Hong Kong 1985

This is a photograph of Hong Kong by Harry Callahan. Callahan seems to embrace the chaos and complexity, layering image upon image, like the city itself accreting signage and surfaces. The way he's built up these layers reminds me of palimpsests in painting, scraping back to reveal the layers beneath. See how the signs and buildings overlap, creating a dense, almost illegible tapestry. It’s like Callahan is saying that meaning isn't fixed. It's fluid, always in the process of becoming. There's a particular area, near the centre, where the words 'HARRY LEE TAILOR' are repeated. It's as if the city is shouting at us, bombarding us with information. I think of artists like Rauschenberg, who used collage and assemblage to reflect the sensory overload of modern life. Callahan’s image is less fragmented, more fused; he’s not just showing us the world, he’s inviting us to get lost in it.