Jay Lau's 'vA! Residency' Exhibition Explores Imagined History of Birdwood Block with AI and Art

Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre showcases new prints and installations by artist Jay Lau

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) of the Art Promotion Office is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau, who used archival photos of the Old Victoria Barracks and applied image-editing software and AI generation technology for his creations.

The Grade I historic building housing vA! was formerly Cassels Block, which was built in the early 20th century as a married officers' quarters. Adjacent to it once stood its "twin" building, Birdwood Block, which resembled it in appearance and function. Both buildings were part of the old barracks. Birdwood Block's site has been converted into a children's playground.

During his residency at vA!, Lau spent six months crafting a parallel reality in which Birdwood Block still exists. Drawing on archival photos as a foundation, he constructed its surrounding landscape and domestic interior by employing an AI image generator, and transformed them into print series "Fictional Scenery" and "Reversed Scenery". The installation "Non-existent Rubble", casts in concrete and fabricates fragments that resemble the rubble left behind from Birdwood Block. These works are distributed across different floors of vA!, inviting visitors to explore the forgotten past of this historic building and imagine the infinite possibilities that could have arisen at pivotal moments in history.

The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and is organised by vA!. It runs from March 12 to October 12 at vA! (7A Kennedy Road, Central). Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/va_residency_birdwood_block.html.

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows Lau creating works during his residency at vA!. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows the prints and installations displayed in vA!'s public spaces. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows a work from the series "Translucent Curtains". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows the installation "Non-existent Rubble", fabricating a fragment that resembles rubble left behind from Birdwood Block. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows a print from the series "Rubbings of Traces". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows the artwork "Scenery Outside the Window". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows a print from the series "Reversed Scenery", presenting the artist's imagined domestic interior of Birdwood Block. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows one of the woodblocks from the series "Fictional Scenery", displayed across different floors of vA!. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows a book from the series "Transferred Diary", which uses image transfer techniques to depict the children's playground next to vA!, formerly the site of Birdwood Block. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows a print from the series "Reversed Scenery". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is staging the "vA! Residency - Incising the Matrix: If Birdwood Block..." exhibition from today (March 12), featuring prints and installations by Hong Kong artist Jay Lau. Photo shows the Head of the Art Promotion Office, Miss Apo Wu (centre); the Curator (Exchange & Extension) of the Art Promotion Office, Ms Leona Yu (left); and Lau (right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Tseung Kwan O and Hong Kong International Airport respectively yesterday (May 21) and today (May 22), and seized a total of about 21.8 kilograms of assorted drugs with a total estimated market value of about $7.95 million. Two men and one woman, aged between 38 and 49, were arrested.

In the first case, Customs officers intercepted a 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman in Tseung Kwan O during an anti-narcotics operation yesterday afternoon. About 3.8kg of suspected drugs, including ketamine, methamphetamine, etomidate capsules, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia were found in their residence in the same district. They were then arrested.

In the second case, a 38-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 18kg of suspected ketamine inside his check-in suitcase and 33 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested man and woman in the first case have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of apparatus fit and intended for the inhalation of a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 23), while an investigation is ongoing for the second case.

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases