Artist Statement

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Small But Great is a series of work that is done during my ‘Artist-in-residence’ programme at Monsaraz Portugal. There are three sets of video that are related to the sounds of Monsaraz, and São Pedro do Corval, Portugal.

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During my ‘artist-in-residence’ at Monsaraz, I have recorded many sounds of this medieval town, and also of those in the small village São Pedro do Corval. Those are simple and familiar sounds like the sounds from the bell tower, my footsteps, the voice of the people around etc. The inspiration for this series came from these sounds that I could not hear in Hong Kong. It is not because there is no sound of bell or footsteps in Hong Kong; it is indeed due to the noise and busy life there, I could not hear well the sounds around me, and also even the tone of my inner voice as well. But while I was in these peaceful towns, I retrieved my own existence. As well as the evidence of my existence too.

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Moreover, every sound I heard at Monsaraz and São Pedro do Corval is so lively. All of them gave me a strong impression of their existence and their lives presently, they are not merely old and small town indeed!

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Wai Kit Lam
Monsaraz & São Pedro do Corval, Portugal
3.2012

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