Sarah Morris: Who is Who

Tai Kwun Contemporary presents Who is Who, an exhibition of new work by the artist Sarah Morris. The exhibition features her latest film ETC alongside a site-specific wall painting Lippo [Paul Rudolph]. 

ETC, filmed in Hong Kong in the spring of 2023 post-quarantine, highlights both iconic and lesser-known locations. The film features countless subjects alongside architect James Kinoshita, actress Josie Ho, and legendary graphic designer Henry Steiner—who in 1979 designed an Electronic Teller Card for HSBC titled ETC, a predecessor of today’s ATM card.

The film’s title ETC playfully recalls the Electronic Teller Card while considering Hong Kong as a global centre of commerce. The artist visualises the electronic and digital life of the city in an era marked by rapid change. Layering daily life and complex histories, the feature-length film reflects upon the use of space. In particular, Morris considers both macro and micro scales which propel the viewer into a field of fragmented narratives.

ETC is Sarah Morris’s sixteenth film, continuing her examination of the interconnection of global sites. Since her 1998 debut film Midtown, which captures a day in the life of New York, Sarah Morris has featured locations including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Beijing, and Rio de Janeiro among countless others. ETC was previously on view on the M+ façade, a monumental exhibition feature of the building.  At Tai Kwun Contemporary, the film is presented for the first time with Liam Gillick’s musical compositions and in 4K.

Alongside ETC is her latest wall painting Lippo [Paul Rudolph], where the artist reimagines the iconic landmark through her iconic use of colour and composition. Through surfaces, Morris explores the psychology of the city and inhabitants.