Publisher/Zen Foto Gallery

Google翻訳
"Happiness in Black" is a collection of works by Hong Kong photographer Chan Wai-kang (1976-). Raised in an environment where his father was a newspaper photographer, Chan Wai-kang taught himself photography and has published numerous photobooks, mainly through self-publishing, making him an indispensable figure when discussing Hong Kong's local photographic culture. His gaze, which has continued to capture the lives of people while deeply immersing himself in the daily life of the city—markets, entertainment districts, residential areas, back alleys, etc.—expands in this book into a broader portrait of the city. Composed of color photographs taken between 2018 and 2020, this work is not a photojournalism collection that documents specific events, even though it is set against the backdrop of a time when Hong Kong society was in the midst of great change and tension. By layering diverse fragments—neon-lit street corners, people going about their daily lives, chaotic urban landscapes, and moments tinged with a sense of unease—the very atmosphere that permeated Hong Kong at that time comes to life. The title is derived from a song by the Hong Kong music group Softhard, but this book does not make a political statement. Instead, it depicts the complex facets of a city where glamour and chaos, vitality and a sense of stagnation coexist simultaneously. It is a portrait of the city of a particular era, captured only by Chan Wai-kang, who has observed Hong Kong for many years.