The Martin Centre Research Seminar - Zhuozhang Li

The Martin Centre Research Seminars - Lent Term Seminar 4

We are delighted to welcome Zhuozhang Li (Research Associate & Affiliated Lecturer, Cambridge Department of Architecture / CPDA, Jesus College) who will give a talk titled:

'The Cinematic City / The Lived City / The Fluid City: (re)mapping contemporary Hong Kong'

Talk Abstract:

The understanding of lived experiences cannot be parted from its circumstances and detached from ‘the existence of subjects who are agents and authors’. This lecture examines how different literary and artworks address and represent the built environment and social milieu of contemporary Hong Kong, and how Hong Kong has, to some extent, become simplified and lost in one definite image/metaphor. By exploring depictions of locations/sites such as Kowloon Walled City, rooftop settlements, and traditional streets, the talk registers the overlooked everyday practices in Hong Kong and explores how these fragmented stories of resistance and coexistence suggest an alternative and resilient relationship between the people and the city.

Bio:

As an interdisciplinary urban scholar, Zhuozhang Li’s research focuses on two themes: inclusive city-making, and co-production of urban knowledge through visual methods. These two interwoven strands form the core of his doctoral thesis on ‘publicness’ through the lens of Hong Kong urban cinema, as well as his current work at the Cambridge Room, a ‘one-stop-shop’ for community consultation. Alongside research and teaching, his recent curatorial and/or artistic practice includes ‘Location, Imagination and Transformation (Hong Kong, 2024)’, ‘Planting and Placemaking (Liverpool, 2024)’, ‘Traces Under the Surface (Beijing, 2023)’, and ‘Knowledge is Power (Tate Liverpool, 2020)’.