Date
Monday, 29 October, 2012
Content
It's with a belated sigh and an inbox zero behind me that I can finally post up an entry about an article in the China Daily (a European Weekly - Winner of the 2011 UK Launch Paper of the Year), published back in February. The article, called "Finding Their Political Voice" by David Bartram, is also the cover story for the issue and discusses the development of the British Chinese role in UK politics.
David spoke to a number of representatives of the community including Joseph Wu via The BC Project and Merlene Emerson, co-founder of the Chinese Liberal Democrats, as well as myself and the role that my website Visible Chinese has to play.
Apparently, the story was well received in Beijing with the potential for a profile story in a future issue being discussed with the editor.
David spoke to a number of representatives of the community including Joseph Wu via The BC Project and Merlene Emerson, co-founder of the Chinese Liberal Democrats, as well as myself and the role that my website Visible Chinese has to play.
Apparently, the story was well received in Beijing with the potential for a profile story in a future issue being discussed with the editor.
More
Continue reading...
Categories
East Asian Culture. Press.
Date
Thursday, 31 March, 2011
Content
A little after the start of 2011, I finished another Expression Engine CMS based website for IPCN (International Program Content Network), who are an Anglo-Chinese entertainment and media business specialising in the Asia Pacific region with a particular focus on China.
The architecture, visual design and layout were relatively simple as this was the approach my clients favoured.
The architecture, visual design and layout were relatively simple as this was the approach my clients favoured.
More
Continue reading...
Categories
Made By Mark. East Asian Culture.
Date
Sunday, 30 January, 2011
Content
I recently met with a budding, young journalist - Carmen Kong - who was interested in talking to me about Visible Chinese and about British Chinese identity in general. She also hails from my ancestral home town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, so she had me at hello. The result is the following article for Euromight (a website that focuses on ethnic minority), reproduced here with kind permission from Carmen. Update: Carmen also posted the article on her own website here.
MARK WU: MAKING BRITISH CHINESE VISIBLE
By Carmen Kong
Meeting Mark Wu for the first time in central London inexplicably brings a sense of familiarity - busy traffic, chained-coffee shop and a very Chinese face screams "Hong Kong!" to me. We spend quite a long time reminiscing about the places and food, and chatting in a mixture of Cantonese and English.
Like me, the 34-year-old graphic and web designer has a vivid memory of Tai Po district, the suburban area in Hong Kong where I spent the first 17 years of my life. But Wu grew up in a completely different environment, as a son of British immigrants from Hong Kong. Wu's parents moved to the UK before he was born and opened their own takeaway food shop in North London. Like many Chinese immigrants, they worked countless hours every day, seven days a week, to provide a good education and decent living for their three children. Wu, who runs his own interactive design and consulting company, still recalls the days (and weekends) working behind the counter taking orders. And like many Chinese immigrants, they were silent. They caused no trouble and made no comments on society or politics. It was as if they were invisible.
MARK WU: MAKING BRITISH CHINESE VISIBLE
By Carmen Kong
Meeting Mark Wu for the first time in central London inexplicably brings a sense of familiarity - busy traffic, chained-coffee shop and a very Chinese face screams "Hong Kong!" to me. We spend quite a long time reminiscing about the places and food, and chatting in a mixture of Cantonese and English.
Like me, the 34-year-old graphic and web designer has a vivid memory of Tai Po district, the suburban area in Hong Kong where I spent the first 17 years of my life. But Wu grew up in a completely different environment, as a son of British immigrants from Hong Kong. Wu's parents moved to the UK before he was born and opened their own takeaway food shop in North London. Like many Chinese immigrants, they worked countless hours every day, seven days a week, to provide a good education and decent living for their three children. Wu, who runs his own interactive design and consulting company, still recalls the days (and weekends) working behind the counter taking orders. And like many Chinese immigrants, they were silent. They caused no trouble and made no comments on society or politics. It was as if they were invisible.
More
Continue reading...
Categories
East Asian Culture. Press.
Date
Monday, 01 February, 2010
Content
In December 2009, Linh and I visited Thailand and Cambodia. Since we'd already visited six other countries in East Asia apart from Hong Kong and Macau, I'd already accumulated a pile of "stuff". My minimalist instinct has been kicking in recently (along with thoughts of my baggage quota for the flight back to the UK) and so I've *tried* not to buy too many physical items. But Thailand is Thailand and I thought I'd share a few of the things I bought. Nothing too bulky.
I went to Bangkok armed with tips from stationary genius Patrick Ng on his Scription blog and was able find some excellent gear from Geo and check out other interesting shops such as Propaganda, the Q Concept Stores and the massive books, stationary and music store B2S.
I went to Bangkok armed with tips from stationary genius Patrick Ng on his Scription blog and was able find some excellent gear from Geo and check out other interesting shops such as Propaganda, the Q Concept Stores and the massive books, stationary and music store B2S.
More
Continue reading...
Categories
East Asian Culture. Travel.
Date
Wednesday, 02 September, 2009
Content
Why is it that so many of my peers collect designer toys? Probably the same reason I would. They look good as they're designed by people like us. They're undergone an exquisite production process and harbour attention to detail. That makes them desirable right? It also makes them expensive. Hell, we're working so we can afford it, and since they're so costly, they become exclusive. Limited edition. Not many of them in the world.
However, though I buy the odd figure, I'm not a fanatic. It's nice to surround ourselves with a few things that we like and a designer toy is just like that vase of flowers, or the designer equivalent of your parent's little Lilliput Lane cottage sculpture. But I don't kid myself that any collector's item will turn into an investment, ripe for cashing when mature.
However, though I buy the odd figure, I'm not a fanatic. It's nice to surround ourselves with a few things that we like and a designer toy is just like that vase of flowers, or the designer equivalent of your parent's little Lilliput Lane cottage sculpture. But I don't kid myself that any collector's item will turn into an investment, ripe for cashing when mature.
