Edward S. Curtis: "The Shadow Catcher"
By Billy Kung
At the beginning of the 20th century, American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868–1952) embarked on one of the most ambitious projects ever attempted by anyone in the history of photography: to document and "find the spiritual essence of North American Indian civilization," at a point in time where it was fast disappearing. Fortunately, for the first time in Hong Kong, art enthusiasts will have the opportunity to view 24 original photogravures from Curtis’s masterwork “The North American Indian” (1907–1930) at the Empty Gallery, in an exhibit titled “The Man Who Sleeps on His Breath.”
Tucked in the heart of southern Hong Kong Island, the Empty Gallery opened in March 2015 and provides a unique environment for art viewing. Founded by Stephen Cheng (a Curtis enthusiast), the entire gallery is covered in black, requiring a few minutes of acclimatization upon entering. As one emerges from a short corridor into the exhibition space, the first portrait, Mosa-Mohave (1903), appears dramatically under a small focused light source illuminating only as far as the edge of the photogravure, while giving the image a warm, even glow. Playing overhead is an original soundscape composed by Italian electro-acoustic musician Valerio Tricoli, commissioned specifically by the gallery to accompany this exhibit, which offers an extra haunting element to the viewing experience.
