Behind the Exhibition: Detective Work Transcending Continents
Ten years ago, a trove of papers was accidentally discovered inside an old, soon-to-be-demolished tenement building on Hong Kong Island. Among these papers was a diary documenting the wartime experiences of Lam Ping-yu, a Chinese naval officer who participated in one of the most important European battles of World War II — D-Day.
Since the project’s commencement last year, the curatorial team have found that conducting in-depth research is very much like detective work: how do we reassemble Lam Ping-yu’s life story with only bits and pieces of manuscripts, letters, receipts? How do we verify his claims of training in Britain and participation in D-Day?
Almost blindly, the team jumped into “collecting evidence” from multiple sources in Europe and Asia by digging through archives and interviewing people who might possess pertinent information. This research journey turned out to be as wonderful as the story itself, filled with incredible encounters and touching moments. As the exhibition is soon coming to a close, our two curators will be sharing various behind-the-scenes anecdotes to illustrate their ups and downs over the past year and a half.
Registration: https://lbcube.hkust.edu.hk/ce/index.php/event/10974/
- This is a HMAW1905-recognized event in the “Personal Enrichment & Community Service” category under the “Self-directed Experience” of HMAW1905: Behavioral Foundations of University Education: Habits, Mindsets, and Wellness.To receive 1 hour, you must attend the event in full and miss no more than 10 mins.
