MATTHEW
Tsang Man Fu

There are the memories of my childhood, my family and every change of my place.

I can still remember the display of my little paradise when i was small. Every morning the sun woke me up through my window and the show of the delicate glass pattern was projected on my bedclothes. I can still remember the rhythm of shower falling onto the zinc roof. Sometimes it accompanied me to dream bit sometimes it disturbed me watching my favorite TV program. But mostly, it creates the beautiful marks on the wall and floor.

All the trace of history have not gone although experienced several small renovations. All the stained furniture, peeled wall paints or the eroded floor are the evidence of my growth. During the development of the surrounded area including my house all will change very soon. so i wish to record my memory through my works.

Rubbering is a solid experience to record the fragments of memory. I have to dip the “ rubbing pad” (made of cotton balls wrapped in sheet of silk) in ink or thick colour, and rubbing the texture surface thoughtfully until the details emerge. This is a traditional technique used to do the rubbing of Chinese calligraphy tablet. tablet is used to record the glory of historical people. and this technique is so sophisticated and decent to record and interpret the important trace of my past.

In the installation work “Memory rebuild” I create a new paper molding method by using rubbing technique. Rubbing without ink but Chinese rice paper a layer and layer applied on the surface of my house, after 20-30 layers then let it dry and form a 3 dimensional shell of fragments. That are the components of my final work.
Experience of rubbing allow the new exploration of every little part of place. Investigation in the faces, direction, positive and negative spaces, textures and layers awake my old memory and create the new views. To reorganize these fragments of memory is not routine job but a brand new exploration.