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| "Around": junk mail collage, posterized. |
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Hong Kong’s Soaring Architecture
by Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze
For French photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, looking to the upper floors of residential buildings and commercial towers in Hong Kong has revealed an astonishing ecosystem.
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| All images © Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, Amid the frenzied bustle that is city life, it can be difficult—and even dangerous—to stop and observe what happens above street level. For French photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, though, looking to the upper floors of residential buildings and commercial towers in Hong Kong has revealed an astonishing ecosystem.  In his new book, Echoing Above, Jacquet-Lagrèze documents the trees, birds, and men who occupy the city’s sky-high dimension. “Hong Kong’s unique density has made the city grow vertically, and I have been inspired by the different aspects that this density brings, from an architectural point of view and also how it has shaped the relationship between men and nature in this city.” |
Jacquet-Lagrèze’s photos juxtapose balconies and window air-conditioning units with natural life, including the opportunistic Chinese Banyan that sprouts from many roofs. Birds typically eat its small figs and drop the seeds across the city, allowing the hardy trees to sprout amid even inhospitable concrete. “They can thrive and reach very large sizes until it becomes dangerous for the building and has to be taken down,” he says, noting that there’s always one being rooted out.
Despite its ubiquity, this cycle of growth and transplanting happens so far overhead that, from street view, it can easily go unnoticed. “I find it beautiful to see how the presence of trees, men, and birds are taking turns above our heads, like an echo in a concrete canyon,” the photographer adds. His images also capture the interplay of light of shadow as entire sides of buildings are blanketed in darkness, reminding us of how little sunlight reaches the ground floor.
Echoing Above and other books are available on Jacquet-Lagrèze’s website, and some of this photo series will be on view this month at Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong. Find much more on Instagram.
My Dad and I were in Hong Kong in 1990. From Los Angeles we visited Japan, Hong Kong, Macaw, China, Bali, Yogyakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, Korea. The pictures are from Hong Kong.
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Thursday's Smiles ...
2 comments:
I would think you'd get 100's of comments on this blog, Jacki. Those buildings in Hong Kong are amazing! But I couldn't help thinking of earthquakes and fires. Still, people find a solution as best they can. I watched the video twice. It's still a bit confusing, but so beautiful. And I imagine some of the story got lost in translation. You still are a beautiful woman, but as a girl, you were a knockout! I know you said your dad always wanted a boy, but deep down, you can tell how pleased you made him feel. Those photos from long ago ate wonderful. Thank you, thank you.
Jacki, as always, Carrol finds the best words to comment on your wonderful blog.
You were such a beautiful young lady - still are - and it's so nice to see you in this picture together with your father. These are such precious memories one can never forget. This travel surely was the best gift to him at his age.
I too was impressed by the photos of Hong Kong. I don't think it's easy to live there but to get a glimpse from the outside is quite interesting. Thank you for finding this for us.
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