Ed van der Elsken (1925-1990) is a unique figure in Dutch 20th-century documentary cinema and photography. As a photographer, his preferred subject was the street, and in cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Hong Kong or Tokyo, he enjoyed ‘hunting’ for subjects. Often qualified as a « photographer of marginal figures », he sought in reality an aesthetic form, a visual authenticity, devoid of artifice, a beauty that was sometimes openly sensual, at times even erotic. Ed van der Elsken was fascinated by these proud figures, full of life and vitality.
In 1989, a year before Ed’s passing, he went through his Hong Kong files again and rediscovered the beautiful pictures he had never printed. After disappearing for five weeks into his dark room, printing feverishly, Ed brought these valuable files back to life. In this collection, Ed shows his great warmth and hope for old Hong Kong, which he described as the “prettiest of harbour cities” during his 13-month round-the-world trip.
While staying in Hong Kong for three weeks between 1959 and 1960, he was able to capture the essence of the city and its inhabitants of all walks at that time. There is a touch of familiarity in these prints, yet there are also many fascinating “new” objects, practices and building structures that are long gone. When Ed revisited the images in 1989, he noticed that, “you will see…not only the architecture that has changed, but a whole way of life, a tempo of life”. Through Ed’s eyes, we can reminisce and discover the disappeared Hong Kong of times past.
