Mirador

In keeping with our mission to support and inspire creativity, we ask the artists we collaborate with to offer insight into their work, a look behind the scenes, and the opportunity for our readers to learn more about the process. For our latest fashion feature, photographer Mat Grzelak answers our questions.
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What was the inspiration behind this shoot?
The inspiration behind this shoot was my vision of Hong Kong shaped by the art I had experienced before visiting the city. When I finally arrived there, it only confirmed that vision. So I can say that the biggest inspiration was Hong Kong itself, but also My City: A Hong Kong Story by Xi Xi, a Hong Kong writer whose work is deeply rooted in the city, and Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express. Both portray Hong Kong as a surreal, deeply personal world surrounded by chaos and constant motion. They reveal its claustrophobic layers, where you can only truly find yourself by creating your own rhythm and discovering the delicate boundary between intimacy and chaos.

What are some themes that you are frequently drawn to in your work?
I love exploring the distinctive characteristics of people, places, and even stories, and building a narrative around them. I’m drawn to individuality, the subtle details, imperfections, and quiet nuances that make each subject unique.

Do you have any surprising essentials on set?
While searching for locations, I realized our hotel was just a short walk from the real Chungking Mansions, one of the iconic locations featured in Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express. Right next to it stands its twin building, Mirador Mansion. Both have the same surreal atmosphere as the film.

I found an indoor location inside Mirador Mansion. It’s a surreal mix of shops, apartments, hostels, and tiny businesses—fortune tellers, card readers, all connected by an endless labyrinth of corridors and staircases. All of the indoor images, as well as the image with the façade of air conditioners, windows, and hanging laundry, were photographed there.