As a monographic subject, Hong Kong is often described as a chrysalis that has transformed from a fish port to an international fi-nance centre. In The Tides of Time (2018),...
As a monographic subject, Hong Kong is often described as a chrysalis that has transformed from a fish port to an international fi-nance centre. In The Tides of Time (2018), Pryde acknowledges this shift with the adept juxtaposition between the structured sky-scrapers depicted in the upper half of the painting and the sea on the lower half. To understand the painting fully, we should start at the bottom. The open port filled with little fishing boats and paddle boards are a representation of Hong Kong’s modest past as a fishing village. The collages are photographed by Pryde in Sai Kung, suggesting that little hints of our history still exist at present.
The bustling metropolis and the mobility of its people are highlighted by depictions of high-rise buildings and busy nightlife. The modern landscape teeming with skyscrapers and spots of night lights signify commercialism and opportunism, in which our people do not like to rest until they have reached the top. Pryde intends to convey the Lion Rock Spirit, a unique core value that is inherited by Hong Kong people from generations to generations. It is an encouragement to all to persevere in solidarity and to stay optimistic at times of challenges. The orange color suggests warmth and the closeness of the windows on the skyscrapers indicates the together-ness of Hong Kong people, in the way that they disregard of social classes and ethnic differences, so as to collectively overcome the adversaries "on the same boat" (同舟共濟). We also see images of construction workers toiling away on their bamboo scaffolding. Pryde admits that it took her a whole afternoon to capture a perfect picture that fully encapsulates the workers’ labour and hard work.
While the subject matter of this work is very local, Pryde’s stylistic approach combines Chinese and Western techniques. The sky-scrapers have been reduced to orange squarish and boxy shapes by loose brushwork. This recalls the Purism style that was created by Amedee Ozenfant and Le Corbusier during the 1910s for French painting and architecture. This was also a variant of the Cubist movement, where objects are represented as elementary forms devoid of detail.