Kai Chun Chan is a Honkong Based photographer documenting the the fight for freedom through portraits of protestors after brutal clashes and crackdown by authorities.The works were created by imbibing the textures from the protest sites using aluminium foil with portraits of the protestors then printed on them. 

In a time when dissent is being threatened across the world, Kai speaks to Samyak Drishti on the importance of documenting the stories of resistance, the spirit of protestors and the ideals of hope and love.

His work will be exhibited at the Indian Photo Festival 2020.

Want to start by asking you for a reaction to inclusion in this festival?

It is such an honour to be included for this international photo festival. My work is about the Anti-extradition Movement in Hong Kong. I hope that more people around the world can learn about the situation in Hong Kong through this exhibition.

It is generally believed that journalism in general and photography in particular is not going through the best of times due to the current sociopolitical climate. Would you agree?

In Hong Kong, the power of journalism has been gradually restricted by the government. This is especially serious for the media that often criticize the policy of the authority. The situation has been getting worst! However, due to the popularity of photography and online media, every citizen can become photojournalist, who responsible for recording the truth and monitoring the authority.

You are often at the eye of the storm when protests happen taking pictures. How do you decide what is more important – content or form – when you are working in vigorously violent and volatile situations?

Unlike photojournalists, they mainly focus on recording the protest scene in the front-line. My photographic series mainly focus on recording the portrait of the fighters after conflict. The shooting place is the community of the fighters, combined with the photographic metal rubbings in the protest site and the sharing of the protesters.

What are some of the biggest challenges while documenting resistance in Hong Kong?

After the National Security Law came into effect, engaging in related protest activities and publication has become an act of civil disobedience. Living in a country ruled under totalitarian, it requires sacrifice and courage to tell and record the truth. After the implementation of the National Security Law, activities related to the Anti-extradition Movement in Hong Kong became very sensitive. Before taking portrait of the fighters, we need to gain their full trust first, which is very difficult.

Have you ever experienced reprisal from the authorities or do you fear for your safety while capturing images of protestors?

After the National Security Law came into effect, I think the current pressure from the authorities against the dissident is hidden. My works have been exhibited in the United States, Germany, Japan and India. But in Hong Kong, there is no organization that allows me to publicly exhibit related works, and everyone is afraid of being persecuted by the authorities. This is extremely sad!

The authorities in Hong Kong are using techniques like face recognition to go after the leaders of the protests. Does this make your work that much more difficult?

After the implementation of the National Security Law, activities related to the Anti-extradition Movement in Hong Kong became very sensitive. Before taking portrait of the fighters, we need to gain their full trust first, which is very difficult.

Among photographers across the world, is there anybody’s work you follow closely and why?

I really appreciate the photographic series “Sold” from Ernst Coppejans, Netherlands and “Wounds of Hong Kong” from KO Chung Ming, Hong Kong.

SOLD is a series of 27 anonymous portraits of victims of human trafficking in the Netherlands. The portraits were shot in their rooms in shelters where these women and men temporarily found safety, and a home, and maybe the start of a better life. The clothes they wore were often their only possessions.

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/ernst-coppejans-sold-21st-century-slavery

Protests in Hong Kong show no signs of abating after months of unrest. What began as an objection to the extradition bill has evolved into a wider protest regarding the future of the city. Due to clashes with police, protestors have suffered a range of injuries, with reports suggesting that since the demonstrations began cases of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have risen among the population. “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting”, suggested author Milan Kundera. Scars and bruises may fade, but we must remember what caused them. Here are the wounds of the casualties.

https://www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-galleries/2020/professional/winners/1st-place-wounds-hong-kong

These two photographic series demonstrate the characteristics of photography, and the photographers accurately record the dark side of society, bringing these social issues to the world. These two series arouse public attention and discussion successfully.

Can you tell us about the toughest photograph you have clicked and describe in detail how you went about executing it?

In a large-scale demonstration last year, I took portrait of the demonstrators during the demonstration. At that time, the police had already started arresting the protestors and there were not many people left at the scene. Several demonstrators I met for the first time were willing to let me take their portraits, and I started shooting them in this critical situation. Several demonstrators told me to be careful of being arrested, I cried in front of the camera’s viewfinder and continued shooting.

Finally, does the photographer in you take sides when police and protestors clash? Is it possible to maintain neutrality while documenting what is going on?

I always remind myself act on conscience.

Watch the process behind Kai’s work.

Yogesh Pawar

Freelance Journalist

Yogesh Pawar has been a print, web & broadcast journalist with The Indian Express, rediff.com, Elle NDTV and DNA. He currently freelances and writes about development & culture.