How often do we really look at ourselves and think, how our ancestors once fought hard wars, to gain independence, to gain identity, to make us who we are right now? For some, they don’t even have the privilege to have this thought.

The two stages of the memorial represent both the present and the future. The name pillar will be the only thing unchanged through time and evolution, acts as a communication bridge that joins these two time periods.

During identity stage, 2-meter balloons were gradually released over time via a pulley mechanism in the pillar. Inside the balloon contains a box of calcium carbonate and seeds. Eventually balloons will blow off in the sky, releasing calcium carbonate which will cool down the atmosphere and reduce global warming. Seeds will fall back to the ground, all around the pillar.

As time gradually passes, comes evolving stage. Trees will grow, surrounding the pillar. Through time, a forest will be formed with the pillar in the middle. The trees serve to address Hong Kong’s pre-existing issue of air pollution.

We acknowledge that this will not be a smooth process. Seeds might get blown away while falling, and some might not grow successfully. This symbolises the sufferings and hardness to the process of evolving identity.

For the present, the lightweight quality of the balloons represents the lightness of death. The releasing of the balloons acts as a metaphor for the final freedom of people who died from the protest.

And in the future, we hope that when people pass by the forest, they will appreciate how their ancestors once planted the trees for their better future; just like how in the present, we appreciate how our ancestors once fought hard for our identities.

The memorial acts as a call for a better future, both identically and environmentally.