Memories of Shutters
In Hong Kong, the metal security shutters are like inconspicuous things. No matter where they are, they become a part of the streets and the environment. When I arrived in Hong Kong firstly, the metal security shutters are just like common decorations of the streets, since I grew up in China and have live there for long time. In the mainland, monotonous roller shutters did not leave a deep impression on me. However, in Hong Kong, they are not same as those in mainland. By the street in Hong Kong, there also exist a lot of roller shutter. Some advertising and couplets are pasted on it. The words and doodles are also painted on the roller shutters. As I explored in several sites, I found that there are two main kind of metal shutters in Hong Kong. One is the roller shutter, and another is gate of carved pattern.
Gates with carved patterns
Gates with carved patterns are originated in 1950s to 1960s. It is a memory of people in Hong Kong. As I observed in Hong Kong, this kind of shutters is more common in the Pok Fu Lam village and Cheung Chau Island, and there are three types of the gates as shown in the sketch. The pattern are made by machine or craftsmen. From aesthetic aspect, these carved patterns are extremely delicate, and can beatify the environment at that time. It is rare to find advertising on this kind of shutters. What people are doing inside can be observed through the carved patterns and judged by the lights and sound.
Roller shutters
In the middle of 1970s, the low-priced industrial product became popular in Hong Kong, which cause the rise of the roller shutters. It is much safer than the old shutters. People are always coloured their shutters or paste several couplets on the shutters. There are also some people trying to do advertising, and they would paste the advertising leaflets on the shutters or use the painting spray to write their contact methods. In Hong Kong, there is a unique culture for roller shutters as well. In terms of the aesthetic aspects, some shop owners will ask some painters to paint some image connecting with their shop on their shutters. This activities form a special scene in Hong Kong.
Gates with carved patterns VS Roller shutters
The gates with carved patterns used to be popular at that time, but now it becomes rare. The reason is that not only the cost is twice more than the roller shutters, but also it takes up more room of the store. On the contrary, when the roller shutter is completely opened, it will not take any place, and even the box for collecting can be used as the shop sign. Apart from the benefits for the shop, roller shutters are the good places for doodling and selling advertising.
However, the gates with carved patterns have longer history than the roller shutters. The carved patterns are classic elegant. We can feel the sediment of history from them. The roller shutters is much more modern.
As there are several carved patterns on the old shutters, people can know that whether there is somebody in the shop or not according to the lights and sound from the shop. It is likely to show the villagers or shop owners’ kindness and trust. Nevertheless, this means that there will exist potential security problems of using old shutters. People using the roller shutters do not need to worried about these problems, but the roller shutters also seperate the users from outside world.
We are not able to judge which kind of shutters is better or more popular. The gates with carved pattern is a history for Hong Kong, although it is rare to see in the city, only in some villages or remote islands. It is a memory of Hong Kong. The roller shutters is popular now, but in the future, it will be substituted by other new shutters or technology. It will become a new memory to people.
Ziyi Jin is a current student of Visual Communications in her third year at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Reference List
- Apple Daily, ‘見證時代 閘閘精采’, viewed 16 February 2017, <http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/supplement/travel/art/20150807/19245533>
- 果籽, ‘香港製造通花鐵閘 見證老師傅人手工藝’, Youtube, viewed 16 February 2017, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni3-kpZv9Q4>
- Dim dim Cheung Chau, Gates with carved patterns, viewed 16 February 2017, <http://storybook.dimdimcheungchau.hk/2013/04/gate-with-craved-patterns.html>
