The Junction of Tai Nam Street and Boundary Street, Sham Shui Po

According to informal statistics, there are about 500 cat managers in SSP. Apart from being killingly adorable, fluffy shop cats are also intrinsically curious and sensitive. Kristopher Ho collaborated with volunteers at Hope of the City, a non-profit organisation aimed to help disadvantaged groups, to create a 20-meter long mural named #ppl_&_meow_dd. The mural illustrates Sham Shui Po, a creative incubator for designers, from the perspective of our four-legged friends.
 

Learn more about #ppl_&_meow_dd

Watch the "Miao Shui Po" video

Recently, Many local and foreign street artists decorated the alleys and hole in the walls of SSP. One of the most prominent works was a mural entitled “Rainbow Thief” on Man Fung Building, a colourful geometric patterned animal.  These creations emphasize the craft and cultural traditions of the area; and break the stereotypical impression that there are only electronic products and "old Kowloon flair" found in SSP. 

 

Not only were the neighbourhood in SSP very satisfied with the transformation, they also became interested in the whole creative process and often talk with artists to Share the stories in SSP. 

2D Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
 

Ah Chi of Bo Wah Effigies takes his paper effigies very seriously. He creates highly realistic effigies because he believes they are offerings to honour the deceased. He drafts, designs bamboo frameworks and glues paper on; sometimes he even uses cardboard papers and super glue. He is a trendsetter within the industry, some would even call him a saviour as he is the only choice when it comes to customised objects. One time, in order to make paper effigies for Wong Ka Kui’s favourite Gibson electric guitar, Ah Chi visited several music stores to study the characteristics of a real guitar such as the distance between the wires.  During production he also listened to Beyond’s songs on loop. Finally, he created a highly realistic electric guitar with amplifiers which was widely reported by the media.

 

Shek Kip Mei Market, Nam Cheong Street , Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
 

Mei Mei Photofinishing is located in Shek Kip Mei Market for 18 years. A nostalgic shop with old-fashioned photography props, wooden box cameras and so on. It also has two unique instagram worthy photo-ops at the front gate and side gate with oral history gate paintings. The family-run photofinishing also participates in Sham Shui Po’s gate painting project, in which youngsters revealed the stories of different old shops by revitalising the metal gates. Two of the volunteer designers were visual arts students and they interviewed the owners Mr and Mrs Yip to understand the process, equipment of photo shooting and photofinishing. They hope the painting will tell the story and record the history of the shop and Sham Shui Po.

 

Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre

30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon
 

There was a time when Hong Kong's manufacturing industry thrived. JCCAC's building was formerly known as Shek Kip Mei Flatted Factory Building or the Shek Kip Mei Factory Estate - a concentration of small cottage factories that was set up in 1977. It has now been transformed into a multi-disciplinary artist village and arts centre. While retaining the unique beauty of the building, there are also a number of studio craft shops, as well as exhibition venues and theatre facilities. What’s special about the Artist Village is that it reserves nearly one of the four studios to nurture upcoming artists with potential. A great place for family on weekends, members of the public are free to visit during the open hours and discover cultural activities, art installations and exhibitions.

 

48 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon

 

Lau Sum Kee Noodle is one of the oldest bamboo pole noodle shop in Hong Kong for more than 60 years. The family owner has developed extremely sophisticated noodle kneading technique with a bamboo pole. By sitting on a six-foot long bamboo pole in a see-saw rhythmic motion, the noodle dough needs to be evenly kneaded to make firm and textured noodles which machines cannot replicate – it won’t even turn soggy after soaking in soup for long.

 

373 Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon

 

In 1970s - 1980s, Sham Shui Po was the largest fabric market in Southeast Asia. To this day, the district remains its influence to a certain extent.  The Yen Chow Street Hawker Market, also known as Pang Jai(棚仔), in Chinese it literally means ‘little sheds’ built with plastic sheets against big trees. Garment factories nearby resold remaining fabrics to these little shed owners and the majority of customers were low-income families. Today, it is known as the ‘The Last Remaining Fabric Market’ which faces the fate of land development. Therefore, community groups have tried to guard the ‘sheds’ by holding workshops, guided tours and setting up concern groups in hope of developing the area into a fabric market.

 

117 Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon

 

Established in the 1920s, Nam Cheong Pawn Shop is a five-story building located in Sham Shui Po’s largest tong lau, or composite building complex. Today, the Grade III historic building boasts traditional design features such as the prominent panwshop sign. In fact, the shape of the sign takes reference from an auspicious saying in Chinese, ‘a bat hanging upside down and holding a gold coin’ as ‘bat’ rhymes with ‘blessings’ and gold coin symbolizes fortune, it will bring prosperity to both the owner and customers. Many Hong Kong signs incorporate calligraphy in neon signs to amplify visual effects. The sign of the shop is no exception, because of its distinctive color and unique shape, it conveys the visual message effectively and has made a name for itself in Hong Kong.