Hong Kong designer turns symbolic protest umbrellas into musical instruments
Last updated on: 25 November,2019 04:16 pm
Cheung says he first made the instruments back in 2014 during the "Occupy" protests.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - When government workers began clearing Harcout Road in central Hong Kong at the start of the long-running protest in June, Kevin Cheung rushed over and salvaged over 36 umbrellas from the refuse.
He salvages the umbrella’s ribs at his workshop and uses it as materials for his thumb pianos- musical instruments played by plucking tuned metal tines attached to a small wooden board.
An upscale designer, Cheung says he first made the instruments back in 2014 during the "Occupy" protests when he saw protesters using umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray and tear gas. He found the discarded umbrellas a waste and decided to breathe life into them.
Five years later, he decided to make a new version that could play "Glory to Hong Kong," a song that has become a rallying cry for more democratic freedoms in the semi-autonomous Chinese hub.
Cheung says there had been a spike in demand for his thumb pianos compared to the previous protests, with protesters also seeking imperfect versions that show more of the damage that reflects the history of the protests.
"It’s a really meaningful material to Hong Kong history and to everybody," he says, "It’s related to every Hong Kong people. That means something to us."
He says he has so-far sold 45 pianos and made over $10,000, which he has donated to two organisations supporting the welfare of the protesters. He also teaches people how to make them and have produced hundreds with them.
Cheung’s thumb pianos belong to an ever-growing collection of art that draws inspiration from or contributes to the movement. From designing protest advertisements to sculpting a statue of a protester known as "Lady Liberty," Hong Kong people have found creative ways to express their concerns and aspirations.
Sparked by a controversial extradition bill, the protests that began more than five months ago have rocked many of Hong Kong’s 18 districts. Protesters call for an independent probe into perceived police brutality and accuse Beijing of eroding freedoms that are guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula.