If you ever happen to be in the distinctly working class area of Ma Tau Kok deep in the entrails of eastern Kowloon Hong Kong, you might come across a set of western-style red brick buildings that contrast neatly with the surrounding residential apartments. This is the Cattle Depot Artist Village, a former government slaughterhouse now converted to artist studios and exhibition spaces. For nearly a century the Depot was used as an animal quarantine area and abattoir centre. It was finally closed down in 1999 after concerns from neighbouring residents regarding the hygiene of a slaughterhouse in a densely populated urban area. Today the cattle quarantine has been moved north to Sheung Shui, near the Mainland border, while the old Cattle Depot renovated and designated a historical monument. The complex now houses the studios and offices of about 15 independent artists and artist groups. Creativity flows freely within the spacious structures of the village, a rarity in land-scarce Hong Kong. 当这座城市的高大、繁华、忙碌垄断了我的印象,我也许该去街头巷尾寻访另一个香港,在那里触摸消费主义笼罩下这座城市跳动的脉搏。打开二十世纪初的香港地图,我发现坐落在九龙土瓜湾马头角道63号的是一座牲畜检疫站。一个世纪后,棚屋下不再是牛羊,而是一群土瓜湾的本土艺术工作者。而这个曾经的牲畜检疫站有了新名字: 牛棚艺术村。 红砖矮墙、砖砌高烟囱、宽阔悬挑的屋檐、拱形门窗,处处流露出维多利亚时期农场建筑物的风格。自1999年屠宰场迁往上水后,旧址就分拆出租给艺术工作者使用。曾经一段时间,文化名人在这里开设 “牛棚书院”,定期邀请知名文化人办讲座开课,获邀的人士团体方可入内。 刚下巴士,分不清东南西北,便在车站问了本地的居民,他们说往前走几步就看到。果真没走十几米,就能看到异常特其余一栋建筑物,我猜就是牛棚艺术村。这里没有艺术村的招牌,不外它有一个很显著的标记,显著分歧于周边其他香港的建筑物,就是红砖瓦房。 从入口进去,便看到宽阔的中庭,当中建有数堵红砖矮墙,墙下有供牛饮水的水泥槽,而在槽底系绑牛只的铁环仍保留至今。 牛棚进口的是中庭,是一片大约40平方米的旷地,红砖矮墙在双方围起,这两堵墙本来是绑牛用的。刚进入古老的红砖瓦房之中,感到像是进入了一座空城,除了治理人员之外,没见到一名旅客。可是,平日里的牛棚艺术村是寂寞的,走进去会让人以为是误闯“空村”。其实这里假如没有运动的时刻,就是这么僻静,不外如许的宁静之地,才有让我兴致大增。更是想深刻探访那些著名的艺术家们。 The Cattle Depot Artist Village is nowhere near the scale of Central’s consumer-friendly PMQ, or even the Oil Street Arts Village’s successor Oi!, housed in the former Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Rather, Cattle Depot’s courtyard is deserted and rather sweet. The only sign that it houses fringe artists is a shabby collection of cartoons, graffiti and photos propped against the wall. On occasion, workshops and exhibitions take place on the premises, and other events such as book fairs and festivals are hosted. On this weekend afternoon, however, it is pretty quiet with only a handful of visitors and most of the studios closed. It’s a little unnerving, though, to think of all those animals who met their end here – and ended up on people’s dinner tables. The heritage of the slaughterhouse has not been lost. There are shackles on the floors of the studios, green frames on the windows and the beams are all original. Plus, everything is at ground level – not typical for anything, let alone art, in Hong Kong. 在牛棚艺术村的中庭广场,双方各有一面红砖的围墙,墙下该有水泥的饮水槽,这里一看就知道曾经是待宰牛只的饮水槽。昔时这里邻近海边,港英政府为了屠宰的卫生,将这里作为畜生检疫站兼屠宰场,迁徙之后,这里一度被旷废30年。站在这里,似乎能闻到昔时那股牛圈的气息,无法想象,今天却成为香港艺术的殿堂。 牛棚艺术村的规模不是很大,大约有二十多个艺术工作者和艺术团体驻场,其中包括 “艺术公社”、“1A空间”、“录影太奇”、“蛙王”等。昂首看看这些红砖房的墙外,到处可见的一些安排,都是放弃的物品,看似不经意的摆放,假如你能看看少焉,便已经感到到了它的艺术气味。房外,通俗的几件不锈钢餐具,加上一点植物,酿成了艺术家们的作品。至于想表达什么,你可以在这里慢慢去想象,去领会艺术家们的抽象思维。有些作品固然很具象,不外它所表达的概念,也许是我无法懂得的。 Unit 10 is the home of the Frog King (real name Kwok Mang-ho). It’s where his studio is, but the septuagenarian only pops by once a week. He’s obsessed with the flotsam of local life: outside are pot plants, an oversized shell, glass baubles and a lifesize ceramic sci-fi monster. At Unit 7 is On & On Theatre Workshop, which puts on innovative theatre productions. You can also find On & On across at Unit 12 – an empty rentable space ripe for performances. 这里是有名的“进步进牛棚剧场”,它是在2002年进驻牛棚艺术村的,是一个自立民营的小剧场。这座小剧场可以容纳60-80人,这里曾经举行过戏剧表演、音乐会、时装表演、录像播放、研究会、工作坊,以及演员排演等运动,据说这里的戏剧表演都是异常前卫和具有摸索性的。 Videotage at Unit 13 has been going since 1986. It exhibits both experimental video art and also archives Hong Kong’s new-media work. In January, Videotage launched the One World Exposition, linking young artists from mainland China and Hong Kong in an exhibition called #you #me #ourselfies. Next door at Unit 14, 1a Space also focuses on contemporary visual art, spanning video and graffiti, as well as hosting ad-hoc talks and performances. There’s a neighbourly feeling shared between the tenants. There were some stray cats that lived here a few years ago – and the units all pitched in to look after them. Cattle Depot won’t ever be PMQ, with a fancy acronym and slick design shops selling framed illustrations of Victoria Harbour. It’s a simple artist village (‘a sincere Hong Kong neighbourhood’. And it should be better known.
牛棚艺术村固然只有一个立锥之地,不外地处香港如许一个繁荣的都会,它的保护依然须要必定的经费,治理部分以很低的房钱租给艺术家们,日常保护治理经费由特区当局艺术成长局赞助,港府还配备专人负责干净和保安。进驻的艺术家们每年向该局具体上报年度工作,当局拨款会考量这些申报。正因为有当局的治理与拨款,牛棚艺术村才没有引入贸易机制,这对于香港艺术家的成长来说,无疑是可贵的成长空间。是以,牛棚艺术村今朝是一个非赚钱性的纯洁艺术原创基地,在这里,你感到不到一点贸易的气味,而只有艺术的气氛,这一点让很多旅客感叹不已。 这正是牛棚艺术村的特质,它不像其他活化的历史建筑,非要商业元素的嵌入才能继续保留。这里没有特别的主题,没有精巧的构思定位。在牛棚,你看到的是一群为艺术而艺术的人,他们不被商业腐蚀,不受游人滋扰,构成了香港这座繁华都市里另类的文化空间。有空,不妨来香港牛棚逛逛吧。
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