On November 23, 2025, the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association’s exhibition “Present – Hong Kong Press Photographers Association 35th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition” was scheduled to take place for three consecutive weeks starting on Tuesday (the 18th) at the exhibition hall of the Louis Vuitton Gallery at the Academy of Visual Arts of the Baptist University in Hong Kong. However, on the fourth day of the exhibition, yesterday (the 21st), the university notified that there was a need for “emergency repairs”, resulting in the exhibition being abruptly halted. The opening ceremony scheduled for 3 pm today had to be canceled as well.
The association stated that the cancellation of the exhibition was due to various “uncertainties” and the sheer magnitude of the exhibition, making it difficult to quickly find an alternative venue.
The exhibition planning took nine months and showcased a selection of historical photographs and visual stories capturing significant moments in Hong Kong from the late 1980s to the present day. It included events from the pre- and post-1997 sovereignty transfer, years of courtroom reporting photos such as the court appearance of popular figures like Nicholas Tse, sports competitions, the election and resignation of Donald Tsang, and the entrance of Donald Tsang into the courthouse, as well as images related to the 2019 anti-extradition protests.
One of the exhibited works was a photograph taken by journalist Lam Chun Hung of Stand News, depicting the scene outside the Apple Daily headquarters after it had been shut down for three years. This photo was awarded the Annual Image in the “Frontline Focus 2024” News Photography Competition.
The association announced on social media yesterday that they were informed by the university in the evening that the exhibition hall required emergency repairs until further notice, preventing them from continuing to use the venue. The association expressed regret that the public could not learn about the development history of Hong Kong press photographers through this exhibition, considering it a significant loss for the promotion and future development of the photography industry, expressing deep disappointment over the situation.
The association also extended apologies to the citizens who had planned to visit but were unable to do so and expressed deep regret to the audience who had intended to attend the exhibition.
The association emphasized that despite the exhibition’s discontinuation, Hong Kong press photographers will continue to be at the frontlines reporting, capturing events for the public, preserving important historical moments for Hong Kong, and pledging to remain present. They thanked the seniors and friendly helpers for their assistance in organizing the exhibition, allowing it to be completed successfully and displayed for four days.
The association mentioned that they would upload some of the exhibition-related records later and urged interested individuals to pay attention to them.
According to some media reports, a notice was posted on the entrance gate of the exhibition venue last night stating that the “facilities are awaiting repair and temporarily suspended”. Around midnight, workers were seen moving aluminum ladders within the exhibition area. At the same time, exhibition materials and photographs were left on the ground, and dismantling work continued throughout the night.