(Welcome to) The Planet of Orchids: Thinking with Nature

This event is a collaboration between One City One Book HK and Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. At the event, there will be a sharing on the film “(Welcome to) the Planet of Orchids” produced by Park Ji Yun, followed by an in-depth discussion among the artist, scholars and the participants.

Date: 17 December 2023 (Sun) 

Time: 17:30-20:00

Venue:  Green Hub

Fee: $60 including refreshment 

Language: English (Film with both English and Chinese subtitles; Post screening discussion in English)

Organisers: KFBG Green Hub, One City One Book Hong Kong (EdUHK)

Inquiry: 2996 2833/ ghprog@kfbg.org

Synopsis:

(Welcome to) The Planet of Orchids is a cinematic anthology exploring the lives of orchids, resulting from interdisciplinary research linking multispecies ethnography, botany, and creative arts. Orchids have established symbiotic cohabitation with neighbouring species, shaping mutual relationships with their surrounding environment. The film conceptualises orchids as indigenous beings who have survived human colonisation. Orchids serve as protagonists, revealing a unique or ordinary narrative from a plant-focused viewpoint. This film, as an audio-visual ethnography, portrays the existence of orchids and their relationship with more-than-human community human audiences, inviting them to the ‘Planet of Orchids’.  

Speakers’ bio  

PARK Ji Yun is an artist who works with illustration, photography, craft and film to explore the interaction between more-than-humans and humans while deconstructing species hierarchies. After moving to Hong Kong, she has immersed herself in the study of the multispecies ecosphere, focusing on urban ecology, critical plant studies, and ecofeminism. She has spent over two years at KFBG to work on the ecocinema piece (Welcome to) The Planet of Orchids with native orchids of Hong Kong for her doctoral research project. For visual fragments of her practices, please visit @jadeparkjiyun via Instagram. 

Stephan W. Gale joined KFBG in 2009, spearheading the conservation of orchids both in and ex-situ in Hong Kong, South China and the wider Indo-Burma region. His research and integrated approach to conservation have led to the successful reintroduction of rare plants and improved understanding of the threats they face in the wild, including genetic erosion, poaching and illegal trade. He has conducted fieldwork throughout Asia, is active in ecological restoration and is a member of the IUCN-SSC Orchid Specialist Group. 

Zimu Zhang is Assistant Professor Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong. She is an environmental humanities scholar specialized in visual culture, eco-cinema and ecofeminist arts.  Along with her academic research, Zimu also practices filmmaking, curation and socially engaged art. For more information, please visit website: https://zimu-z.com/.  

Jeffrey Clapp is AssocaiteProfessor Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong. He focuses on literature in English, and is writing a book about contemporary literature in the United States. He is director of the large-scale community reading project 我城我書 / One City One Book Hong Kong and general editor of Xi Xi City, a digital humanities project that celebrates the work of Hong Kong's most delightful writer.