Iresa Cho, animator and video artist
What are some of your highlights from Clockenflap?
Seeing Caribou. It brought back memories of Field Day 2015, where I last saw him play. Good times. Also Jarvis Cocker, I really enjoyed his groovy moves.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
There was a girl who walked around wearing a hoodie with a giant ‘viagra’ logo on the back. Not sure if she knew what it is. Maybe she did and gave zero fuck. Either way it’s brilliant.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
It’s complicated. I’m from HK but I hadn’t lived here for 8 years. It feels familiar yet very distant. I’m still discovering new things everyday. But actually, the sense of something being familiar but with a twist is a big part of my practice.
Who inspires you?
Wong Kar-wai, Jonas Mekas, Andrei Tarkovsky, Maya Deren, Satoshi Kon, Park Chan-wook, René Laloux, Alejandro Jodorowsky… and many more.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Yes, I always want to move somewhere else, to see different places and to not let my roots limit my mind.
Jonathan Lam, flight attendant and co-founder 22E
What are some of your highlights of Clockenflap?
Unfortunately, I only attended the last day of Clockenflap, and this is my first time too. My favorite performance was Erykah Badu in last main stage.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
The city’s view of Hong Kong. The world is mostly paying attention to the fancy harbor and buildings, there are still amazing part of old Hong Kong, such as the districts of Sham Shui Po and Wan Chai.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
I feel sorry to say that Hong Kong is a narrow place for creatives – people here aren’t very interested in culture, everything is being commercialised. But that’s why my crew mates wanna create a platform for sharing our culture. I hope the new generation of Hong Kong will not be leading lives as monotonous as our parents.
Who inspires you?
Everyone in my life inspires me, even the people I don’t like.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Definitely yes, I have. I think all native Hong Kongers have considered to other places, because the city is always pressuring us. But then I think about all the treasures in Hong Kong and I feel it’s best to stay and try to make it better from within.
Risa Jozuka, model
What are some of your highlights of Clockenflap?
Definitely David Byrne! He was so amazing. The performance was very conceptual. It really inspired me. Also Erykah Badu. She was so full of energy and soul!
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
It is very difficult for me to answer this question since I love Hong Kong so much and have many things I like about this city. It is a very busy exciting energetic city where Asian and Western culture meet. Hong Kong so has many faces that I never get bored. It’s like a doll house, where so many things are packed in tiny spaces.
Who inspires you?
My family and friends. They are very open and creative people who inspire me in different ways.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Yes. Although I like Japan and Hong Kong, I’m interested in Europe and especially Denmark. I want to stay or live there for a while at least once in my life and want to visit many places around in Europe.
Tiffany Tang, student Hong Kong Design Institute
What are some of your highlights of Clockenflap?
Wu Tsing Fong and KHALID’s performances. Their voices were so unique, so magnetic.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
Definitely the food.
Who inspires you?
Yohji Yamamoto. He’s very expressive and I love his different ways of layering fabrics to create interesting shapes, even by just using one color. He also mainly uses a lot of black which is very me because I’m dark, haha.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
I want to move to Japan because I love their culture and they have a lot of vintage second hand clothes shops. I always love shopping there. It’s a very fashionable place and a lot of my inspiration comes from there too. To be honest I don’t really wanna stay in Hong Kong because of the stressful environment and busy lifestyle.
Iyce Kariuki, set builder
What are some of your highlights of Clockenflap?
Definitely seeing Erykah Badu – she was the main reason I went. David Byrne was pretty good too.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
The contrast. One minute you’re in the centre where everything is futuristic – you’ve got skyscrapers, bright lights and everyone rushing from A to B. The next moment you’re in a country park and it’s completely quiet and people are more friendly. You can see all the little islands surrounding ir and it’s super chill.
Who inspires you?
Grace Jones! Looking through magazines when I was younger I never really saw anyone dark skinned like myself. I remember seeing a picture of her one day and I was in absolute awe. Not only is she stunning but she is her own person who has never tried to fit in to any moulds. She’s out of this world in my eyes. I used to watch her performances and interviews over and over again. She inspired me to love my dark skin and she’s a constant reminder that it’s okay to be what people think is weird.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Mexico or Kenya. Mexico because I’m a big fan of Latin American culture. There’s always so much going on; the food’s great, the people are amazing and so welcoming. Mexicans would personally come up to me to compliment my skin and in all my visits I haven’t heard one racist comment.
I’m Kenyan and every time I go home it’s always really hard to leave. There’s a lot of change happening but not fast enough for me to want to move there straight away. The day there’s free education for everyone and women and gay people have equal rights, I’ll be the first person to move home.
Lily Ho, artist and freelance writer
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
It’s a hyper efficient and convenient city. You can go out all night long, and still be able to grab good food, and go home safely in the middle of night.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
Hong Kong is truly a gem. A rare hybrid of a crowded bustling city and breathtakingly tranquil nature. And it takes less than 30 minutes to travel from the city centre to the countryside! After working intensively for weeks on end, that enables me to recharge for my next projects.
Who inspires you?
God, children, and all the beautiful, sincere, kind, passionate, humble souls around me.
Jianchi Chen, graphic designer and founder DEADSEAS
What are some of your highlights of Clockenflap?
Erykah Badu, Cornelius, 9m88.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
The coexistence of different cultures. Despite being a small and compact city, Hong Kong is a cultural hub that harbors the old and the new, the East & West. This very unique context makes the city a very interesting and energetic place and, more crucially, allows different voices and perspectives to prosper in the society.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
The hectic pace of living and its highly chaotic visual space have taken the city to a unique aesthetic level. I can always spot something new and turn it into a novel idea quickly. The city is not only full of information but also imagination.
Who inspires you?
David Carson. His works go against all the principles in modern design, yet somehow they manage to work out brilliantly and they are emotionally beautiful. His philosophy and adventurousness in creativity really widened my view. He is a real rule breaker.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
I do. Although Hong Kong is a city of great convenience, it’s not a pedestrian-friendly or bicycle-friendly city. For me it’s important that I can travel and explore the city freely. Berlin, Amsterdam and Tokyo are my top three destinations so far.
Twiggy Wong, make-up artist
What are some of your highlights from Clockenflap?
I enjoyed the performances of Rhye and David Byrne immensely. Their music is truly amazing. Also Silent Disco. It was my very first time seeing them.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
I love the festivals and raves in forests. I love to meet new people so we can share our thoughts and ideas on our creative practice.
Who inspires you?
Coco Chanel. She once apparently said: “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Yes. I miss London. I actually lived there during my studies. It is like my second home.
Eddie Yeung, director and founder Booooom
What are some of your highlights from Clockenflap?
Foals, Higher Brothers and A$AP Rocky.
What’s your favorite thing about Hong Kong?
Definitely hanging with friends and the food.
In what way has living in Hong Kong influenced you as a creative?
Sham Shum Po, the district I lived in for 32 years is a very unique area full of all kinds of subcultures.
Who inspires you?
I find inspiration in many people and things: my father, my wife, friends, news, books and music.
Have you ever considered moving someplace else?
Yes, maybe Thailand.
Credits
Photography Desiré van den Berg
Assistant James Yao Acey
This article originally appeared on i-D NL