Barry WAHLEE

Wah Lee shop was a bank, unofficial post office and probably a social center that opened in 1904. It is now a Chinese icon in Auckland city central. Current owner, Barry WAHLEE and his family, have been living in the shop since moving from Greys Avenue in the sixties to the current address of the hustling and bustling Hobson Street. The shop display is intriguing for its vibrancy and chaos. Once I walked through to the back area where they live, it is a completely different world. I was engulfed in a state of calmness though the home is seemingly as disorganised as the shop display. After further scrutiny, the respect to the ancestors that Barry’s family pay has become vivid. The ancestral tablet of Barry’s mother is keeping in existence amongst the daily utensils. And the pig-specimens (total of four) hunted by Barry’s father are standing high up on the wall, deified.

King Tong HO

2016

Barry WAHLEE

和利商店在一九零四年开业时, 业务包括银行、邮务, 甚至是社交中心。而现在是奥克兰市中心的中华标志。自从六十年代搬离 Greys Avenue, 现在的店主 Barry WAHLEE 和他的家人一直住在这间位于繁忙的 Hobson Street 的店铺里。商店的陈列无序但充满活力。一次我走进店后的起居间, 颇为特别, 像是另一个世界。尽管陈设似店里一样无序, 然肃静的气氛包围着我。仔细看：Barry 母亲的神位和日用器皿摆放在一起, Barry 父亲的猎物：四件野猪标本高高的悬挂在墙上, 似若供奉。透过这些摆设, Barry家族对祖先的尊敬, 生动地显现在我眼前。

何经棠

2016

Barry WAHLEE

和利商店在一九零四年開業時, 業務包括銀行、郵務, 甚至是社交中心。而現在是奧克蘭市中心的中華標誌。自從六十年代搬離 Greys Avenue，現在的店主 Barry WAHLEE 和他的家人一直住在這間位於繁忙的 Hobson Street 的店鋪裏。商店的陳列無序但充滿活力。一次我走進店後的起居間，頗為特別，像是另一個世界。盡管陳設似店裏一樣無序，然肅靜的氣氛包圍著我。仔細看：Barry 母親的神位和日用器皿擺放在一起，Barry 父親的獵物：四件野豬標本高高的懸掛在墻上，似若供奉。透過這些擺設，Barry 家族對祖先的尊敬，生動地顯現在我眼前。

何經棠

2016