N E X T . 〉

Save Rooftop Tree 23 Temple St (廟街廿三號天台樹關注組)

2012 ‧ Shanghai Street Culture Space and neighbors, Hong Kong

  • Arboricultural placemaking ‧ streetwise petition ‧ participant-led documentation ‧ collective curation

Commissioned by Wooferten (活化廳) Art+Activist Residence, in collaboration with neighborhood concern group including Kwan Hoi Wang, Kobe Lam, Stephanie Au, Justina Woo, Michael Leung, Fangi Vong, and Chung Fung Lee.

The mighty green of the fig tree atop the vacated Tong Lau building in Yau Ma Tei made into a living landmark. When the municipal tree management refused to grant official protection status requested by the artist-led petition campaign, this pioneer plant of unknown origin needed to be re-membered otherwise. In a collective appeal, surrounding residents were asked to photograph the fig tree from their home windows, leading to 50 personal viewpoints and neighborly documentation before its tragic removal.

Vibrant tree life atop vacant Tong Lau building in Yau Ma Tei.
Launch of petition to put rooftop tree under municipal protection.
Kwan Hoi Wang inviting pedestrians to sign petition.
More than 200 petition signatures were collected.
One-way cameras to create collective memory of a tree under thread.
Inviting surrounding residents to contribute their window views to collective memory.
Tree photographers selected images to be shown on rooftop.
Collective memory of a lone rooftop tree.
Collective memory of a lone rooftop tree.
Presenting collective memory in public tree party.
Exhibition of tree's collective memory.
Unveiling of Valuable Tree plaque.
Save Rooftop Tree 23 Temple St
Neighbors were invited to document and assemble around the rooftop tree.
Save Rooftop Tree 23 Temple St
One perspective onto the tree.
Save Rooftop Tree 23 Temple St
The acknowledgement of Rooftop Tree 23 Temple Street (before its tragic removal in 2018).