Artists Mobilize to Capture Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement in Pen and Ink
by in HyperAllergic, October 6, 2014
Art has played a role in the Umbrella Movement since day one, from public art installations like Stand By You: ‘Add Oil’ Machine to a Facebook competition to design the movement’s logo. Less well-known are two urban sketching groups which, armed with pen and paper, have been doing their best to document the protests.
Both Urban Sketchers Hong Kong (USHK) and Sketcher-Kee were formed in 2013 with the goal of preserving in ink the city’s ever-evolving urban environment. Today its members are camped out in the Causeway Bay, Admiralty, and Mong Kok areas of Hong Kong, posting expressive drawings of that same landscape over-run by umbrellas, yellow ribbons, and students demanding political freedom. Their work is risky; a recent post by USHK co-founder Alvin Wong on the group’s Facebook page advised members to “get a sketch buddy” and to sit near a wall so “no one can surprise you from behind.”
Continue to read the article and see many images of the protest!
D.Katie Powell Art 
Katie – thanks for featuring this! The sketches vibrate with energy and depict emotion and meaning in a way that differs from photography, giving us an even more comprehensive impression of the participation. I can’t help but think about the elevated risk for a sketcher – far easier to surreptitiously and quickly snap photos than to hold pad and drawing utensil to sketch. I’ve bookmarked this one to spend more time this afternoon.
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I know a few of the sketchers online — friends — and have heard about their experiences sketching during this craziness. I find it fascinating. I also love Richard Johnson — he sketches for the Washington Post and is amazing. He has a blog through them and has been a war correspondent, and I can look at his drawings in a way that I simply cannot look at the news.
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Thanks! Will check out R Johnson. I have military contacts I get my war and defense news from. Far different thsn White House Press Corps bruefings!!
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oooh, there’s a blog post!
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I’d tell ya but then …
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😉
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