Reading Response: Ackbar Abbas

In this reading, Abbas talks about Hong Kong as a colonial space that is viewed as disappeared. It is a space where history is preserved but excluded. It is somewhere, but also nowhere. During the progress of the preservation of historical sites in Hong Kong, it seems that the majority tend to “keep the history in their sight”. In cases presented like Hong Kong Cultural Center, Flagstaff House, the history is revisualized, remade, mix with contemporary elements and illustrations. The history seems to become an image meant for visual consumption, satisfying the aesthetic commodity economy. History becomes no longer history, it is used as a tool to give the space a definition. According to the author, Hong Kong is such a space of disappearance. It is a city “built on contingency, geographic and historical accidents”. The city has a complicated origin. You cannot say whether it is westernized or it is a culture with an eastern origin. This makes Hong Kong an “invisible” city, with uneven development at a sudden time. To understand and visualize the city might be a hard thing. That’s why it might be a space disappeared, out of time and history.

1 thought on “Reading Response: Ackbar Abbas

  1. Annie Lye says:

    A thoughtful and well-written reflection on Abbas’ critical commentary, well done!

    Reply

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