NGOR YIU FAN UK KEI • 2020—2022
NGOR YIU FAN UK KEI • 2020—2022
Ngor yiu fan uk kei is a work that unfolds across moving image, sound and neon text—exploring language, displacement and the political weight carried within everyday speech.
The phrase 'ngor yiu fan uk kei'—meaning “I want to go home” in Cantonese, is drawn from the words of a student protester during the 2019 Hong Kong protests, spoken while trapped inside a besieged university campus. Rather than a nostalgic expression, the phrase carries urgency, fear and a desire for safety.
Presented in transliteration, the work reflects the politicisation of Cantonese during this period, while also highlighting the complexities of language across different contexts. The shift from video and sound to neon transforms the work from an immersive, narrative experience into a direct and public statement.
. . .
The work originates from Untitled (2020), a video and sound installation first presented at m2 Gallery as part of 'The Art of Defiance – Hong Kong: Revolution of Our Time'. It was later exhibited at Gallery Lane Cove (2022) and Bloc Projects (UK, 2023).
The installation combines moving image and audio to reflect on experiences of unrest, uncertainty, and displacement, drawing from the social and political climate of Hong Kong.
In 2022, the work developed into a neon text piece, created for the solo exhibition 'Longing For Home' at Gallery Lane Cove. The neon was later presented in the group exhibition 'Assembly' at the Australian Centre on China in the World (Canberra, 2024).
. . .