脉络Ⅰ Roots
We may come from different lands,
Speak in different tongues,
Live miles apart,
Where we live shapes who we are.
If you look closely,
You’ll see both unique and shared roots
That tie us together,
No matter the distance

Exhibition Period: 2025.03.21 - 2025.03.30
Exhibition Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Exhibition Address (EN / CN):
Project Balcony, L6, Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre, 18 Tat Hong Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
Visitor Registration Link: (Free Admission) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdx9zpidGEAAvU8LgrlRuKurA-lpSiCjT7SWTKaLm249cN6rA/viewform?usp=dialog
Curatorial Statement
Cultural festivals hold a special place in nearly all cultures, deeply rooted in local cultural or religious traditions, intertwining both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As carriers of collective memory, festivals serve as bonds that connect the past, present, and future of a place, shaping the cultural identity of its people. The exhibition "Roots" focuses on the Kawagoe Festival, one of the three major festivals in the Kanto region of Japan, presenting the outcomes of a collaborative research project between the School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong and the Graduate School of Media Design at Keio University. By collecting individual festival stories from local residents and communities, the project aims to address the lack of grassroots voices in traditional cultural heritage archives. The artists use a variety of elements, including 3D modeling, sound, video, and interactive installations, to create an immersive space that invites the audience to listen to and explore the memories of the Kawagoe Festival shared by local residents, while also envisioning its future.
The name "Roots" symbolizes the Kawagoe Festival as a network of branches or threads that connect different personal stories, historical events, and community activities. These traditional festivals, as living cultural heritage, not only witness social development but also showcase the essence of regional culture within a limited timeframe. Therefore, as we engage with these collective memories and imaginations, we may uncover and reflect on the similarities and differences among cultural festivals worldwide. The threads of these cultures intertwine and influence each other, collectively forming the main artery of human civilization.
Finally, the research team would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Kawagoe City Cultural Heritage Protection Department, Hikawa Shrine, community representatives, and local residents for their invaluable support of this project and exhibition. As the saying goes, "The flowers may bloom year after year the same, but the people change with each passing year." It is the unwavering dedication of those who have walked this land, generation after generation, that sustains and preserves the unique cultural roots of Kawagoe.