WONG SIN

6 and 4​, 2025

Performance

5mins

Prince’s Terrace pedestrian footbridge, Central, Hong Kong​

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Use the umbrella to perform the symbolic gesture of drawing the numbers 6 and 4 in the air, nine times in each of the four directions — front, back, left, and right — thirty‑nine times in total.

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The Umbrella Movement was a protest in Hong Kong in 2014. People wanted more democracy and fairer elections, and it became known as the “Umbrella Movement” because protesters used umbrellas to protect themselves from tear gas and pepper spray. In 2019, the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement began because people opposed the extradition bill. Protesters learned from the Umbrella Movement and used a leaderless, online way to organize. They also used umbrellas to block police views, protect against tear gas, and cover their actions. In both movements, the umbrella was not only a tool for protection but also a symbol of peaceful resistance and hope for freedom.

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I used a black umbrella as one of the recurring materials in my performance art. It symbolizes freedom and silent resistance. This performance is also a commemoration of the 36th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. I performed this piece of performance art on June 5; police cars were also patrolling the streets of Hong Kong. I chose a somewhat secluded footbridge that still faced the city streets. For safety, I planned it as a flash performance—only five minutes long, quick yet steady.

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