To many people, back alleys are dark and dirty places that draw neither fascination nor inspiration. But not to the internationally renowned German Photographer Michael Wolf, who has been fascinated and inspired by the happenings in Hong Kong’s back alleys. His new book Informal Solutions: Observations and Around Hong Kong’s Back Alleys (2016) is a documentation of his discoveries through his past 13 years of exploration.

Born in Germany and worked as a former photojournalist in Europe and the US, Michael Wolf has since turned his attention to capturing the overlooked qualities of big cities. In particular, his fascination with the city of Hong Kong – where he is based since 1994 – has produced many photographic artworks that are collected by internationally renowned museums and galleries, including the Metropolitan

Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, San Jose Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.

In his new book, Michael Wolf presents the many manifestations of culture and life in Hong Kong’s back alley, where spaces are utilized in the most imaginative and unexpected ways. Through his discerning eyes, objects captured in photographs appear to transcend from their humble utilitarian origin to magnificent works of urban installation art.

Photographer : Michael Wolf
was born in Germany and grew up in the United States, Europe and Canada. He studied at UC Berkeley and at the Folkwang School in Essen, Germany. He has been based in Hong Kong since 1995, where he has published numbers of photography books on the socio-cultural character of the urban environment.

Chinese / English Author :

Marc Feustel

is an independent curator, writer, editor and blogger based in Paris, France. A published specialist in Japanese photography, he is also the Founding Director of Studio Equis, an organization devoted to broadening access to the visual arts between different cultures, with a focus on the relationship between Japan and the West.

Prof. Lynne D. DiStefano

is an Adjunct Professor of the Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes at The University of Hong Kong. She has been involved in the evaluation of nominated UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the monitoring of inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Sites through the ICOMOS.

Dr. Lee Ho Yin (李浩然博士)

is an Associate Professor and Head of the Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes at The University of Hong Kong. He has served on the Hong Kong Government’s Antiquities Advisory Board and he is currently Chairman of the Heritage Working Group of the Central Police Station Compound revitalization project.

Lai Chi Pong (黎志邦)

is an Assistant Lecturer of the Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes at The University of Hong Kong. A trained conservationist, he has a degree in language and translation and is currently working on a book about the fishing communities of the district of Aberdeen in Hong Kong.