#StandwithHongKong (2020)

It’s no mistake that the title of this work starts with a hashtag.

#StandwithHongKong has hundreds of thousands of posts on social media and is still trending even today.

I made this work during my residency at Canberra Glass Works in November 2019.

It is my response to the massive protests that took place in Hong Kong for many months last year, and is my way of showing my support for the protesters.

To protect themselves from riot police, firing tear gas and rubber bullets, many protesters resorted to wearing protection that was readily available in hardware stores - yellow construction helmets, goggles and grey gas masks with pink filters.

During my residency I regularly posted progress images on Instagram. (@pennb)

I received many comments from people in Hong Kong thanking me for making the work.

They appreciated that they were not alone, and that the world was watching.