of the city during a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong.

26 Interpreting Infinity

To coincide with the reopening of Hong Kong’s beloved Peak Tram following a HK$799 million upgrade project, e Peak Tramways Company, Limited commissioned a striking public sculpture named ‘Eye of In nity’ by Australian artist Lindy Lee, adding an artistic new dimension to the overall experience of one of the city’s most historic and iconic tourist attractions

John Batten delves into the life of architect I.M. Pei, designer of Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower and other prestigious projects, including the Louvre pyramid in Paris.

‘ONE DAY’S WORK’: FRESH CHARITY INITIATIVE LAUNCHED

e Club has reignited its e orts to partner with community organisations through a newly launched programme. By Morgan

M. Davis

e FCC’s Charity Committee launched a new initiative at the end of September to partner with local organisations in their e orts to support Hong Kongers, and to encourage Club Members to commit eight hours of their time to volunteer.

e Committee has selected nine partner charities that work across mental health care, education and service to underprivileged communities. ese are: Branches of Hope, Bring Me a Book Hong Kong, Enrich, ImpactHK, Integrated Brilliant Education, KELY Support Group, PathFinders, Teen’s Key Hong Kong, and e Samaritans.

ese charities will work with the Club in the coming 12 months, and will be featured across various platforms. Members are encouraged to learn more about their work and can nd additional information on the FCC website.

e main focus of the charity initiative is to spur volunteering, and to encourage FCC Members to be active participants. On the Club website, Members will nd information about the kinds of volunteers that each

partner charity is looking for, ranging from support editing press releases to mentoring teen girls. ere are a variety of projects and opportunities for short- and long-term volunteering.

Members are encouraged to commit “one day’s work”, or eight hours in total, to volunteer with either a partner charity or a charity of their choice. is can be broken up into short chunks of time and across more than one charity. e Committee asks that everyone record their commitment through the FCC website to track the Club’s work.

e FCC’s renewed charity work is a demonstration of the Club’s active role in the Hong Kong community, and o ers an opportunity for the member base to contribute to the city in a supportive and positive way.

Stay tuned for more information to come throughout the year!

For more information: https://www.fcchk.org/charity/

BOOK YOUR PRIVATE EVENT NOW!

e FCC has long been welcoming correspondents, journalists, businesspeople, lawyers, diplomats, and other professionals who enjoy its warm ambience, friendly service, and culinary delights. Members may host private events at the Club, from intimate family dinners to corporate retreats, weddings, product launches, and many more. With the festive season rapidly approaching, do contact us about hosting your event.

GIFT IDEAS FROM THE FCC

A reminder about the special, limited time programme for Members to propose immediate family members to join the FCC at a discounted entrance fee.  is applies to parents, siblings, and children (age 21 and up) of current Members whose applications are received between 1 October and midnight on 31 December, 2024.  ese family members are eligible to join at a 33% discount on the current entrance fee and this promotion applies to Correspondent, Journalist and Associate Member categories. Please contact Carman Chung at membership@fcchk.org or call 2844- 2829 (direct) for application details.

Stuck for stocking llers? Check out the FCC’s e-shop or purchase merchandise direct from the Club at great prices.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

We would like to thank every single Member who took the time to participate in our Club Survey, and announce the winners as follows:

•1st prize: Free monthly subscriptions for one year

Winner: Shi Ting

• 2nd prize: $8,000 in credit for a private function at the Club

Winner: Kwok Wai Chu, Cindy

•3rd prize: $4,000 dining credit in the Dining Room

Winner: Jonathan Paul Crompton

Here’s what some Members have said about the private events they have held at the FCC:

“ ank you for all your assistance in the lead-up to our event. e entire team was terri c, and the event overall was a great success. I would wholeheartedly recommend the space for similar events in the future.”

“ e attendees had a wonderful time at the event during which the Club provided exemplary service. I will de nitely look to the FCC again when planning any future events.”

“ ank you very much for your professional arrangement and hard work. Our event host from Germany was most impressed!”

“Impressive venue choice and service arrangements. ank you FCC.”

From hoodies to caps, notebooks to co ee mugs, umbrellas to tote bags, and more, prices range from $10 to $800. Grab a gi now while stocks last!

ERRATUM

We sincerely apologise for the incorrect captioning of the above photograph in the Penelope Byrne obituary on page 43 of the July 2024 issue of e Correspondent. e correct caption should be Penny Byrne with Paul Bay eld.

WORK IN PROGRESS

David, what has happened with the survey results and all our comments?

Well, quite a lot actually!

Many sections of survey scores and related comments were immediately forwarded to the appropriate Committees, who couldn’t wait to get started working with the data! Here are a few highlights of our developments to date and current work in progress:

• e Building–Project and Maintenance Committee has examined the scores and comments on facilities and is currently focusing on the Health Club and Workspace data as it continues to develop multi-year plans for our heritage building. Both facilities have a dedicated group of core users and survey data indicates that both user groups could increase signi cantly if the they were upgraded. It is worth noting that the Health Club is also an important facility for recruiting younger members, who may not have a tness centre at home and likely can’t a ord both the FCC and a gym membership. Meanwhile, at the time of writing, the restoration of our historic clubhouse is scheduled for completion on time and under budget, with sca olding timed for removal in mid-October. New carpeting has also been installed in Bert’s and on the main staircase.

• e Charity Committee found the feedback on charities very helpful as it undertook the process of ne-tuning the FCC’s community outreach strategy, the rst phase of which culminated in ‘Pitch Day’ – featuring nine selected charities – on 28 September. Please see page 4 for highlights of the day.

• e Communications Committee has reviewed the feedback on the Club’s various communications tools –including Members’ preferred channels of communication – and is working with our Marcom team in ne-tuning our strategies to meet our Members’ changing needs.

• Meanwhile, our busy House/Food and Beverage Committee has examined the scores and comments for each outlet and is monitoring ongoing member feedback on – and sales statistics for – our new menus. e Committee is also working with management to understand the

slightly disappointing feedback on promotions and special events – and to develop strategies to improve these. e scores weren’t “low”, but they were a little lower than those for day-to-day Member dining, which is a little unusual and a little counter intuitive – and something we need to understand and improve upon.

• Next on the agenda will be examining the various societies that Members have suggested in the survey. Hiking, a book club and yoga classes were the top three requests! eir “ t” with the FCC and the spaces and resources needed to administer them are among the subjects to be discussed.

• Your management team used AI to sort and summarise the 5,831 comments we received (!), as well as reviewing individual comments in each section.

• Finally, please turn to page 5 where we announce our lucky draw winners!

Festive entertaining at the Club

e festive season is approaching, beginning with American anksgiving and culminating in our Gala Countdown Party with a James Bond theme, where Martinis will be shaken, not stirred! ere are many opportunities for you to entertain family and friends, both at the Club – in one of our outlets or in a private room – and at home through our takeaway service. Salina Chan, our Catering, Promotion & Events Manager, looks forward to working with you on planning your personal or o ce holiday party, served by our friendly and attentive sta . Please book early to avoid disappointment as our private rooms are very popular at this time of year. Similarly, our festive season events also sell out quickly, from the Kids’ Party on 8 December to the Christmas Wine Social on 10 December, the Christmas Choir performance on 18 December to the Christmas Day Bu et, and of course, our New Year’s Countdown Party. Please reserve early to avoid disappointment.

Season’s greetings from the sta

On behalf of the sta , our best wishes to you and yours for a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. n

Paula and Irving Klaw

100 YEARS OF SURREALISM

Few movements in history have had as lasting a legacy and impact as Surrealism, which still has the ability to transform our visual perceptions and way of thinking. In its time, it garnered a remarkable degree of public recognition, and its in uence on artists continues to be felt today. is year marks the centennial of the inception of Surrealism with the publication of e Surrealist Manifesto’ in Paris in October 1924. Man Ray was one groundbreaking photographer who wholeheartedly freed art from preconceptions and the boundaries of reason. His work remains as innovative today as it was over a century ago.

By: Alexandra

Hamlyn. Images: Courtesy of the Man Ray Trust

Dada”, a word that doesn’t exist in the English lexicon, yet its syllables as they are stressed and unstressed are so familiar – the pronunciation and volume of it indicates its meaning and reminds us of the ancient cadence of priestly incantation. For many babies, “dada” is one of the rst sounds uttered, and in Russian, “dada” means “yes, yes”. Dadaist art strove to become like music, to exist on its own without reference to anything, and to seek out its own time without recourse to anything else. By reproducing the world in a way that was visual, but not recognisable, Man Ray, as one of the original Dadaists, confronted bourgeois expectations and de nitions of art to encourage an emergence of our internal humanity.

e internationalism of the world was extremely proactive at that time, and Dadaism, and everything that it stood for, resisted the status quo of politics, war and imposed boundaries. World War I sparked the fervour with which Dada reinforced its anti-art sentiments, reacting against the notions of national identity, bourgeois class divisions, rational

thought and indeed, civilisation in general. Dadaism was nihilistic, choosing to use a primordial language and means of communication through art, words and photography that existed before the corruption of civilisation. Releasing a primitive state of existence from the binds of tradition and de nition, Dadaism sought to celebrate the destruction of these mind-forged manacles of thought and reason.

Photographer Man Ray’s famous ‘rayographs’ exempli ed the Dadaist support for chance and fate. By removing the process of creating a photographic image from lm and camera, Man Ray was able to produce abstract images from familiar objects. rough this technique, he transformed the banal and ordinary into the extraordinary by altering the order of things and bringing the end point together with the point of origin, bypassing the stages in between and liberating the process from tradition, order and artistic control.

e reality of photography o ered many opportunities, especially when combined with a Surrealist sensibility.

Man Ray, as the only American Dada and Surrealist artist, shared a great a nity with the Freudian concept of the sub-conscious, believing that it could emerge once control was eliminated. Rayographs were the visual equivalent of automatic writing, a Dadaist mode of expression that borrowed from the Shamanistic tradition of channelling a message, whereby the person doing the writing has no control or input into the message itself. Rayographs imbibed this “accident” of perception by transferring the concept of matter over thought directly onto photographic paper.

A personal friend of Man Ray, and himself an authority on and collector of his photography, Timothy Baum sheds some insight onto Man Ray’s evolution as an artist and photographer. “It’s important to know that his great dream about his own life was to be a painter as a young man, and he had all his early exhibitions in New York until 1921, when he moved to Paris. From then on, he remained in Paris, except for the years during the Second World War, when he had no choice but to move back to the United States. During those years he chose Hollywood when most artists went to New York, so as not be part of the art scene that was ourishing in the 1940s.

In 1921, when Man Ray rst moved to Paris, he knew how to take photographs, but it was never his main focus. He had a show of his paintings in 1922, but didn’t sell much at all, and at the point he probably got a little nervous about how he would support himself. His friend and contemporary, Marcel Duchamp, introduced him to a lot of major artists at the time, who asked him to take photos of their paintings. From there, Man Ray went on to take portraits of the artists themselves - James Joyce, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau and Antonin Artaud were just a few of his sitters.

It was by pure accident that Man Ray began to experiment with what became his rayographs. “One day, he started playing around. He made the bathroom in his hotel a darkroom, put objects directly onto photographic paper, turned the light on and o , and managed to create quite brilliant pieces from this discovery. He attained a certain amount of fame from that,” recalls Baum.

Man Ray’s maverick approach to photography certainly earned him a reputation amongst this peers and fellow artists, but it was also due to Dada founder, Tristan Tzara’s admiration of the rayograph that Man Ray attracted so much attention for his unconventional ways of working.

Photography, a relatively new medium at the time, a ected radical change in the art community, primarily because it formed a new visual language that emerged from a single click of a button, revealing an entirely di erent world that was malleable, even in its ability to exactly capture a single moment.

Himself a poet and writer, Baum shared a community

of thought with Man Ray and was the editor of a magazine called Nadada. “I approached Man Ray in 1964 and asked if he would consider doing a cover for the magazine,” Baum recounts. “He replied that if he could be paid for the e ort, then he would be glad to because he was getting too old to work for free. I explained to him that I would probably not be able to produce anything but a tiny amount, and he said, let’s wait a while, and then see if we can work on it again in the future.” From there, Baum went to Paris and nally met Man Ray and approached him about sharing ideas with the community. “I was much younger, but we became quite good friends, and I represented him in the U.S. from 1970 until 1976, the year he died. I learned a lot about photography, all of it from him. He understood the entire subject and the whole history of photography.”

Nadada was a poetry and art magazine with an emphasis on Dada and Surrealism, and Baum published the work of many younger writers whose work re ected those directions. He has continued to publish a series of books under the imprint Nadada Editions up to the present day.

Paul Poiret, a prominent French fashion designer at the time, felt an instant attraction to Man Ray’s early photography, and hired him to take fashion photographs, and the artist thus became more involved with photography and less with painting, and integrated himself further into French society at the time.

When the Dada group ended their work together in 192324, Man Ray joined the Surrealist group spearheaded by

André Breton as its only American.

Eroticism, exoticism, Surrealism and Dadaism were all very potent forces to be working with, especially for someone with such a liberated creative mind whose active purpose was to release art from preconceived notions and de nitions. “ e creativity was always there, because he was free and open,” Baum explains. “A perfect example of this is the well-known work of Kiki (Montparnasse) with a violin image on her back entitled ‘Violin d’Ingres’ that was taken in 1924. No-one had ever done that before, and Man Ray took it to the next level of where he wanted to be and changed the image. He photographed her from behind, then meticulously drew the violin motifs on her back, and then he photographed her again; it was immediately considered extraordinary at the time.

ere is no doubt that Man Ray was ahead of his time, and as Baum says, “His techniques never went out of fashion. He had such a Surrealist mind and a great imagination that he was far ahead of people in his time. Others didn’t have his crazy wild imagination.”

Man Ray’s bravura as an artist and photographer is certainly a product of his at times extreme ideas about artistic boundaries, transforming the most realist representation of an image into the Surreal.

As Baum fondly remembers, “Man Ray had a free-spirited mind, but he was still a gentleman. With his natural ability to tap into the myriad ways that a camera can intervene with reality, he defamiliarised the familiar and asked everyone to think, and see, in a brave new way.” n

Portrait of Man Ray by Douglas Kirkland, 1971

COUTURE REDEFINED

Guo Pei is China’s most renowned couturière and the rst Chinese national designer invited to join the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. For almost 30 years, she has dressed royalty, political elite and international stars. Her show-stopping, magni cent creations make her a modern messenger of her cultural heritage. From now through 6 April, 2025, M+ is showcasing Guo’s key collections and early designs, highlighting her unique career connecting China and the rest of the world and the cultural symbols created through her sophisticated and visually dazzling practice. By: Cushla Sayetatt

In her eye-popping, unrestrained creations, Chinese designer Guo Pei imbues contemporary high fashion with ancient tradition, invoking history and mythology through intricate cra smanship and avant-garde silhouettes rife with symbolism. A er almost three decades in the business, Guo’s fantastical, whimsical and dramatic gowns are now more than ever increasingly sought a er as statement-making, one-of-a-kind out ts that will rarely be seen more than once.

Guo Pei was born in Beijing in 1967 as the daughter of an army leader who later was given a position within the state housing authority. In 1982 she enrolled in fashion studies at Beijing Second Light Industry School, a tertiary education centre, which at the time had no knowledge of, or access to Western fashion designers or trends. Paris and Milan were still very much foreign territory and the names Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain were as yet unknown to the Chinese population. In fact ‘fashion’ altogether was not even yet a concept.

Following her graduation in 1986, Guo took a government job designing children’s clothing, which earned her 65 Renminbi (US$10) a month. In 1997, she took her knowledge, passion and hard earned wages and started a bespoke clothing business under the name of ‘Rose Studio’.

Fast forward a decade later to 2007, when Guo began creating runway collections that spoke literally, volumes.

Dress from ‘An Amazing Journey In A Childhood Dream’ collection, 2008

Dress from the ‘Legend of The Dragon’ collection, 2012

Each of the dramatic shows that she has staged to date has been inspired by various themes, the rst being rebirth, the second children’s dreams, and another and possibly the most dramatic to date, ‘1002 Arabian Nights’, set to RimskyKorsakov’s ‘Scheherazade’ which featured the legendary then 80 year-old supermodel Carmen Dell’Ore ce in the nale. “Guo Pei’s designs are the best ambassador for her country,” says Dell’ Ore ce of her experience of working with the designer. “She draws from the past, expressing history in her artistry and. She demonstrates through perfecting her cra , a deep understanding of the decades, and the world she lives in today. She is an unparalleled artist of this century.”

e designer went on to create the ceremonial dresses used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as the dress worn by singer Song Zuying for her performance of a duet with Placido Domingo during the Closing Ceremony that was embroidered with 200,000 Swarovski crystals, the pink ta eta column embroidered with red Chinese characters

that actress Li Bingbing wore at the 2010 Venice Film Festival and numerous creations made for China’s most recognised actress, Zhang Ziyi. e only person missing who would undoubtedly carry o any one of Guo Pei’s couture masterpieces is Lady Gaga. But it wasn’t for lack of trying. Nicola Formichetti, Gaga’s stylist, did in fact contact Guo in regards to dressing the ‘Born is Way’ star. Four dresses together with the designer’s stilt-like shoes dutifully arrived in the U.S., but even La Gaga had to concede that she couldn’t move in them the way that she needed to.

Simultaneous with the continued burgeoning wealth in China, Guo has clearly reached a certain status at the right time. At the age of 57, she has come a long way, and both Chinese and Western fashionista eyes continue to watch her closely. In May 2015, the fashion world’s eyes gleefully honed in on the now-iconic imperial yellow cape (from the designer’s 2010 ‘1002 Arabian Nights’ collection) worn by Rihanna to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume

“She draws from the past, expressing history in her artistry and. She demonstrates through perfecting her cra , a deep understanding of the decades, and the world she lives in today. She is an unparalleled artist of this century.”

~ Carmen Dell’Ore ce

rom the ne housand and wo ights collection 010

Institute Gala -a seminal moment that introduced Guo in no uncertain terms to America’s fashion cognoscenti.

“Rihanna and her styling team really pushed the boundaries by daring to wear ‘Yellow Queen’ on the red carpet,” said Guo. “ e move made her the unequivocal focus of the red carpet that year and it has also brought my work to the attention of a much wider audience.”

Two months later In July 2015, Guo presented her creations for the rst time in Paris, at the Musee Les Arts Decoratifs no less, and her star continued to rise. She made her Paris Haute Couture debut in January 2016, unveiling her ‘Courtyard’ collection to critical acclaim. In the same year, she was also named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most In uential People and one of the Business of Fashion’s 500 most in uential people shaping the global industry.

The ‘Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination’ exhibition currently being shown at M+ o ers visitors an up-close look at the astonishing detail in the couturière’s work

–the embroidery, pleats, beading and embellishmentshandcra ed by some of the 500 artisans she employs. Some of these extraordinary pieces can take up to two years to complete.

Guo Pei has cited John Galliano, Tom Ford and Valentino as designers that she admires, simply stating, “I love these masters’ works!” However, there is little or no evidence whatsoever that Guo’s own designs have been influenced by others. Her creations almost always contain Chinese elements, from embroidery to traditional patterns, but they also include modern influences, as she seamlessly combines Oriental style with Western cutting techniques.

When asked about the inspiration for her next creations, Guo is somewhat elusive and clearly still feels the need to surprise. “We have become even more aware of ancient cultural connotations; things that I hope to be able to continue to capture in terms of both inspiration and essence…” n

ress

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

As a remarkable visual storyteller, photographer James Chung Man-Lurk captured a charming Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s with his artistic, caring and penetrating perspective. His works o er an alluring and nostalgic album of the city during a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong.

By: Ann Tsang. Images: James Chung courtesy of f22

Originally from Xinhui County in Guangdong Province, renowned Hong Kong photographer James Chung (1925 - 2018) rst settled in Hong Kong in 1947.

His rst job was working as an apprentice in the art department of a movie theatre, where he assisted in the design and production of promotional posters for the lms that the theatre was screening. To this day, this is still considered as a classic Hong Kong art form, as many of these large-scale posters were hand painted.

In 1955, Chung was able to acquire his rst Rolleicord Vb F3.5, albeit by through splitting the cost with a friend. In retrospect, this became a priceless purchase, as it marked the beginning of his lifetime journey in photography.

Entirely self-taught, Chung enhanced his photographic knowledge from subject selection to technical skills to dark room techniques through his single-minded persistence in both nding resources and making connections.

Coincidentally, the mid-1950s was a revolutionary time for photography in Hong Kong, which saw the birth of what became known as ‘salon photography’. In his book entitled Fi een Years of Photography in Hong Kong, published in 1969, author K.C. Chew wrote: “Hong Kong, a territory of humble size, has made distinguished achievements in the study of photographic art over a short period of just over two decades. In particular, Hong Kong’s success over the last 15 years has been admirable, thus earning it the name of ‘Salon Kingdom’.”

In a research paper ‘Locating Photographic Practice in Hong Kong since the 1960s’ written for the Asia Art Archive in 2009 by Lee Wingki, the author o ers a deeper understanding of the nature of salon photography. “A Salon Empire almost becomes a distinctive feature when we take a rear view of a contemporary history of photography in Hong Kong. An amateur photographer, or self-taught enthusiast, produces photographic work and uses that work to enter competitions and exhibitions…Such photographic practice is very o en regarded as a leisure (non-occupational), a uent bourgeoisie play (to own an analogue camera in the 1950s was equivalent to a monthly salary of a blue collar worker). Photography clubs, salon exhibitors’ associations and photographers’ associations (o en founded by teachers of photography and/or other art and culture interest groups) were platforms that attracted individual practice. Salon photography is usually characterised by its artistry and technicality – to make a well-developed print for a weet overs an hai 1 58

perfect composition for a decisive moment. Visual content of photograph varies from landscape, portraiture, still life and street photography. Salon photographer’s work is o en regarded as ‘technically competent’ and ‘a pleasure to see’.”

It was during this period that Chung won the Perulz Film Photography Competition organised by New Evening Post and the silver prize at the Hong Kong International Salon of Photography in 1958 and 1959 respectively, among others.

e ‘salon’ age also saw a remarkably large number of Hong Kong photographers winning the ‘World’s Top Ten’ photographers awards, including Fan Ho and Yau Leung, both friends and contemporaries of Chung.

In addition, the time witnessed the birth of a number of popular photography periodicals, including e New Wave Photography magazine in 1963, for which Chung became Chief Editor, simultaneously working full-time as a movie stills photographer.

Another popular journal, Photo Pictorial, was founded in 1964 to “serve as a platform to showcase photographic work, exchange ideas, provide informal education through feature columns, and promote commercial activity in photography

and photographic equipment,” as described by Lee Wingki in his research paper. e magazine had an unprecedented lifespan, nally shuttering (no pun intended) in 2005.

Chung’s iconic images of Hong Kong highlight his artistic eye in embracing light and shadow, as well as close encounters with people from all walks of life. His aesthetic storytelling approach invites the viewer to travel back in time and immerse in a fascinating era with both poignancy and a ection. “James Chung saw beauty in a time when life was extremely di cult,” says Douglas So, Founder and Director of Hong Kong’s f22 gallery. “He really had the eye to play with the composition, the light and the shadows to nd the perfect recipe for his photos.”

Chung’s passion was to capture images of real life, and of real people at moments of drama, crisis, tenderness and joy. As the late photographer once said: “From picking up a paintbrush for over a decade to clicking a camera shutter for a few more decades; from embracing pictorialism attributed to art theory training to adopting realistic sidewalk scenes; from depicting ordinary daily life to commercial photography; I have walked through a path from an amateur to a professional.” n

INTERPRETING INFINITY

To coincide with the reopening of Hong Kong’s beloved Peak Tram in 2022, e Peak Tramways Company, Limited commissioned a striking public sculpture named ‘Eye of In nity’ by Australian artist Lindy Lee, adding an artistic new dimension to the overall experience of one of the city’s most historic and iconic tourist attractions.

By: Annabelle Houston

Hong Kong’s Peak Tramways’ contribution to the public art movement is a stunning 10-metre tall cast bronze sculpture by artist Lindy Lee, which was installed at the city’s Peak Tram Central Terminus as part of the $799 million upgrade project for the 6th generation Peak Tram. Entitled ‘ e Eye of In nity’, the sculpture or torus is an ovoid form, which according to scientists is the shape of the universe. rough the sculpture, the torus form has been elongated so that it has become an oval shape with a void in the centre. e cast bronze work has a black patina nish and has been cra ed with thousands of tiny apertures to allow light to sparkle through. e internal lighting changes throughout the day to re ect the changing light of e Peak, and day transitioning to evening, as well as brightening in intensity to signal the imminent arrival of the Peak Tram at the Central Terminus.

“Traditionally, for hundreds of years, art has been used to de ne the hub of a community – all over the world, statues and sculptures have been placed in town squares or piazzas, serving as the pivotal point for meetings and gatherings, or the location of a market. Nothing has really changed today, it’s just that our market squares have become shopping malls or o ce towers, or our place of business,” says art consultant and curator, Alison Pickett, who has specialised in the curation and commission of site-speci c sculptures since 1995. “But even though our streets and pavements have become more crowded and confusing, placing art within and around these spaces is simply an extension of carrying on this tradition. Whereas before the statues and sculptures would be of kings or the town mayor, an explorer or a general, today, possibly in the absence of modern-day heroes and the ever changing and evolving genres of art itself, the sculptures have become less gurative and tend to be more abstract and decorative. But this doesn’t diminish the important role of sculpture and art within public and retail spaces – if anything, it is becoming more and more prevalent.”

Lindy Lee is an Australian artist whose practice explores her Chinese ancestry through Taoism and Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism – philosophies that see humanity and nature as inextricably linked. Her artwork embodies the intimate connections between human existence and the cosmos. With an artistic career spanning over three decades, Lee has a well-established reputation in Australia, and she enjoys widespread international recognition, exhibiting in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

“Hong Kong’s cityscape is unique. e architectural splendour, with its striking verticality, is cradled in lush verdant subtropical mountain rainforest. is rich, green

natural abundance extends throughout the archipelago of islands which sparkle like jewels in the South China Sea,” notes the artist, commenting on the inspiration for this speci c work. “ e psyche of Hong Kong is one of ascension, and e Peak is one of the city’s ultimate summits, o ering one of the world’s most sublime vistas of city, sea and sky. ere is no city on the planet that embodies the intimate connection between heaven and earth, sea and sky as Hong Kong does.”

Lee explains that the form of ‘ e Eye of In nity’ with its central void, conjures up poetic associations of seed, portal and eye. “ e seed speaks of germination and growth - of the saplings that grow reaching for the sky. e seed is an auspicious symbol and a deliberate reference to the abundant mountain forestry and country parks that Hong Kong is deservedly proud of. A portal is a threshold – a transitional space that leads from one place to another. e Peak Tram is, in essence, a portal that facilitates transition from sea level to summit. e ‘eye’ references more lyrical notions of the gaze. People travel to high places to experience and be inspired by a direct and personal relationship with a vastness that contains all that is in front of and beyond the horizon. Gazing from high places we sense a ‘belonging’ to something magni cent and grand. Although we might feel small against the scale of the sky, our spirits are not diminished. Instead we are enlarged and released into a connection with the expansive and in nite.”

Working closely with Lee and her studio team based near Australia’s Byron Bay, global art and design studio and manufacturer UAP, in both Shanghai and Brisbane, and art consultants Art Partners collaborated to progress the concept through the technical design development phase to the production and nal installation of the piece. e monumental sculpture was cast in bronze using a sandcasting technique, and the varied and complex elements of the artwork were assembled, nished and patinated, all in close coordination with Lee over period of almost three years.

In addition, e Peak Tramways Company and UAP have used ‘Eye of In nity’ as one of the pilot projects for the Artwork Ingredients List, a newly developed tool that aims to record the materials and energy input required for an art project to be brought to life. is tool facilitates a better understanding of the impact of artwork on the environment, the emissions generated, as well as strategies and tactics required to reduce this impact. is tool is a joint commitment between the artist, the client and all related stakeholders towards a more responsible approach towards the consumption and production of art and other creative manifestations. n

A LIFE IN ARCHITECTURE

By: John Batten

The 1980s were volatile. Amidst uncertainty over Hong Kong’s future prior to the signing of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the FCC’s relocation in November 1982 to its current home, the former Dairy Farm building, o ered some stability for a club with an itinerant history. A few months earlier, in August 1982, the city’s social climate had plummeted as the Hong Kong government announced the sale of a key piece of land to the Bank of China, triggering Hong Kong’s dollar and stock market to tumble. e site was symbolically signi cant: Murray House, the o cers’ quarters of the British Army at Murray Barracks at the bottom of Garden Road. e sale was a rst step in the dismantling of British military facilities in Admiralty.

e current big show at Hong Kong’s M+ museum is devoted to the work of Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (known universally as I.M. Pei, 1917-2019), designer of Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower and other prestigious projects, including the Louvre pyramid in Paris. e exhibition avoids discussing the controversy surrounding the construction of the tower, but gives an excellent introduction to Pei’s vision in contemporary architectural design and planning that re ect Hong Kong’s own urban development challenges.

Born into a middle-class Suzhou family, I.M. Pei’s father, Pei Tsuyee, was an accountant and career banker for the Bank of China, working in di erent cities around the country. I.M. Pei was born in Guangzhou and the family

Visitors at the opening of ‘I.M. Pei: Life is Architecture’ mimicking I.M. Pei, who is photographed on-site in front of his Grand Louvre project in Paris, circa 1984. Photo: John Batten

o ank o hina ower in lobb o ld ank o hina building photographed b obb ee. ublished in andarin riental maga ine 1 88

“Architecture is not about isolated objects in space. It is a civic art that contains and ennobles human activity in an enduring way that upli s society.”

~ I.M. Pei

then moved to Hong Kong in 1918, where his father opened the Bank of China’s rst overseas branch in the city. Away from China’s volatile economy, political uncertainty and regional warlords, he built a stable and pro table foreign exchange business for the Chinese Republican government (with later branches in London and New York).

I.M. Pei’s formative years and early education were spent in Hong Kong. In 1927, the Pei family moved to Shanghai, again for the senior Pei’s work. ese early Hong Kong experiences and connections would later be useful, and it is an intriguing fact that I.M. Pei’s young cosmopolitan persona, including learning written Chinese and spoken English, were formed in Hong Kong.

Pei moved to the United States in 1935, studying architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. His teachers included Marcel Breuer, Le Corbusier and Bauhaus school founder Walter Gropius, and he adopted their architectural milieu: a modernist design sensibility of clean rectangular lines. For a 1946 graduate masterclass led by Gropius, I.M. Pei’s conceptual design for a Shanghai art museum dismissed the Chinese motifs o en seen in the period’s Shanghai architecture, as they were “added to public buildings in a super cial way”. e inklings of a personal style were demonstrated in this early design.

He identi ed two Chinese elements that were to feature in later projects. Visiting his grandfather in Suzhou and the city’s famous gardens as a child, he appreciated, as related by Gropius, “bare Chinese walls” and “small open patios”. ese design elements were realised when Pei worked for a prominent New York property developer, William Zeckendorf of Webb & Knapp, on large-scale high-rise o ce and residential designs between 1948 and 1955. ese projects included ground-level “social interaction” spaces for art, gardens and open plazas. e company strived for

architectural excellence and pro tability and Zeckendorf later quipped that employing Pei “was a matter of de’ Medici looking for a Michelangelo.”

Pei already had a reputation for high quality work when he set up his own architectural practice in 1955. Comprising a multi-disciplinary team working collaboratively, his practice continued designing commercial and residential projects, including for Webb & Knapp. However, their scope expanded in 1966 with his appointment to design the John F. Kennedy Library at Harvard. Immediately, his company was selected to design more prominent and prestigious public and international buildings and museum projects, increasingly using geometric forms in their designs. JFK’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy said that Pei was selected to design the library because his work was “always beautiful”.

Pei’s rst project in Hong Kong, Sunning Plaza (built 1977-1982) in Causeway Bay, re ects Pei’s designs for similar U.S. projects. It was a quality commercial o ce tower and residential block with a small interconnecting outdoor plaza, sadly demolished in 2013. e plaza provided the district with a rare outdoor space in which to sit, eat and drink. One late-night bar built its identity by providing live music and free peanuts, with the discarded shells thrown onto the ground, trampled underfoot by customers.

I.M. Pei’s landmark Bank of China Tower (built 19831989) with its tall triangular form is one of Hong Kong’s de ning images. Seen in advertising and travel promotions, it ranks alongside Lion Rock, the view from e Peak and the city’s double-deck trams as an image that immediately de nes the city.

e Hong Kong government’s announcement to sell the Murray House site was controversial. It was accused of favouritism towards China, as the land’s selling price was considerably less, and payment terms were spread over thirteen years, overly generous compared to a recent sale to

Zeckendorf later quipped that employing Pei “was a matter of de’ Medici looking for a Michelangelo.”

the MTR Corporation for a similar-sized parcel of land in Admiralty. e o cial spin surrounding this, and similar later land deals, would become familiar - culminating in the agreement to build a new airport at Chek Lap Kok: each deal was promoted as “con dence” by the Mainland in Hong Kong’s future.

e Admiralty area, re ected in its name, had been the centre of British armed forces and government activity in the colony and region since the earliest days of colonisation.

e Bank of China land sale was the rst in the slow transformation of the area’s return to predominantly civilian use. e large Victoria Barracks army site became Hong Kong Park in 1991. H.M.S. Tamar’s naval facilities were returned, and a er extra land reclamation, became the new government headquarters and Legislative Council complex in the early 2000s.

Surrounded by major roads and on a sloping site, the Bank of China Tower’s location was described at the time of construction as “di cult”. According to Sandi Pei, I.M. Pei’s son who worked on the project, and the M+ exhibition curators, Pei “…negotiated with government o cials (and) by exchanging a public area in one (western) corner for another space, the site was reshaped into a parallelogram with the tower framed by triangular gardens.”

As the building took shape, its fung shui was questioned, together with the intention of having such angular, knifelike architecture. Pei dismissed such talk, re ecting his banking client, and its majority shareholder, whose Mainland campaigns argued against such old-fashioned superstitious ideas. Undeniably, the unique sharp-edged form of the building is strong – especially seen from near the Chief Executive’s residence.

Working with long-time structural engineering collaborator, Leslie E. Robertson (1928-2021), I.M. Pei developed the building’s form by constructing four steel corner columns, onto which weight transfers from its distinctive triangular/diamond framework. e building’s great height and angular appearance gives it great presence, alternatively contrasting and blending against Hong Kong island’s mountain-backed and harbour-fronted urban topography.

If there were initial spatial restrictions, these are not obvious now. e tower’s footprint on the renegotiated, reshaped site aligns with Central and the surrounding roads and it has good ground-level pedestrian access and an imposing presence. Its architectural height of 315 metres, together with its two distinctive antenna masts, gives a total height of 367 metres.

Despite its height, the Bank of China Tower does not dominate Hong Kong like tall buildings in other cities – such as Taipei 101 in Taiwan. e building backs onto e Peak, and with mountains and other high-rise buildings running through Hong Kong Island, views of the tower are blocked from even nearby Sheung Wan and Happy Valley. It is the building’s architecture that has a strong, now iconic, presence. e early controversies are now largely forgotten; however, I.M. Pei ensured the tower’s place in the city’s imagination because he strongly believed that “architecture is not about isolated objects in space. It is a civic art that contains and ennobles human activity in an enduring way that upli s society.”

I.M. Pei: Life is Architecture, M+ museum, Hong Kong, until 5 January 2025

Bank of China Tower under construction, photographed by Frank Fischbeck. Courtesy of Special Collections, The University of Hong Kong Libraries

IMPRESSIONS

To complement his article on I.M. Pei, John Batten recently photographed many reminders and impressions of the Bank of China Tower seen on the streets around Hong Kong.

“ e Bank of China Tower’s angular form is a universal strengthening solution for structures in construction jobs. Bamboo and ground steel-support sca olding is seen everywhere in Hong Kong: whether it’s a big or small job, cross-bracing using triangle, diamond or ‘X’ formations support this sca olding work or used in the architecture of other buildings. A practical graphic design element used on the city’s streets is cross-hatching, seen as road markings and on signage. And, in the city’s public spaces - on streets, and in laneways and parks - nonchalantly placed objects such as ladders and warning tape can be found. Finally, the Bank of China Tower can be seen in abstracted, mirrored glimpses from adjacent buildings.”

~ John Batten

ictoria arbour with crane in ront o museum with ank o hina ower in the distance est owloon ong ong 1 une 0

Bamboo scaffolding in laneway, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong, 27 May 2024

IMAGES: JOHN BATTEN

ter phoon agi view o ictoria arbour and re ection o the ank o hina ower rom / he pper

dmiralt ong ong 7 eptember 0

IMAGES: JOHN BATTEN

he ank o hina building re ected in the olice ead uarters building taken on a moving tram dmiralt ong ong 1 ul 0

e ection onto ueenswa bridge dmiralt ong ong 7 eptember 0 .

GOING FOR GOLD: THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 2024 PARIS GAMES

The Paris 2024 Olympics. An event where the past, present and the future came together to celebrate the pinnacle of human sporting achievement.

At the heart of it and there to capture all the unforgettable moments were the photographers of Agence France-Presse, the trusted eye of their “Home Games”.

With more than 70 accredited photographers using some 200 cameras and 40 robots, AFP distributed to clients around 100,000 images, selected by 25 photo editors from more than 1.4 million frames taken during the Games.

Some of AFP’s images will remain forever in the history of great sports photography: “Levitating surfer”, “BMX meets the obelisk”, “North and South Korea sel e”, the French judo team celebration or “Biles on the bar” are just a few among hundreds of memorable photos taken by AFP photographers that will endure in the collective memory.

Mladen Antonov

AFP Photo Editor-in-Chief, Asia Paci c

e ico s atalia scalera competes in the uneven bars event o the artistic g mnastics women s ualification during the aris 0 l mpic ames at the erc rena in aris on 28 July, 2024.

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka Long celebrates after winning against Italy’s Filippo Macchi in the men s oil individual gold medal bout during the aris 0 l mpic ames at the rand alais in aris on ul 0 .

PHILIP NEWSOME: MACAU GRAND PRIX PHOTOGRAPHS 1954-2023

These days the Macau Grand Prix is quite rightly regarded as one the world’s most prestigious motor races, an essential entry in any up-and-coming driver’s curriculum vitae. e alumni of past winners features some of the greatest names in the history of the sport, most notably Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Many top drivers have tried to win in Macau and yet failed, demonstrating just how di cult it is to come away with the title of Champion. Future Formula One World Champions Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Häkkinen, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Niko Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen have all taken on the daunting Guia circuit and come unstuck in their quest for victory. Only Ayrton Senna and Michael Shumacher have won the Macau Grand Prix and gone on to be Formula One World Champions, which in itself speaks volumes.

e event began in 1954, the world emerging from the darkness and misery of World War II, with bright young men and women desperate to enjoy life again. For those rst years, the Macau Grand Prix, despite its grand title, was a very local a air, predominantly run by, and for, motoring enthusiasts in Macau and neighbouring Hong Kong. Gradually, through

the late 1950s and early 1960s, news spread and entries started to appear from further a eld and ultimately all across the world. Over the years the Grand Prix developed into an international event run to a number of di erent formulae. e biggest change saw the introduction of Formula ree in 1983. Ayrton Senna’s win that year put the event rmly on the global map and it has never looked back since.

My book records seven decades of the Macau Grand Prix. As much as it is a homage to this truly wonderful event, it is also a celebration of motorsport photography. It is fascinating to look back at some of the earliest images in this book and see how many photographers were present to record events - motorsport and photography have co-existed right from the time cars rst took to the track. While Macau itself has, of course, changed massively and access to certain parts of the circuit has diminished over time, it remains a gloriously photogenic backdrop to the on-track action. ere really is nowhere quite like it.

Philip Newsome Author, Macau Grand Prix Photographs 1954-2023

nner arbour 1 0

rton enna on the winner s podium 1 83

CREDIT: PHILIP NEWSOME

ohn ac onald right with ellow acau otorc cle rand ri inner iroshi asegawa

BASIL PAO: SURREALISM

Surrealism, emerging in the early 20th century, marked a revolutionary movement in art and literature that sought to unlock the unconscious mind. Founded by André Breton in 1924, surrealism challenged conventional perceptions of reality, drawing on dreams, fantasies, and the bizarre. Its roots lay in the a ermath of World War I, a period marked by disillusionment and a quest for new forms of expression.

e movement gained momentum through iconic gures like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Max Ernst, each contributing unique visions that blended the real with the fantastical. rough unexpected juxtapositions and dreamlike imagery, surrealism aimed to disrupt rational thought and provoke deeper emotional responses.

As the century progressed, surrealism evolved, inspiring various movements, including abstract expressionism and pop art. Its legacy endures, in uencing contemporary artists and thinkers who continue to explore the interplay between dreams and reality. Today, surrealism remains relevant as it encourages individuals to question societal norms and delve into the unconscious, highlighting the enduring power of imagination in understanding the human experience. Celebrating a century of surrealism, in his latest exhibition at the FCC, photographer Basil Pao o ers his personal take on the movement. n

A WAR OF WORDS

By: Mithil Aggarwal

Last month, the clinking of beer glasses and spontaneous roars were not from a rowdy audience at the Rugby Sevens, but from those who turned out for the FCC’s live streaming of the Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

It was shortly before the kick o at 9:00 am on September 11 (Hong Kong time), but the scheduled face-o had already drawn a sold-out crowd at the club. All the tables in the Main Bar/Lounge had long been reserved before the morning of the debate and the best seats had already been taken an hour before the live broadcast began. “I am really hyped,” said Helena Hu. “I’ve had three lattes already!”

Pierre Papworth, an FCC Member from London was sipping his lager as the two candidates faced o in what was a much-anticipated debate and one of the rst unscripted discussions for the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s a very democratic crowd,” Papworth said.

The event opened with Harris initiating a forceful handshake with Trump, immediately taking the upper hand (no pun intended). The crowd settled down and all eyes were transfixed on the projector screens thereafter.

e FCC had also live streamed the previous Presidential Debate on 27 June, when President Joe Biden was still in the race. But that disastrous showing (for Biden) was not as well attended.

“ ey’re curious about Harris. Back when Obama ran, there was curiosity about him too,” said James Lockett, Chairperson of Democrats Abroad, the Democratic party’s arm for Americans living outside the U.S., who was present to help both Republicans and Democrats to register to vote.

e curiosity among non-American voters seemed at rst mostly for entertainment - and with the hurling of personal attacks as well as outlandish claims like Haitian immigrants eating pets in Spring eld, Ohio - the audience got more than they came for.

Lockett commented that the audience’s interest was an indication of the role the U.S. plays in the world. “Something happens in the world, guess who goes in rst?”

e debate touched upon key issues for voters in the upcoming election, including wars, race, the January 6 insurrection, immigration, foreign policy, the economy, climate change and abortion, amongst others.

At the time of publishing, it remains unclear if the two candidates will face o again. Trump has stated categorically that a second debate will not happen (likely because Harris was deemed to have triumphed in this one), but no-one can predict his next move.

Debate or no debate, the colourful war of words between the Presidential candidates is unlikely to subside any time soon, but if Trump caves, the FCC will bring its Members the sequel. n

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

e rst blind Justice to be elected to the Michigan Supreme Court by voters in 2015, Justice Richard Bernstein, with the assistance of the U.S. Consulate, recently completed a tour of Hong Kong. While meeting with Consular sta , local radio stations and journalists  - and even joining a run with Fearless Dragons, a long-distance running group for people with visual and hearing impairments - he also spoke at an FCC Club Lunch alongside President Lee Williamson.

By: Hugo Novales

n easy life does not always correspond to a good one.” Standing at the FCC podium, Justice Richard Bernstein began his speech with the above these words, going on to recall stories of pain, triumph and “true reason for being”.

Attending law school, becoming elected and re-elected to serve on Michigan’s Supreme Court, and completing multiple endurance races - all while being born visually impaired - has been no easy mission. But he chose to persevere, to overcome the challenges he faces every day, and become a tireless advocate for disability rights.

“Life is all about doing things because you’ve got to want it. You have to believe in it, choose it, and you’ve got to decide that you’re going to make this happen,” he said.

Justice Bernstein spoke in-depth about both his professional life and athletic endeavours, as well as his role as an advocate for disability rights.

FCC President Lee Williamson, an avid runner himself, asked Bernstein about how he was able to complete 23 marathons and a full Ironman competition, which comprises a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and another full marathon. “Ultimately, if you do everything one day at a time and one step at a time, things usually tend to nd their way, as  long  as  you  don’t  get  overwhelmed  by  the  process  that  lies  before  you.”

Williamson highlighted the New York City accident that Bernstein was a victim of before his 18th marathon. A cyclist struck him in New York’s Central Park while travelling at over 35 miles an hour, shattering the Justice’s pelvis. The accident required 10 weeks of hospitalisation, during which time he had  “to  learn  to  live  a  new  life,  a  life  where  you  have  to  feel  and  experience  pain  on  a  daily  basis. But  you  come  to  learn  that  life  is  about  the  little  things,  not  the  big  things.”

Shortly  a er  being  released  from  the  hospital,  it  was  time  for  the  New  York  City  Marathon -  the Justice’s rst,  a er  his  catastrophic  injury.  “As  we  ran  through  the  streets  of  New  York,  the  pain  was  becoming  unbearable;

it  was  literally  becoming  insurmountable, and  it  reached  such  a  degree  that  as  we  crossed  the  59th  Street  bridge  and  began  running  up  1st  Avenue,  it  became  almost  impossible  to  breathe  because  I was in  such  agony,” he recounts. “But  then  you  come  to  realise  your  inner  struggle,  and as  you  go  through  that, you  hopefully  nd  a  sense  of  peace  with  your  new  life,  your  new  body,  and  your  new  circumstance. ose  who  will  do  what  is  hard are those that  will  achieve  nothing  less  than  what  is  truly  great.”

The Justice went on to discuss his role within the Supreme Court of Michigan and how he performs it, given his disability.

“After  being  elected,  you  have  to  figure  out  on  your  own  how  to  make  it  work and  how  to  ultimately  get  the  job  done.  Every  week,  there are  25  cases  that  we’re  responsible  for,  and  these  cases  define people’s  entire  lives - their  entire  existence,  their  freedom,  their  independence.  They  define  whether  people  will  spend  their  life  in  prison  or  ever  see  freedom  again.”

Justice Bernstein is  not  able  to  use  Braille in his cases, as the material is simply too  voluminous. He also cannot  use technology  because it diminishes the ability to relate  or  connect  to  what  his colleagues  are  saying.  So he is forced  to  have  to  memorise  all  the  cases  that  come  before  the Court.  “I have to learn  them  to  such  a  degree  that  when  I’m  told  that  this  is  a specific  case  that  involves  two  homicides, I  can  recall  the  case  in  its  entirety,  and  not  only  that,  I  have to also recall  all  of  the  common  law  cases  that  correspond  to  the  case that  I’m  having  to  decide.  Our  lives  are  determined  by  the  experiences  that  we’re  given,  and it  has  been  said  before, but  it  is  up  to  us to  use  those  experiences  to  do  something  impactful.”

The conversation then transitioned into Justice Bernstein’s role in disability rights and lawmaking. As a Supreme Court Justice of Michigan, the cases he presides over can impact the rest of the country.

“A er  being  elected,  you  have  to  gure  out  on  your  own  how  to  make  it  work and  how  to  ultimately  get  the  job  done.”

The Justice gave the example of how a transportation system is built. Whether it’s an airport or a transit system, he believes that the accessibility to these modes of transport needs to be considered right from the outset of the conception of the project. Mandates from U.S. Congress or the Supreme Court could also be applied, yet he clarified that most of the decisions that will affect average Americans are made at the state court level.

These state and federal dynamics also came into play during Justice Bernstein’s experience with Michigan’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With each state being able to determine how to use its own laws, resources, and police force to combat the pandemic, Bernstein said the U.S. Bill of Rights is ultimately the core consideration for how Michigan, or any other state, should implement new laws. During the pandemic, certain states created more restrictions than others, which tread a fine line between protecting citizens

and preserving the Bill of Rights. These decisions weren’t easy, yet they are precisely why Bernstein believes that the courts are where they need to be made, instead of by the executive or legislative branch.

“It’s really the job of the courts to be unpopular; to make decisions that people don’t like. And it’s the job of the courts to do things in difficult times that people really hate,” he said.

When questioned if he would be willing to become a non-permanent overseas judge in Hong Kong if he were asked, Justice Bernstein responded with a resounding “yes”. “Absolutely! In our court, we have a lot of time off. We pretty much get July and August off, and also February. I would actually have the time to do it, and would be honoured to do so if asked.” n

Learn more about Justice Bernstein by watching the full discussion on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

THE POWERS THAT BE

A distinguished diplomat, academic, and author, Professor Kishore Mahbubani has dedicated ve decades of his life to public service. Twice Singapore’s Ambassador to the United Nations, he also served as President of the U.N. Security Council in 2001 and 2002. Mahbubani recently published his tenth book, ‘Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir’, and in September he spoke on the subject of U.S.-China relations at a lunch engagement at the FCC.

By: Hugo Novales

Professor Kishore Mahbubani has spent decades examining the complex dynamics of global geopolitics, particularly the relationship between the United States and China. As a former Singaporean Ambassador to the United Nations and the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Mahbubani’s numerous books provide knowledgeable insights into the historical and cultural contexts that shape contemporary international relations.

In his address to the audience at the FCC, Mahbubani dissected the structural strengths and weaknesses of both China and the U.S., emphasising the ongoing and accelerating rivalry between the two nations. He warned of a “great tragedy” unfolding in the next decade if both sides fail to manage their relationship constructively. His perspective is not based on media reporting, but on his studied understanding of the historical and cultural contexts that have shaped contemporary international relations.

According to Mahbubani, the fractured U.S.- China relationship is not simply a struggle between two governments, but a confrontation involving the lack of knowledge and understanding of the world’s oldest continuous civilisation - China. He pointed out that many American policymakers overlook China’s 4,000year history, often framing the discourse between the two countries within a narrow lens of ideological conflict with the Chinese Communist Party. This historical ignorance, he argues, leads to a lack of strategic depth in American policy, which if not addressed, has the potential to exacerbate the existing tension.

He also highlighted the psychological impact of the ‘Century of Humiliation’ (from the Opium Wars to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949), a period that still deeply influences modern Chinese identity and policy-making. This also provides insight into China’s assertive stance in the face of perceived threats from the U.S.

Mahbubani outlined several strengths that China possesses, including its vast population, a strong work ethic, and a long history of resilience in the face of challenges, which contribute to the country’s ability to mobilise resources and innovate rapidly. Conversely, he

noted significant weaknesses, including demographic challenges - China’s population is aging in parallel with declining birthrates – as well as the alienation of the American business community, which has historically served as a buffer against aggressive U.S. policies.

On the other hand, Mahbubani acknowledged the U.S. as a historically powerful society with a culture of innovation. He praised the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans, which has led to the creation of globally in uential companies like Microso , Apple and Amazon. However, in terms of foreign policy, he warned that the U.S. must develop a comprehensive plan in order to engage with China e ectively. “As the United States applies pressure and imposes sanctions and tari s, the Chinese simply say: ‘Well, you’ve done this before; we understand that you’re trying to dominate us, and we’ll make sure that this time you don’t succeed,’” he noted. “ e United States has launched a contest against China without working out a long-term strategy, and anyone who has studied history knows that if you decide to go into a contest with another power and you don’t have a strategy, you’re shooting yourself in the foot, and I say this with some con dence because the person who gave me this insight was Henry Kissinger in one-on-one conversations that I had with him - rst in 2018 and then in 2022, a year before he died.”

Another major weakness for the United States, Mahbubani contends, is its metamorphosis into a “functional plutocracy” that has stagnated the financial status of the bottom 50 percent of Americans for several decades. The alienation of this group, especially the white working class and their “white-lash” against the rising power of racial minorities, is what Mahbubani believes led to Trump’s election in 2016 and his potential re-election in 2024 - which would then make Trump America’s number one weakness.

Mahbubani also explained how Americans’ emotional responses to internal politics have also carried into U.S.China relations. Noting historical U.S. legislation such as the Chinese Racial Exclusion Act of 1882 and recurring themes of “yellow peril” in American entertainment, media, and various fictional characters, he believes that it’s important to dig deeper into the American psyche and unroot the emotional aspect that continues to affect U.S. policy towards China.

When questioned about his opinion of the Western media’s coverage of China, Mahbubani was unequivocal in his response. “I think it would be fair to say that the Anglo-Saxon media provides a distorted perspective of China, and I would say that if you talk to the average American, they genuinely believe that the Chinese Communist Party has locked up 1.4 billion people in a jail where they are being oppressed. The truth is that the Chinese people have experienced greater improvements in their standard of living in the past 30 to 40 years than they have in the past 3 to 4,000 years, and the sense of pride that the Chinese feel in terms of what they have accomplished is absolutely amazing.”

A significant part of Mahbubani’s critique involves the role of media in shaping perceptions of China in the West. He argues that the Anglo-Saxon media often presents a distorted view of China, reinforcing negative stereotypes while failing to acknowledge the progress and achievements of the Chinese people. This misrepresentation not only affects public opinion but also influences policy decisions in the U.S., leading to a cycle of misunderstanding and hostility.

Many of Mahbubani’s critics label him as “pro-China” and “anti-U.S.” for his various comments on relations between the two countries Given these comments, FCC President Lee Williamson asked about whether or not Mahbubani believes in the “intrinsic value of democracy”

in the current geopolitical climate.

His answer was a clear yes, but not without a few caveats.

“Western liberal democracies today are in serious trouble,” Mahbubani opined.

He believes that as society evolves and becomes smarter, people will want more of a say in their government’s decision-making, which will ultimately lead to democracy.

However, Mahbubani stated the West has ignored warnings from over 2,000 years ago, from Greek philosopher Plato who was of the firm belief that governing requires knowledge and expertise. In his view, most citizens lacked the necessary understanding of complex political and philosophical issues, and as such, feared that the uneducated masses might make impulsive choices, leading to chaos and instability. It is precisely this concept that Mahbubani believes led to Donald Trump’s election in 2016 and his ongoing re-election campaign to become 47th President of the United States.

“When the West goes through this worship of democracy, it is actually doing a lot of damage because democracy is a very difficult political system to manage,” Mahbubani concluded. n

Learn more about Kishore Mahbubani by watching the full discussion on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

DECEMBER COCKTAIL PROMOTION

IAN FLEMING’S “VESPER” MARTINI

By: David Brightling

s we count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining in 2024 – culminating in our James Bond themed New Year’s Countdown Party – December will feature the Vesper Martini, introduced by Ian Fleming in the rst Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953.

Although the name is linked to the femme fatale of the novel, Vesper Lynd, it originated from an evening visit Fleming paid to a distinguished gentleman in Jamaica, who – referencing the hour of the day and the church service with which it is linked – invited his guests to “Vespers” (cocktails).

OFF THE VINES

Not all of the ingredients in the original are still made, with Kina Lillet now being replaced by Lillet Blanc, in a very potent recipe.

• 45 ml gin

• 15 ml vodka

• 7.5 ml Lillet Blanc

• 1 drop of Angostura Bitters

Served “shaken, not stirred” of course, with a lemon twist. Enjoy this delicious, ever so slightly sweet cocktail as you count down to the New Year.

From now until 14 November, we are featuring the six most popular wines from our Italian wine tasting held in September.

Vigneti Salento, Primitivo di Manduria Zolla Puglia 2021

is wine is ruby red in colour with a violet hue. It has intense aromas of red cherries, blackberries and hints of spice and leather. ese aromas follow through on to the palate, which is rich and velvety with generous tannins and great length.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

Zaccagnini “Tralcetto” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Abruzzo 2021

An intense ruby red colour with violet re ections in the glass, the bouquet reveals an intense and characteristic aroma with notes of jam of small red fruit, bitter almond and spices. e taste is full, wellstructured and warm, with a great taste-olfactory persistence. A strong body, but well balanced by the perfect tannic qualities and the wood for aging.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320

Zenato Valpolicella DOC Superiore Veneto 2020

A classic expression of a de ly balanced Cabernet from this acclaimed region. Aromas of blackberries and dark cherry open in the glass, while on the palate, this wine is medium bodied with silky tannins and great structure. Brimming with layers of Mission plum and cassis, it reveals touches of caramel and cocoa that complement a long, detailed nish.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

Claudio Quarta Greco di Tufo DOCG Campania 2023

Deep straw yellow in colour in the glass, on the nose this wine has aromatic notes of peach, apricot, meadow owers and chamomile, which are repeated on the robust, ne-grained and highly elegant palate.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320

La Magia Vermentino IGT Tuscany 2023

This Vermentino by La Magia is a white wine with a fresh and Mediterranean spirit that is produced in the territory of Montalcino. It has a very aromatic bouquet, composed of fruity notes of peach and citrus, with a pleasant floral fragrance and vegetal shades of aromatic herbs and sage. The mouth feel is lively and sharp, maintaining a good balance between freshness and enveloping, ending with a warm finish.

Glass $70 / Bottle $350

Villa Antinori White IGT Tuscany 2022

Straw yellow with greenish hues in colour, the nose is intense with notes of orange blossoms that lead over to fruity aromas of pineapple, golden apple and banana. e palate is fresh, de ned by mouth- lling avours and a mineral nish.

Glass $64 / Bottle $320

Please note all wines are also available for takeaway.

THE BEST WINES TO PAIR WITH TURKEY

By: Michael Chan, FCC Food & Beverage Manager

When it comes to pairing wine with turkey, the options are delightfully diverse. e mild avour and juicy texture of turkey make it a versatile canvas for a variety of wines. Whether you’re planning a anksgiving feast or a special Christmas dinner, here are some wine options available at the Club that will elevate your turkey dish to new heights.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a classic choice for turkey. Its crisp acidity and mineral undertones complement the succulent avours of the meat. Old World Chardonnays, particularly from France, o er citrus-driven notes, while New World varieties from the USA, Australia, and South America bring out juicy, stone fruit avours.

Recommended Bottles:

• Louis Latour Bourgogne Chardonnay Burgundy, France ($350 per bottle)

• J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay Arroyo Seco California, United States ($275 per bottle)

Pinot

Noir

For red wine lovers, Pinot Noir is a no-brainer. Its bright acidity and versatility make it a perfect match for turkey and its accompanying sides. Old World Pinot Noirs, with their earthy, mushroom, and tart cherry avours, pair beautifully with turkey. New World versions, known for their fruitforward pro les, are equally as delightful.

Recommended Bottles:

• Pierre Chainier Les Calcaires Pinot Noir Loire, France ($210 per bottle)

• De Loach Pinot Noir Heritage Reserve California, United States ($370 per bottle)

Riesling

Riesling is a fantastic option for those who prefer white wine. Its cool, crisp, and light pro le balances out rich dishes, keeping your palate refreshed. Both dry and o -dry Rieslings work remarkably well. From crisp, green apple avours found in a dry style to the lush peachy sweetness in an o -dry version, Riesling is a versatile choice.

Recommended Bottles:

• Domaine Mersiol Riesling Alsace, France ($330 per bottle)

• Prinz Von Hessen Riesling Troken Hessenstein Riesling Rheingau, Germany ($310 per bottle)

Sparkling Wines

Don’t overlook sparkling wines! Champagne and other sparkling wines add a festive touch to your meal. eir bright acidity and e ervescence cut through the richness of the turkey and its sides, making them a delightful pairing.

Recommended Bottles:

• Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV Champagne, France ($585 per bottle)

• Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Brut NV Champagne, France ($980 per bottle)

Pairing wine with turkey is all about balancing avours and enhancing the dining experience. Whether you prefer white, red, or sparkling wines, there’s a perfect match out there for your turkey dish. Cheers to a delicious and memorable meal! n

’TIS THE SEASON

It’s almost that time of year again, and as always, the culinary team at the FCC is preparing in earnest. e

Club’s holiday season events are perennially popular, and this year promises to be no exception. e festivities kick o with our Kids’ Christmas Party (8 December), followed by the Christmas Wine Social (10 December) and the annual Christmas Choir performance featuring a repertoire of festive favourites (18 December).

Christmas Eve brings a celebratory four-course set menu (with vegetarian options) at $748 per person served in the Main Dining Room.

e Club’s bountiful Christmas Day bu et includes appetisers, an assorted sashimi and sushi corner, oysters and poached seafood on ice, a carving station featuring roast prime rib of beef and traditional roast U.S. butterball turkey with stu ng, a host of main courses and desserts, as well as an action counter preparing pan-fried French toast with apple compote. Priced at $668 per person.

If you’re planning to entertain at the o ce or at home, the FCC makes it easy with our Christmas takeaway menu featuring both hot and cold items, including all of your festive favourites – from Honey-glazed U.K Bonein Ham, Madeira Sauce and Apple Sauce to Roast Butter Ball Turkey with Chestnut Stu ng, Cranberry and Giblet

Sauce to mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas log and much more. e takeaway service is available from 16-30 December.

Conditions:

* A minimum of 3 working days’ notice (not including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) is required for all orders.

* No orders will be accepted a er 27 December 2024, and all items are subject to availability.

* Orders must be picked up by members at Bert’s from 11:00 am - 9:00 pm between 14-30 December only.

* Please place orders with the Purchasing O ce by phone on 2521 1708 or by email at purchasing@fcchk.org. All orders will be con rmed by email with reference numbers.

* Please contact the Purchasing O ce if you do not receive con rmation within 2 days.

* No cancellations will be accepted once your order has been con rmed.

en of course, there’s our annual New Year’s Eve Gala Countdown Party on 31 December, this year with a 007 James Bond theme. We look forward to seeing you at one or all of these events. Book now to avoid disappointment! n

PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CARSTENSCHAEL.COM – Award-winning Photographer. People - Corporate - Stills - Food - Architecture - Transport. Tel: (852) 9468 1404 Email: info@carstenschael.com

JAYNE RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHY – EditorialPeople - Food. 18 years Fleet St, London experience. Tel: (852) 9757 8607 Email: jaynerussell@me.com Website: jaynerussellphotography.com

SOOTHE YOUR SOUL, LIGHTEN YOUR SPIRIT, GLADDEN YOUR HEART

HOUR OF LOVE - AM 1044 METRO PLUS Prison Visitation on the Air Every Sunday 7:30 - 10:00pm Live on Facebook HK, UK Tax Compliance & Advisory Our tax experts are keen to conduct an initial assessment and engage in a discussion about your current tax situation

Tel: 5808 0180 Email: tax@zetland.biz https://zetlandtax.com

THE TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB

Your FCC Membership gives you access to almost 100 reciprocal clubs around the world. To explore the full list, please visit the FCC website and when you decide on a club to visit, simply approach Ivan Kwan at the front desk and he will prepare a letter of introduction for you, usually via email, allowing you to connect directly with your reciprocal counterparts. By: Ray Tsang Images: Courtesy of the Tokyo American Club

My FCC membership gives me access to a long list of reciprocal clubs worldwide. On a recent trip to Tokyo, I took advantage of this marvellous bene t and arranged a three-night stay at the Tokyo American Club (TAC). I looked forward to visiting the TAC as it is highly regarded by the Club Leader Forum, an authoritative private club consultancy. I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.

I am partial to the TAC for the following reasons.

First, the clubhouse has great architectural merit. It was designed by the renowned architecture rm Pelli Clarke & Partners, which is responsible for creating many spectacular landmarks in major cities around the world. e clubhouse has a somewhat brutalist look to it from the outside due to the liberal use of raw concrete. ere are, however, numerous glass panels strategically installed to allow ample sunlight into the building. e overall interior design is modern and stylish and is focused on comfort as well as practicality. e single most striking feature of the clubhouse is e Atrium, which is several storeys high, very grand, spacious and bright with natural light. Every time I passed by e Atrium,

I found myself pausing for a moment to admire its beauty and grandness.

Second, the TAC o ers a full array of amenities that is rivalled by few private clubs elsewhere. Eight food and beverage outlets, an indoor swimming pool, a tness centre, two golf simulators, three squash courts, a six-lane bowling alley, an indoor regulation-size basketball court, a well-stocked library, classrooms, a business centre, a grand ballroom, a spa, and patios with unobstructed views of the iconic Tokyo Tower.

ere are so many things to do at the Club that one can easily be tempted to spend the entire day there instead of going out to explore the city. During my time at the TAC, I particularly enjoyed hanging out at the sports bar to watch the Paris Olympic Games over cold dra beers, shooting hoops at the basketball court for my daily exercise, and smoking cigars on the terrace a er dinner. A rst-time visitor may experience di culty navigating the clubhouse as it is expansive, covering multiple storeys over two wings, with a somewhat confusing network of interconnecting passages leading to di erent areas. When I rst arrived, I spent a good

Guest Studio

hour roaming around the clubhouse and exploring every corner with great interest, allowing myself to get familiar with the layout of the whole place.

ird, the TAC o ers accommodation. ere are seven guest studios, all very spacious and well-equipped. It costs around ¥75,000 (approximately HK$3,900) per night. I was in Tokyo for two weeks, and for the rst ten nights I occupied a small hotel room in Ginza. I like Ginza for its cigar-friendly cafes, wide range of restaurants, and quaint whisky bars which stay open until the wee hours, but I didn’t like my hotel. It was small with no amenities to speak of, and my room was so cramped that there wasn’t even a closet or a space to stow my suitcase. So I was very glad when I nally moved to the TAC for the remainder of my trip. e guest studio assigned to me was much bigger than my room in Ginza. ere was a desk, a sofa, a big closet, and a living area. e bathroom alone was almost the size of my previous room and I could move around comfortably in my guest studio. When I got bored, I could head to the clubhouse for entertainment - read in the library, have a swim, work out in the gym, or play some indoor golf.

Fourth, the TAC is situated in a safe, upscale and convenient area called Azabudai, an a uent neighbourhood comparable to Mid-Levels in Hong Kong. It enjoys a high degree of safety since it is home to many foreign embassies. In fact, the TAC is right next door to the Russian Embassy, which has local o cers guarding the perimeter round-the-clock. e TAC is within walking distance of Roppongi, an entertainment district full of chic restaurants, happening bars, and a vibrant nightlife, with a strong cosmopolitan vibe.

Finally, the warm hospitality of the TAC means that you can count on the sta to be super friendly, courteous and helpful. ey all speak good English, so you will have no problem with communication.

I have nothing but praise for the Tokyo American Club. It is a top-notch establishment and I highly recommend it to my fellow FCC Members. n

Tokyo American Club 2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku 106-8649 Tokyo, Japan www.tokyoamericanclub.org

The Atrium

NEW ON THE BLOCK

e FCC is delighted to welcome its new Members who come from a range of sectors, further adding to the diversity of our Club. Here’s a summary of who they are and what they do.

ASSOCIATE

JOHN DANIEL HIGGINS

HSBC & e Stallery

Originally from Galway, Ireland, I moved to Hong Kong in 2013 a er a stint in Vancouver, Canada. I currently work in HSBC’s Treasury department and also act as a director of a contemporary art gallery in Wan Chai’s Stone Nullah Lane called e Stallery. I’m uent in Irish Gaelic and grew up in the countryside surrounded by wildlife and history, which I now appreciate more living in the city.

My most memorable travels were in Syria in 2009, and more recently, canoeing on the Zambezi. I’m excited to join the FCC and make new connections, eat my way through the menu and come home with interesting stories to tell my orange Maine Coon cat Mao Mao. www.linkedin.com/in/john-higgins-07618817/

ASSOCIATE

WILLEM A. HOEKSTRA

Crisis Management Consultancy Continuity Group Asia

In 2004, a faulty sprinkler installation ooded the global ABN AMRO Bank trading oor at its headquarters in Amsterdam. is eye-opening event marked my rst encounter with corporate crisis management and the beginning of a career in operational resilience, business continuity, and crisis management. Working with banks and other companies over the years has never been boring, with unexpected and o en crazy incidents, large and small, both natural and man-made. You may recall, for example, Fukushima, Mankhut, mass demonstrations, Covid, or all sorts of cyber attacks. I’d be collaborating with corporate crisis teams to plan and coordinate a response that would minimise the nancial, reputational, and legal impact, while keeping all stakeholders happy. I have called Hong Kong home since 2009 and have never regretted moving here. As a hobby, I y small aircra as a private pilot over the South African skies.

www.linkedin.com/in/willem-anne-hoekstra-0877652

ASSOCIATE

KISHAN KARIA

Senior Wealth Manager

St. James’s Place

I was born in London (U.K.), but as a child, I spent many school holidays visiting di erent countries, in particular Uganda and India, where my parents are from. My father was very well-travelled and wanted to make sure our family had the opportunity to learn about new cultures, broaden our horizons and meet new people. To me, Hong Kong is a melting pot and I have been lucky enough to build valuable friendships and connections in the past seven years in a city that I call my second home. is extends into my work as a Senior Wealth Manager where I get to meet extraordinary people every day. I also get the opportunity to make an impact in their lives doing what I do best, which is helping them think of the things that they don’t have any interest or time for.

Beyond work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids, playing and watching football, particularly Arsenal, and planning our next escape.

Fun fact: I once drove an auto-rickshaw (tuk tuk) covering over 2,500km in two weeks with two friends from Pokhara in Nepal to Kerala in India to raise money for charities working in both countries.

I have spent many evenings as a guest at the FCC, but my wife and I are very excited to be new members and we look forward to getting to know many more of you.

www.linkedin.com/in/kishan-karia-70b35851?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app IMAGES: SUPPLIED

ASSOCIATE

LAM HAK CHUNG, PATRICK

Chief Principal

ELCHK Lutheran Academy

In order to inspire the young generation to develop a growth mindset through exploring the world, I have been the designer of student projects and a tour leader of expeditions across seven continents (1997 - present). Expeditions include the rst group of Asian students to Antarctica in 2010, the rst group of Hong Kong students to the Arctic in 2011, and numerous tours to Siberia. e projects I have overseen include the rst satellite designed and made by Hong Kong students and the rst solid propellent rocket made and launched by Hong Kong students, both in 2024. I enjoy exploring cultures (including viticulture), hiking, running, geology, paleontology, and meeting people from all walks of life.

www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lam-dr-p-45073541

ASSOCIATE

LEE WAI YI, ANGELA

Executive Coach, Author, Leadership Facilitator

A.L Consulting

Angela has been the Founder and Director at A.L Consulting since 2014. Her mission is to create a sustainable future by helping others to enhance their strengths and talents. is includes developing next-generation leaders through inspiring, coaching, mentoring and facilitating others on their journey. e objective is to enable them to be successful while being authentic and passionate in who they are and what they do. She is a strong advocate for authenticity and leadership through an upli ing and refreshing journey of self-discovery/awareness to ultratransformation! Her rst published book ‘Love to Lead, Lead with Love - Finding Your True North in Life’ is now available in three di erent versions - hard copy, online copy, and selfrecorded audio book.

Angela has an MBA in International Business. She is also a certi ed Team Coach, Hal ime Coach and Drucker Educator. She speaks uent Cantonese, English and Mandarin. Her top three values are authenticity, love and wisdom. Angela enjoys travelling, hiking, Pilates and reading.

www.linkedin.com/in/angela-lee-54527

ASSOCIATE

MICHAEL JAMES MCDERMOTT

Vice President / Executive Producer

Gung-Ho Media Ltd

I am a lm/tv producer based in Asia for the past 30+ years. Originally from Los Angeles, I moved to Asia a er college. Among the many tv/ lm projects I have been a part of are Her, directed by Spike Jonze; Not One Less, directed by Zhang Yimou; and e Amazing Race, a U.S. reality TV show. Last year I produced an art lm commissioned by M+ and Tai Kwun called ETC , for artist Sarah Morris. My rst taste of Hong Kong came in the 70s via Revenge of the Pink Panther, which was shot partly in Hong Kong, and co-starred my godfather. Additionally, I love tennis and am looking for people to play with in Hong Kong.

www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mcdermott-b468a08/

ASSOCIATE NG CHEUK YAN, GARY

Senior Economist

Natixis

I have been crunching numbers and writing macro and thematic reports as an economist at Natixis for nearly a decade, while also interacting with the press. is year, I also joined the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) as a research fellow to further expand my coverage of the geopolitical and technological relationship between Asia and Europe. Working in a French bank, I have unexpectedly picked up a penchant for wine tasting, so I am now working towards my WSET quali cation. Having spent half of my life in Australia and Hong Kong respectively, it is great to be part of a multicultural community of intelligent minds at the FCC. www.linkedin.com/in/garyng-econ

ASSOCIATE

JUERGEN SCHUSTER

Mechanical Engineer

HS&A Ltd.

I am a Mechanical Engineer working in the construction industry in Hong Kong and Asia. As a façade specialist, I accepted an opportunity in 2002 to move from Germany to Hong Kong, just before SARS. My wife Kannie, an Avatar® Master, was born in Hong Kong and our son Sebastian arrived in 2006. I balance o ce life by running, cycling (although this is somewhat treacherous on the local roads), and a bit of swimming.

I have been reading the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung daily since I was a university student, enjoying independent and balanced journalism as an important pillar of a healthy society. My dream is that Haruki Murakami will talk about his new book at the FCC. www.linkedin.com/in/kishan-karia-70b35851?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

OTHER NEW MEMBERS

Chan Au Ming, AndrewHong Kong Seng Kung Hui

Fan King Chi, Angie e Core Securities Company Ltd.

Clergy Associate

Solicitor Associate

Fung Hoi Shan Aon Hong Kong Ltd. Director Associate

Michel Jacques Joseph Godin Retired Associate

Charlotte Jane Kirkcaldie HSBC

Charlotte Lee Oxford Asset Management Ltd.

Rupert Talmai Morgan LGT Bank (Hong Kong)

Raveena Raghunath Sassy Media Group

Anne Jacqueline R. SchmokerAbbey Import Ltd.

ASP Co-CEO Associate

Associate Director Corporate

Private Banker Associate

Editorial Assistant Journalist

CEO Associate

Dave Sebastian Reporter Bloomberg News Correspondent

Tam Chi Tao, Anson AIA Group Ltd.

Wealth Mangement Manager Associate

Alexander Carsten Uhlmann HSBC Lead Architect Associate

Maxime Roger Viens HSBC Credit Advisor Associate

MEMBER MOVEMENTS

FULL NAME

REPLACEMENT

James Christopher KnightBritish Consulate General HK

Wang Steven Shenghan U.S Consulate General HK & Macau

Paul Andor Marskar Gard (HK) Ltd.

David Schlaefer U.S Consulate General HK & Macau

Diplomat

Conular Attache

Diplomatic

Diplomatic

Senior Claims Advisor Corporate

Diplomat Diplomatic

Elizabeth Liu

Satwant Khanalia

U.S Consulate General HK & Macau

Diplomat Diplomatic

Consulate General of India HK Diplomat Diplomatic

Chan Shuk Han e Univ. of Manchester Worldwide Ltd. Director Corporate

ABSENT

Wolf Peter Berthold

Helicon Enterprises Co. Ltd.

Chairman Associate

Carolyn Sue Barwick - Retired Associate

Michelle Anne Garnaut M Restaurant Group

CEO M Restaurant Group Associate

Tuomas Frans Henrik LillebergTMVL Consulting Ltd. Entrepreneur Associate

Christopher Lind Johnson Johnson Lind Consulting Director Associate

Pekka Elias Antero Heikari

Pia Elers Caspersen

Eurasia Supply Chain Mgmt. Ltd CEO Associate

Danish Christian Daily Correspondent Correspondent

Stuart Roseman Securities and Futures Commission Director Associate

Mark Joseph Hayden Cato Overseas Ltd

Cheung Kit Ting May

Marie Claire Smyth

Bhavan Jaipragas

Gareth Huw omas

Regional Managing Director Associate

Achilles Physiotherapy Centre Owner Associate

Claire Smyth Counselling Counsellor Associate

South China Morning Post Asia Correspondent Journalist

Herbert Smith Partner Associate

Lam Ho Por Kelvin - Freelance Economist Associate

Ho Hoi Fai

Priya Subberwal

Henry Chiu & Partners Solicitor Associate

Disha Limited Director Associate

Luk Warren Hua e Good Lab Head of programmes Associate

Robin Neill Lambert

Independent Investment Ptn. Ltd. CEO Associate

Carsten Reinecke - Freelance Associate

Elizabeth Luya Luya and Co. Ltd. Director / Coach Associate

John Stephen Barclay

Hong Kong Economic and Trade O ce New York Director Associate

Mary Marjorie Devereux Right Here Right Now Ltd.

Zheng Kan

Christopher Neil Morley

Lam Chak Long

REACTIVATED

ICBC Asia Ltd.

Managing Director Associate

Managing Director Associate

Morley Chow Seto Partner Associate

Palazzari & Turries

Linda Victoria Jenkins -

M&A Transaction Analyst Associate

Freelance writer Correspondent

Edward Chi - Self-employed Associate

Jason Carmichael

Chan Chi Chai

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain Partner Associate

Nuovo Gra ca Publications Ltd.

Sally Young Turner Int’l. Asia Paci c Ltd.

Publisher Correspondent

Executive Director Associate

Brett Anthony Rohrsheim - Retired Associate

CHANGE OF CATEGORY - ACTIVE MEMBER

Shivan Hemandas Sujanani

Hemandas & Company

Director Deceased

Andrew H. Bullett - Barrister Associate

Elizabeth Almond - Freelance Deceased

Please contact fcc@fcchk.org

TASTING THE DIFFERENCE

In June, the Main Dining Room at the FCC introduced new Riedel wine glasses to enhance our Club’s appreciation of fine wine.

When you order wines by the glass or bottle, our trained team will pair your selection with the most suitable Riedel glasses, each of which is designed in a speci c shape and size to match speci c wine varietals and fully enhance the aromas, avours, and overall character of your chosen wine.

In addition, on 25 June, the Club hosted an exceptional Riedel Tasting Dinner, when more than 50 members gathered to learn about the importance of glassware in the world of wine appreciation.

The evening began with a warm welcome from FCC General Manager David Brightling, followed by an insightful

THE GRAPES OF ITALY

presentation from guest speaker, Mr. Suresh Kanji, General Manager of Town House HK, which provides luxury homeware and tableware to hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, and wine cellars. Mr. Kanji shared his expertise on how the shape and size of wine glasses can dramatically alter the flavour, aroma, and overall experience of different wine varietals.

Members were then guided through a tasting of four distinct Riedel glassware models for Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

It was an evening filled with the elevated appreciation of delicious wine and food, and the FCC is grateful to Mr. Kanji and all Members who attended this sophisticated event.

On 12 September, the Club hosted an evening of fun and flavours at the Italian Wine Social in the Dining Room and The Verandah, where Members tasted and graded wines from over 25 Italian producers whilst enjoying a bountiful Italian-themed buffet dinner.

VIVA ESPAÑA!

On 6 August, the FCC hosted an immersive Spanishthemed dinner event, transporting our members to the vibrant flavours and lively ambiance of Lleida, in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region.

e culinary star of the evening was Guest Chef Edgard Barahona, the talented Culinary Director of Hong Kong’s Pica Pica and BÀRBAR restaurants, who delighted diners with his signature Spanish dishes, each item a masterful blend of traditional techniques and contemporary air.

Complementing the exceptional food was an engaging wine tasting led by Paul Heavey, WSET Wine Educator & Sales Director of the Anecoop Bodegas winery. Guests savoured the characteristic avours of the featured vintages as Heavey shared insights into Spain’s diverse wine regions.

We were honoured to have Vice Consul María Suárez Fernández from the Consulado General de Espana join us for the dinner, which was a veritable highlight of our culinary calendar.

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS

On 4 September, our Membership team held an Induction Ceremony for a fresh batch of new Members. ese gatherings happen at the FCC on a regular basis to welcome newcomers and introduce them to Board Members and the

Club staff. As is tradition at the Club, the event featured an introductory speech from FCC President Lee Williamson. We look forward to welcoming more new faces in the near future. n

ASIA’S MEGA CITY

Mega events” is a uniquely Hong Kong buzz phrase. We’re always talking about mega events, especially a er Singapore so rudely stole everyone’s Taylor Swi concerts.

We tried hard a er the pandemic with limited success (see April’s Don’t Beat Around the Busch for the Messy Messi a air), but as the months roll on, Hong Kong is slowly seeing a revival.

With the announcement that Coldplay will perform at the new Kai Tak Stadium in April 2025, the term “mega events” is resurgent.

e Hong Kong government has a dedicated website for mega events, so I thought I’d peruse what we have on o er. 2024 has 19 pages of mega events! 210 to be precise! Which is odd as that it doesn’t quite feel like that.

Major sporting events like the Hong Kong Tennis Open and Hong Kong Golf Open are in there of course, the Hong Kong Rugby 7s isn’t just a mega event, it’s a M status event (Mega mega?), and music events like Clocken ap and Cream elds make the list. But what else is a “mega event”?

In July, Hong Kong hosted ‘World of Snacks’ for seven days, which sounds delicious but not overly mega.

Back in April we had ‘Hong Kong Reading Week’, a “mega event” held at all public libraries. Can an event be “mega” if you’re constantly being told to be quiet by a cranky librarian?

Lovers of vinyl were surely over-the-moon when the ‘Record Store Day Hong Kong 2024’ was held on April 20. I have friends that love a good LP, and I even met someone this year who owns a record store, but surely this is more a niche event than a mega one.

We must wait with bated breath until December for the International Ombudsman Summit, a three-day extravaganza at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. An Ombudsman’s dream no doubt, but possibly not that mega.

Our odd listing of almost every event in Hong Kong as MEGA went viral in September when a photo from Asia World Expo appeared online, with American popstar Olivia Rodrigo’s concert at AWE Hall 1 (not a mega event, strangely enough) listed next to the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum, a listed Hong Kong mega event.

The photo, posted to the aptly named Chaotic Hong Kong Expats (I know the people who run that account; they are truly chaotic) Instagram account, had over 2 million views on X, and made it as far as U.S. television, appearing on the late-night CBS comedy show After Midnight . Incredibly good news for 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum as they probably have never had such a level of publicity. It was certainly a mega event I hadn’t heard of before.

Perhaps when we get more actual mega events, ‘Cinema Day’ will no longer get mega status. Sad. But until we get more events like Coldplay, I guess we’ll just have to make do.

Ok, must dash now, I need to prepare myself for the ‘Special exhibition about the cultural and artistic exchanges between China and France mainly in the 18th century’, another mega event! n

Aaron can be found online on Twitter/Threads/Instagram at @tripperhead, and the free nightly Hong Kong news Substack at tripperhead.substack.com

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