Shek Kip Mei Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre | East Street West Image 2026: Street Photography Culture Through the Lenses of Chinese and International Photographers

Description

Streets carry the most primal pulse of a city. Curated by Mr. Au Wai Yin, the joint street photography exhibition 'East Street West Image 2026' will be officially exhibited from October 30 to November 1, 2026, on Level 1 of the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC) in Hong Kong. The exhibition brings together 17 Chinese and international photographers, presenting street photography works sourced from around the world. Through diverse perspectives, it transcends geographical boundaries between East and West, capturing the irreplicable moments found in alleyways and streets.

The charm of street photography lies in 'serendipity.' Photographers wander through streets of towns and cities, waiting for the moment when light, people, and scenes accidentally overlap—no script, no rehearsal, faithfully documenting the postures of ordinary people and the ever-changing atmosphere of the city. The 17 participating Chinese and international photographers each exhibit distinct styles: some use black-and-white lighting to depict the textured essence of urban life, while others capture the vibrant energy of daily life with saturated colors. Their works are shot in various locations including Hong Kong, Asia, and Europe, presenting vastly different urban landscapes, lifestyles, and cultural atmospheres.

The exhibition title 'East Street West Image 2026' symbolizes the convergence and dialogue between Eastern and Western streets and distant and nearby scenery. When images from Eastern and Western streets are displayed side by side, viewers can not only see the unique cultural imprints of each region but also feel the universal human emotions that transcend national borders. Small joys in daily life, solitary contemplation, and fleeting encounters between people become eternal moments through the lens, prompting viewers to re-examine the overlooked street moments around them.

Mr. Au Wai Yin also stated: 'The East has streets, the West has light and shadow. Street photography is a brief encounter between photographers and a city. We hope that 'East Street West Image 2026' will build a platform for visual exchange, allowing Hong Kong audiences to travel the world’s streets without leaving the city, through the eyes of seventeen photographers. No matter which country one is in, the streets always give birth to the most authentic stories. We hope this exhibition will promote exchanges in photographic creation between China and the rest of the world, and invite the public to slow down and learn to capture the fleeting beauty of everyday life.'

Poster Photo credit by Dave Sin