THE DENSITY ANTIDOTE
Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.
— W. H. Auden
It’s well-known that Hong Kong is one of the densest cities in the world. Its population ofaround 7.5 million is crammed into just over 1,000 sqkm of land, much of which is too mountainous to inhabit. As such, the city is synonymous with high-rise modernist architecture that dominates the skyline in dramatic fashion – scenes that have been beautifully documented by many brilliant artists over the past few decades.
There’s no doubt this is what gives Hong Kong its appeal, both visually and culturally. And there is no doubt the residents thrive, with studies showing that people are happy to sacrifice living space and privacy for access to amenities and transport. In this series, though, I wanted to explore areas that perhaps offer a break from densification, both inner-city areas and also on the urban fringes.
Humans are naturally drawn to water - playing or swimming in it, walking alongside it, fishing in it, or simply the sound of it can be transformative. Even photographing it is a wonderful experience. And the same applyto Hong Kong, one of the world’s most famous harbour cities - the name literally means ‘fragrant harbour’. Areas with proximity to water therefore seemed a logical starting point for the idea - from inner-city harbour inlets to wide-open beaches.
Across Hong Kong I found people enjoying morning rituals on the banks of small bays, hidden creeks in the shadow of skyscrapers, fishermen at peace in far corners of the harbour and day-trippers and locals alike enjoying the island beaches. I discovered many different parts of the city, each one adding to the already familiar and well-told stories. To me they were places seemed to offer a small break from the everyday, a chance to breathe, an antidote to density.
