Treasured Possessions

The articles shown in the vintage suitcase tell of the hardship and loneliness of the person who once owned them. The possessions include a building permit – perhaps an attempt to set up a home in NZ. Picture books of Chinese Classics and a well- used Chinese dictionary gave some comfort from homesickness.

Father and Son

There is a similarity in the portraits – son and father or father and son. Born in different centuries and different countries, the father was orphaned in China in the Ching dynasty at 13 years of age. He was a pioneer of his time, coming to seek his fortune in NZ. The son was born in NZ under a democratic Labour Government and did not suffer or endure the hardship and persecutions his father had to tolerate. 

John KUM

2013

John KUM

Like many other overseas Chinese, John KUM’s [吳和章] father NG Wah Kum [吳華錦] might have wished to return home for retirement. Not many had made it though. Wasn’t it a regret?

Seeing his business documents (accounts in Chinese, building permit and legal documents, receipts, etc.) and his private items (comic books, a dictionary for writing Chinese letter and exercise book), NG had lived a prosperous life, succeeded in his career and also enjoyed his leisure time. Wasn’t he alone? And where is home for the sojourner?

King Tong HO

2013

珍藏品

古老手提箱内的物品, 诉说着物主的一段艰辛和寂寞。物品包括一张建筑许可証, 显示达成了他在纽西兰建立家园的愿望; 以及数本中文连环图书和一本经常使用的中文字典, 使他在思乡时得到慰藉。

父与子

肖像里酷似的两人, 谁是父？谁是子？父亲吴华锦长于中国清代的孤儿院, 至十三岁时往纽西兰开拓新生活。儿子吴和章则生于民主制度下的国家, 免于承受父亲曾经经历的困顿和压迫。

吴和章

2013

吴和章

像许多海外华人一样, 吴和章的父亲 吴华锦希望回到祖国安度晚年。尽管事实上没有多少人能实现此心愿, 难道不是一个遗憾？

从他的生意文档（包括中文账簿、建筑许可证、法律文件、票据等）和私人物品（连环漫画、字典和练习本）可见吴华锦, 事业有成, 享受闲暇, 有丰盛的人生。但是, 他孤独吗？究竟哪里才是异乡人的家？

何经棠

2013

珍藏品

古老手提箱內的物品，訴說著物主的一段艱辛和寂寞。物品包括一張建築許可証，顯示達成了他在紐西蘭建立家園的願望; 以及數本中文連環圖書和一本經常使用的中文字典，使他在思鄉時得到慰藉。

父與子

肖像裏酷似的兩人，誰是父？誰是子？父親吳華錦長於中國清代的孤兒院，至十三歲時往紐西蘭開拓新生活。兒子吳和章則生於民主制度下的國家，免於承受父親曾經經歷的困頓和壓迫。

吳和章

2013

吳和章

像許多海外華人一樣, 吳和章的父親 吳華錦希望回到祖國安度晚年。盡管事實上沒有多少人能實現此心願, 難道不是一個遺憾？

從他的生意文檔（包括中文賬簿、建築許可證、法律文件、票據等）和私人物品（連環漫畫、字典和練習本）可見吳華錦，事業有成， 享受閑暇, 有豐盛的人生。但是，他孤獨嗎？究竟哪裏才是異鄉人的家？

何經棠

2013