Every Time They Ask, We Say We're Waiting

Every Time They Ask, We Say We’re Waiting documents the life of Hong Kong asylum seekers in the United Kingdom, who were forced to leave their homeland for their involvement in the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests. While the UK government introduced the British National (Overseas) visa in response to the implementation of National Security Law (NSL) in Hong Kong, those born after Hong Kong’s handover are ineligible and must seek asylum. Many of these young asylum seekers (15-23 y/o) fled to escape criminal charges and consequences tied to the NSL. A suitcase was transformed into a pinhole camera to capture the asylum seekers' portraits, personal objects and the landscapes of cities where they reside. This project aims to explore their past in Hong Kong, their current living conditions in the UK, and their evolving experiences with time, memory, and the concept of home.