03/01/2025
Letter from Ka-sing this week at SUBSTACK (January 1, 2025)
[a happy hollyday], a commemorative issue of M, dedicated to Holly Lee with contributions by friends and artists in tribute to her life and work
kasingholly.substack.com/p/happy-new-year-and-a-happy-hollyday
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各位新年快樂。
今天也是楚喬的生日。是她離世後的第一個生日天，我們心情雖然沉重，但是回到現實，揉合著複雜的心情，「a happy hollyday」就是在這個語境之下，由MONDAY ARTPOST出版，60位創作朋友以作品對楚喬致意的一個特刊。其中夾雜着有哀念的，有正面的，以文字或圖語，百花萬千。也即是楚喬在世時所多年努力，希望創造出的一個創作環境生態。
楚喬與我一起在2000年初創刊ARTPOST，一份在網上流通的刊物。多年間經歷過不同形式或重點方向，包括國際版，多倫多版，FOTOPOST純攝影版。至直大約在十多年前，歸納成為每星期一出版的MONDAY ARTPOST，以專欄作者為本。為視覺工作者及文字創作人，提供一個恆常性的創作能量場。我們也目睹十多年來，一群創作朋友的成長，及其之間的互相鼓勵。
這個特刊的構成，我𨘋請了楚喬的好友：劉清平，陳啟，及Bob Black客助策劃。我以較私人的角度，撰寫了一篇前言，羅輝並替我將該文做了一個英譯本。在此 一併致謝。「a happy hollyday」源自在1983年一月一日我送給楚喬的一張小咭，及後已發展成為每年的特別日子，我們家庭成員之間的特別用語。其間的私密程度亦未必旁人可從表面去理解。我在這裡刻意提出，有點是想解答一位很要好的朋友，他在語言上的迷思。同時亦想道出：這個特刊；我們多年在各方面的努力；個人創作以及各個放射性的計劃等等，都不是可以使用單向理解的角度去解讀。
MONDAY ARTPOST 出版的「a happy hollyday」，副題是 “A Commemorative Issue dedicated to Holly Lee with contributions by friends and artists in tribute to her life and work”，內容不言而喻。主要流通是在網上免費覽閱的flip book版本:
https://m.oceanpounds.com/p/2025-0101.html
這個特刊也同時提供「按需印刷」的紙本，供圖書館，收藏者等需要而訂閱:
https://www.blurb.ca/b/12281363-a-happy-hollyday
當這個特刊出版後，我也有一個想法：每年一月一日策劃出版一項類似的冊本。 雖然，每年的策劃方案未必盡同，其所相同的，是凝聚一股創作的能量。我想這是最好的，想念楚喬的方式。
祝大家新年進步。
家昇
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Dear Friends,
Happy New Year to you all.
Today marks Holly’s first birthday since her passing. It’s a day filled with mixed emotions, but also a time for meaningful reflection. On this special occasion, we are launching a commemorative edition titled “a happy hollyday”, edited by Lee Ka-sing and the Holly Lee Archive, and published by MONDAY ARTPOST. This edition features contributions from sixty creative friends who have paid tribute to Holly through visual and textual works. Their expressions, ranging from somber reflections to uplifting positivity, create a collective energy field that embodies the artistic spirit Holly devoted her life to fostering.
Holly and I co-founded ARTPOST in the early 2000s, an online publication that has evolved through various iterations, including an international edition, a Toronto edition, and FOTOPOST, which focused on photography. About a decade ago, it became MONDAY ARTPOST, a weekly publication centered on regular columns. It has become a creative community for visual artists and writers, and over the years, we’ve witnessed the growth of many contributors and the mutual encouragement among them.
For this special issue, I invited Holly’s close friends—Lau Ching Ping, Kai Chan, and Bob Black—to serve as guest editors. I also wrote the preface, which was thoughtfully translated into English by Luo Hui. My heartfelt thanks go to each of them for their contributions.
The phrase “a happy hollyday” originates from a small card I gave to Holly on January 1, 1983. It has since become a term of endearment and a family tradition. Its deeper meaning might not be immediately apparent to others. I mention it here partly to clarify for a dear friend who was puzzled by the phrase and also to emphasize that this special issue—like our years of creative projects, personal achievements, and many initiatives—cannot be understood through a single perspective or straightforward interpretation.
The commemorative issue, published by MONDAY ARTPOST, carries the subtitle: “A Commemorative Issue dedicated to Holly Lee with contributions by friends and artists in tribute to her life and work.” The primary version is a flipbook, freely available for online browsing:
https://m.oceanpounds.com/p/2025-0101.html
For those who prefer a physical copy—for libraries, collectors, or personal keepsakes—a print-on-demand version is also available:
https://www.blurb.ca/b/12281363-a-happy-hollyday
After completing this special issue, I was inspired to consider making this an annual tradition: publishing a collaborative book project every January 1. While the focus might vary each year, the unifying thread would be the collective creative energy it celebrates. I believe this would be a deeply meaningful way to honor Holly’s memory.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year.
Ka-sing
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