Prologue Journal

Greg Girard is a Canadian photographer who is known for his documentary work exploring the social and urban landscape of Asia. He was born in Vancouver in 1955 and studied photography at Emily Carr College of Art and Design.

Girard’s early work focused on the urban landscape of Vancouver, but in the early 1980s, he began traveling extensively throughout Asia, photographing cities such as Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Tokyo. He has since become known for his insightful and often haunting images of the rapidly changing urban environments of Asia.

One of Girard’s most well-known projects is “City of Darkness,” a photographic exploration of the Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. Girard has also published books on other cities in Asia, including “Phantom Shanghai” and “Hanoi Calling.” ‘“HK:PM” and “Tokyo-Yokosuka 1976-1983”.

Greg Girard’s photos have been featured in National Geographic, TIME, Newsweek, The New Yorker, The National Post, The Star, and numerous other publications. His work has been exhibited internationally such as the International Centre for Photography (New York), PM Gallery (London, UK), the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa), the Yixian International Photo Festival (China), and numerous other venues. His work is held in the collections of major museums, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and M+ in Hong Kong.

He currently resides in Vancouver, and is represented in Hong Kong by Blue Lotus Gallery.

Ian Lambot trained as an architect and worked briefly for the Richard Rogers Partnership before arriving in Hong Kong in 1979, where he lived for the next 18 years.After stints running an architectural model-making studio and working with Foster and Partners – on the early stages of the Hongkong Bank project – he set up Watermark Publications, publishing in the years since numerous books on architecture, engineering and design, including four volumes on the work of Norman Foster and, of course, City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City.

He now lives in the UK, where he continues to design and publish books on subjects that interest him. 

Bianca, born and raised in 1980s Hong Kong, combines her expertise in visual communication with a deep passion for documentary work. Having faced challenging family circumstances during her upbringing in a Temporary Housing Area, she feels a strong connection to the themes of chaotic urban life and poverty. Her particular interest lies in the history of Kowloon Walled City and her hometown.

Bianca’s artistic style is rooted in storytelling, weaving together Hong Kong’s collective memories with the limitless possibilities offered by AI as a creative medium. By blending authentic history with imaginative elements, she creates an intriguing juxtaposition between the familiar and the extraordinary, breathing life into its forgotten past and presenting it in a fresh light.

Keeping Lee graduated with a BSc in Photographic Sciences from the University of Westminster, London, and became a member of the Royal Photographic Society in 1985. After returning to Hong Kong, he taught photography at various institutes and universities, and spent over a decade in the Professional Department of Kodak Company HK. Currently, he teaches photography at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and works as a technical consultant and writer for several magazines. Recently, he established a studio and darkroom in Causeway Bay, HK.