The Harbour I Remember

Having lived in Hong Kong on and off for over 40 years, Martin Lever’s time in the city led him to make the shift from advertising to becoming an award-winning abstract and pop artist. Now back in the UK with his family, he’s focused on growing his art and expanding his business.

I met Martin while videographing an art exhibition at my university, where he was showing a selection of his work from Hong Kong. It didn’t take long for me to learn just how much of his life he had spent there, or how deeply the city’s culture had shaped his practice. I was immediately captivated. Intrigued, I reached out a few months later to invite him to participate in the project.

From our earliest conversations, it was clear that the idea of memory would play a central role in the video. With Martin’s experience in Hong Kong so closely intertwined with his work, the film aims to give the audience the sense of peering through a picture frame into his memories, reflecting on his upbringing in the city.

The camera work is intentionally restrained. It is paired with a warm-hued colour grade and a 4:3 aspect ratio to evoke a sense of nostalgia and invite reflection from the audience. The sound design aimed to reinforce this atmosphere, weaving in ambient street sounds from Hong Kong alongside subtle retro effects to immerse viewers in the experience.