Chan Po Fung 陳寶鋒
I Won’t Leave Again This Time, 2024
Sculpture
75mm x 25mm x 63mm
Found Object, Casted Silver
“Do not take a goodbye as granted.”
Dai Yi who was 14 years old at the time and Hak Mui, were both stray dogs roaming around Tai Kok Tsui. Dai Yi was described by local residents as spiritual and obedient. Dai Yi was a voracious eater, and his greatest skill was to open a brick of butter by himself, stepping on the butter package with one foot and grasping the aluminum foil with the other.
Mr. Luk Wai-ming (Ming), a Tai Kok Tsui resident who works in the funeral industry, is the owner of Dai Yi. His daily job is to face the deaths and departures. But the accident in 2021 that took Dai Yi's life made him particularly sad. For him, burning paper offerings is a farewell ceremony for the deceased to rest in peace and the living to be relieved, and at the same time representing the living's remembrance of the deceased. The works in the exhibition were first made by printing out the paper-crafting style stand in the shape of Dai Yi, then covered with the aluminum wrapping foil of Dai Yi's favourite butter. Dai Yi has always been an invaluable treasure in the hearts of the residents. The piece of artwork represents that Dai Yi will always live in the hearts of Ming and the residents, accompanying them and silently protecting the community.