Hong Kong: Between Mountains and Sea
A black ink pen and paper always at hand, Gérard Henry explores, observes, and captures the essence of Hong Kong in his intricate, delicate, and highly detailed drawings. He offers us his vision of the city that is both poetic and warm.
What began as a form of meditation became a daily ritual in his life – an avid stroller and a quiet spectator, he puts down illustrated reflections, musings, and contemplations on paper.
In his portraits, Henry reveals the personality of his friends through their home or studio and the paraphernalia they surround themselves with. He feels that where a person lives is a projection of their inner self.
Drawing and writing are, for him, two complementary ways of archiving the city. Most of Henry's sketches are reflections on Hong Kong's intangible spirit, its festivals, and its traditions.
Hong Kong: Between Mountains and Sea is an exhibition of Henry's drawings presented like a visual diary. They reflect his involvement in the art scene and strong connection to the city – a real testament to his deep affection for Hong Kong.
Gérard Henry
Based in Hong Kong since 1981, Gérard Henry is a writer, an editor, an art critic, a botanist as well as an artist.
Henry served as deputy director of the Alliance Française de Hong Kong and was the chief editor of Paroles, a bilingual French / Chinese arts and culture magazine.
He has written about Hong Kong art and culture and French visual arts for a variety of magazines including China Perspectives, the philosophical literary review La Soeur de l'Ange, and Le Monde diplomatique. Henry has also helped set up the first French May festival, has been the Hong Kong and China correspondent and cultural columnist for Radio Suisse Romande in Switzerland, and for many years has written a blog titled Entre montagnes et mer for the weekly Courrier International in Paris in which he pairs his writings with his drawings to profile local cultural figures, contemplate on Hong Kong's urban and cultural landscape, and share vignettes of life in Hong Kong.
In 2008 he published a book titled Chroniques hongkongaises at Éditions Zoé, Geneva and his new book Hong Kong : Entre Montagnes et Mer will launch in 2024.
He is also co-author of Foodscape, Editions MCCM, Hong Kong, 2009, and Post No bill, a story about the King of Kowloon.
In 1999 Gérard Henry was awarded Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture for promoting cultural exchanges between Chinese and French communities.
Henry's drawings have been exhibited in several group and solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and Macau and he is currently preparing for his new show Hong Kong: Between Mountains and Sea presented by Parenthèses at Latitude 22N.
Parenthèses
Owned for over 35 years by Madeline Progin, Parenthèses is a French language bookshop in Hong Kong.
Rooted amidst the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, the bookshop is part of the local community and dedicated to promoting French language and culture in Hong Kong.
With hundreds of new books and press arriving each week, the bookshop provides an extensive collection of books, comics, textbooks, dictionaries, travel guides, and stationery.
Behind the scenes of Parenthèses is an amazing team with very diverse backgrounds. They are Swiss, French and Hong Kongers, and they all share one common passion… a love of culture and books.
Latitude 22N
Co-founded by designer and artist duo Julie Progin and Jesse Mc Lin, Latitude 22N is a Hong Kong-based design studio. Since 2008 they have been creating and producing contemporary and creative porcelain and paper goods under the brand Latitude 22N, and experimental pieces under the name Julie & Jesse. Their sprawling Chai Wan studio is a calming, creativity-filled design space that's part gallery, part studio.
Website parentheses-hk.com / latitude22n.com
Latitude 22N 
09 – 26.05.2024Wed – Sun 11 am – 7 pm
Free admission 
