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The Retrieval, Restoration and Predicament (2017-20) >

Made in Occupied Japan (2018-2020)

A set of two
Camera Lens | 5.5 (diameter) x 3.4H cm
Digital print on archival paper

 
In 1945, after Japan surrendered and was occupied by the Allied Powers, one of the mandatory measures was that “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN” be engraved on a number of luxury export goods. Most of the videos and photographs in this project were shot through a lens made by Nippon Kogaku and engraved with “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN”; the lens acts as a way to revisit the short history of occupied Hong Kong through the eyes of the occupiers; positions exchanged, the imagery seems vivid.
 

One day, the Superior forced a camera upon me, I was ordered to document the training. My hands shook a bit when I held it. I thought it was a model III Leica from Germany, but when I took a closer look on the engraving on top of the camera, I discovered it is actually a close replica manufactured by Nicca in Japan.
The Commander in Chief of the Allied Forces in Japan had ordered that “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN” be engraved on designated export items.

 

– Excerpt from The Retrieval, Restoration, and Predicament Single-channel video (2018)