114º E / 74º W

Photographic Exhibition by William Furniss to Debut at 10 Chancery Lane, Hong Kong

“114º E / 74º W” is a first-of-its-kind exhibition. Sponsored by United Airlines, it profiles in a fascinating and unique way, two of the most thriving and energetic cities in the world – Hong Kong and New York. Geographically and culturally, these two cities are so similar but yet so different. They are 12 time zones apart, yet they are both islands and ports with a rich trade history. In terms of work ethics, religions and cultural cosmopolitanism, these two economic powerhouses could almost be twin cities.

Photographer William Furniss has captured the essence of these two cities through a unique technique that he refers to as “multiple exposure panoramas”, a technique that Furniss claims as his own. “I picked up the camera at a flea market after becoming completely disillusioned with commercial photography,” he says. “And the result is this work.”

The form of this stunning set of photographs adds yet another unique dimension to this exhibition. Each piece is 10 feet by 8 inches. The subject matter ranges from taxis to television aerials and subways to walkways. Each pair is its own comparative study.

United Airlines is sponsoring this unique exhibition to celebrate the launch of its daily non-stop Hong Kong to New York service in April. "William's work mirrors United's philosophy," said Nicolas E Ferri, General Sales Manager for United Airlines in Hong Kong. "Our new route has brought these two great cities closer together. William has done the same, but through the medium of photography. We think his work is wonderful. We are proud to be associated with it."

The exhibition also has the support of EPSON ColorFast Ink Technology, which facilitates truly photographic output using superior dye ink technologies. The images are guaranteed to last for up to 200 years.

Furniss was initially inspired to produce his work whilst living in New York. “I had a fair amount of spare time and that gave me the chance to do really creative photography without being burdened by any commercial considerations.” Further inspiration came from the energy he felt from the New York streets. “This is not elitist art,” he says, “it’s very much for the people.”

Furniss uses film as a medium as if it had been clay. “I photographed again and again and again until the images were fully formed. I learned about the subject matter as I went along. This is a very pure technique, there are no tricks involved.”

114ºE/74ºW will be unveiled on June 21st for two weeks exclusively at 10 Chancery Lane, Hong Kong.