May 25, 2023
"Every journey transforms an individual."
- Anonymous
It has been over a year since my friend and I visited M+ Museum, particularly on May 5, 2013. You can only imagine how long it took me to decide to write about it. I shot more than 500 photos in this museum, which made it challenging for me to write about them all. I therefore made the decision to write in series to make it simpler for me to share my journey's stories.
While exploring the museum, we came across a gallery with Lee Mingwei's Writing Letter Project exhibition. If I'm not mistaken, this exhibition is still active at the M+ Museum today. According to its information, it began in 1998 and was already held in various locations.
There were three writing booths made of wood, acrylic, and translucent glass. A suspended light was installed overhead to make the booth brighter for writing. And each booth has a desk and writing materials, such as pencils, and writing cards. Visitors were free to enter the booths, without shoes, of course, and write letters to anyone they want to. I was excited to try it, but my friend didn't want. So she was left outside and a man climbed up. In the end, my friend became our photographer, lol.
I first thought that we can write anything we want to, a message to loved ones or for oneself's future, for instance. What I wrote was something about my travel goals with my friend, and I wished to achieve them all. She wasn't aware of my message since she was outside.
Outside the envelope, I put Travel Galore with our names. This was the only thing she saw, not my message. There were unsealed letters clipped in the booth, but since they were written in Chinese, I didn't understand anything.
It's funny remembering what I have written in my letter, because upon reading more information about this project in this article, I found out that those letters are intended for the loved ones who passed away 🙈.
According to what I've read, the artist was inspired to create this project based on her personal experience. Back in the day when her grandmother was still alive, she has a lot of things to express but she couldn't. When her grandmother passed away, that's when she expressed her thoughts and feelings by writing letters. She created this project for those who have unexpressed feelings, gratitude, apology, or whatever they haven't said to their deceased loved ones.
So writing unexpressed feelings and thoughts through this project is somewhat comforting. At some point or another, we tend not to express our real feelings, or say our real thoughts to the intended recipient because we are hesitant and worried about their responses. In the end, we tend to keep them all deep in our minds and hearts but we would regret not expressing them once unfortunate circumstances happen.
I hoped I had known the goal of this project before writing my letter since it would be such a comfort to be able to express emotions with the aid of this project. I have a lot to say to my dear grandpa that I didn't say to him while he was still alive. All of those will simply be inscribed in my heart, which I wish he could read wherever he is right now.
Aside from the Letter Writing Project, there was a wall with wooden word blocks and anyone could form phrases out of them. Seeing them forming words, I formed mine too.
Live - Love - Dream - See World
That phrase was a reminder to myself not to worry about responsibilities thrown to my shoulders, but rather just live happily and carefree. Hopefully, loving someone, aside from loved ones, could be learned as well because it's been more than a decade since this heart genuinely beat for someone special, lol. And of course, dream freely to see the real world which I am currently doing by pursuing my travel goals.
There were some phrases formed by random visitors that caught my attention.
- "Change your future"
- "Every journey transforms individual"
That's my friend holding the phrase. There weren't word blocks for articles so the phrase can't be completed but the intended message is clear.
Those phrases truly hit me, and for sure, others as well. Change your future, we all want it. But it always starts with every single step today to change tomorrow. This only implies that, if you have a dream, pursue it, don't just stay as is. Dreams can't be achieved without doing anything at all.
Every journey transforms an individual,as the other phrase aimed to express. We all are molded by experiences from every journey we take. I can proudly say that I traveled far. Different journeys I took brought me to where I am now, and different experiences molded me into who I am now, a better version of my old self.
It's not just me, but you as well.
The museum has different interactive rooms to stimulate interaction among visitors while expressing their creativity. One of them was this room for kids, but adults can join as well, where they could draw or make any form of art using provided materials on the table. Afterward, artwork can be displayed on the wall so others can see them.
Among all museums in Hong Kong that I visited, this was my favorite. So if you happen to visit HK someday, don't forget to visit M+ Museum located in West Kowloon Cultural District. Admission was free during the first year of its opening, but it ended in November last year. You can read more about the ticket prices and visiting hours here.
What about you, do you have unexpressed feelings, apologies, or gratitude for your deceased loved ones or anyone dear to you? You can share it below.
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(All photos are mine)
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