As the finale of multimedia arts programme Arts · Tech, Ding Lab is a unique mobile immersive exhibition that celebrates the cultural significance and evolution of Hong Kong’s iconic tram. Set within the upper and lower decks of a ding ding we all know and love, the exhibition invites the public to contemplate and explore the city’s rapidly changing landscape through a fictional narrative of Tram0 – a sentient cyborg tram.
The interior of Tram0 is remodelled to resemble a cybernetic amalgamation of machinery and human anatomy. On the lower deck, the Defragmentation Programme installation resembles a gigantic spinal cord composed of AI cameras, screens, and metal and acrylic sculptures depicting the evolution of ding dings in the city. Within the exhibition’s narrative, Defragmentation shows Tram0 reminiscing on a past world devoid of cybernetic trams through a visual depiction of memory reconstruction. At the same time, the artwork also encourages visitors to recall personal memories of trams throughout the years.
Ascending to the upper deck, passengers are treated to a multi-sensory experience with the video work, The Vitiligo – The Absence of Green. Set in 2066, this installation imagines a world where trams are replaced by sentient AI systems, and the iconic Hong Kong tram shade of green no longer exists – that is, until Tram0, revealed to be an AI tram prototype, discovers its grandmother’s diary of green and embarks on a quest to rediscover this lost colour. The installation explores connections between hard data and intangible memory, and how unravelling layers of heritage can shake one’s identity – just as it did Tram0’s.
Ding Lab will travel through the Central and Western Districts from November 7 to 28, starting at the Whitty Street Tram Depot and ending at Belcher Bay Promenade. Weekday tours last around 45 minutes and are priced at $30 per person. Meanwhile, weekend tours last around 75 minutes and are priced at $80 per person (inclusive of a set of souvenirs).
Beyond a cool, post-apocalyptic ride on this cyborg tram, Ding Lab also comes with accompanying workshops, seminars, and a Tamagotchi-like digital pet tram named ‘Greenie’ to take home with you! Find out more about the installation and get your tickets at popticket.hk/ding-lab.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox
Recommended stories:
Six Hong Kong restaurants crowned among the best Chinese eateries at the Elite 15 Asia Awards
Plant-based bar and restaurant Peridot opens at The Henderson