Busking in Mong Kok

Despite controversies with noise complaints and traffic bans, the street performers in Mong Kok have continued to share their crafts with the public over the years. Personally, I like buskers and think they add character to HK's cityscape. Whether it's middle-aged/elderly folks performing their renditions of 1970s pop songs or Chinese acrobats, I'm glad to see them share their creativity and talents.

Photo Credit: CUHK\s Varsity

Today I was approached by a group of university students (盛宴＠西洋菜街) working on an interactive design project. The PolyU alumni (who was helping to promote this project) I spoke with said their idea is the bring awareness to food wastes by designing a dinner consisting of food fished out from the dumpster. (Nice spin to the concept of "dumpster diving")

I thought the group put a lot effort into their work and delivered it quite well. Right in the middle of Sai Yeung Choi Street (西洋菜街) the group had a white dining table nicely decorated with candles, flowers, and other place settings. And on each plate was a dish made completely of food scraps that had been discarded.

The group asks passers-by to sit at their dining table to mimic eating a meal, and a photograph is taken for their project. Since this is really just a university course project there's not too much detail about their work from their Facebook page. But as someone working with university students, I'm truly impressed by the dedication this group showed in carrying out their project. Their 'refining dining" concept is well thought out, and is worth checking out in person.