Press release, 25 May 2009

Galschiot goes to Hong Kong

Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot arrives in Hong Kong on Saturday May 30, along with his two sons and a documentary photographer. The purpose of his visit is to participate at the memorial events surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing in 1989.

Galschiot has for months applied for a prior approval from the immigration authorities in Hong Kong, to prevent a repetition of last year’s event where he was refused entrance into Hong Kong.

Galschiot says: “Despite of comprehensive press coverage, support from many members of the parliaments of both Hong Kong and Denmark and even involvement of the President of Hong Kong and the Danish Government, it has not been possible to get a prior approval. The Director of immigration Mr. P F CHANG has sent me two standard replies, which in no way assures me that I can enter Hong Kong. I see it as an attempt to make me abandon my plans of going to Hong Kong.

It is a rather impossible situation. Nonetheless I have chosen to go to Hong Kong and try to get in, as I can hardly imagine being rejected again. I am a peaceful artist who has been invited to Hong Kong by a peaceful and legal Non Government Organization. If Hong Kong’s authorities refuse to let me enter, it will be a major setback for the democratic forces in the country.” ends Galschiot.

The main aim of the journey is participation in the memorial events. In addition Galschiot is going there to repair The Pillar of Shame a memorial of the Tiananmen Massacre and to hand over two small bronze sculptures of about 75 centimeters in height. One is for the students of Hong Kong and one is for the Hong Kong SAR parliament. Galschiot hopes that the government will place the latter in the parliament building to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre.  

Galschiot has put his traveling plan, photos of sculptures along with all letters and documents concerning the case on the webpage www.aidoh.dk/4June09  from where it can freely be used.

From the same webpage one can also download all the original documents, flyers, photos etc. from the days up to and during June 4th in Beijing in 1989. Every year Galschiot sends out an appeal to a large number of the world’s universities and libraries, in which he suggests that they download the documents and distribute them among the Chinese students in the west to, as the artist says “give the Chinese students their history back”. You’ll find the documents at: http://www.aidoh.dk/4june89

 

Jens Galschiot, Denmark, born 1954, sculptor. He stakes his art to defend the ethical values of our society, regardless of politi­cal, religious or economic interests. His sculptures sudden­ly appear in public areas and start the performance. Best known are My Inner Beast (European cities in 1993) and the Pillar of Shame (Hong Kong, Mexico and Brazil).

General info about the artist: www.aidoh.dk.

At the moment he is working on a worldwide art happening about global warming titled www.SevenMeters.net

 

The projects are financed through the sale of Galschiot’s bronze sculptures to art collectors all over the world. He has a huge industrial area in Odense, Denmark with a bronze foundry, gallery and workshop. Photos of all Jens Galschiot’s sculptures: http://sculptures.aidoh.dk

 

Schedule of trip to Hong Kong

Although Jens Galschiot and his staff have not succeeded getting an advance allowance for entering Hong Kong, we have decided to book the tickets. We hope that this time we will be admitted.

 

Here you find the flight information:

Travellers

Mr. Jens Galschiot

Mr. Niels Henrik Madsen

Mr. Kasper Galschiot Markus

Mr. Lasse Galschiot Markus

 

Travel-plan

Departure   20:00 29 May 2009       Copenhagen (CPH)

                                                          plane    LX1273

Arrival        21:45 29 May 2009       Zurich (ZRH)   

Departure   22:45 29 May 2009       Zurich (ZRH)

Arrival      16:40 Saturday 30th May 2009 Hong Kong (HKG) on Plane LX138

 

Return

23:15 7 June 2009       Hong Kong (HKG) LX139

06:10 8 June 2009       Zurich (ZRH)   

07:10 8 June 2009       Zurich (ZRH)    LX1266

08:55 8 June 2009       Copenhagen (CPH)        

 

Contact info:

Address of the Danish group in Hong Kong:

King Wah Hostel (www.kingwahhostel.com)

Flat 1003, 10 Floor, Sincere House, 83 Argyle Street, Mongkok.

Tel: (852) 2393 9679, Mob: (852) 9031 5779

English speaking: (852) 9770 5972

E-mail: kingwahhostel@yahoo.com

 

Contact to the Danish group:

Jens Galschiot, artist +45 6618 4058

Mobile in DK +45 4044 7058, mobile in HK +258 5174 6301

Niels Madsen, TV documentary

Mobile in DK +45 40 215 415, mobile in HK +258 5174 6299

Lasse Markus, press responsible

Mobile in DK +45 6170 3083, mobile in HK +258 5174 6300

Kasper Markus, still photos

Mobile in DK +45 6171 3083, mobile in HK +258 6239 0096

 

Contact to the Hong Kong Alliance (the democracy movement):

Secretary Ocean Fung, +852 2782 6111

E-mail contact@alliance.org.hk, Internet www.alliance.org.hk 

 

Contact to the group in Denmark:

Jens Galschiot, Banevaenget 22, DK-5270 Odense N

Tel. office (daytime) +45 6618 4058

Secretary Vagn Frausing (private) +45 6615 4506

Jens Galschiot (private) +45 6614 4038

E-mail: aidoh@aidoh.dk, Internet: www.aidoh.dk/4June09