Conversations in Subdivided Flats: Children's Art & Mothers' Photography Exhibition

How do children grow up in a subdivided flats cope with physical and emotional changes through puberty? How do couples maintain intimacy in such small spaces?

The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) and the Social Work Dream Community Development Centre (SWDCDC) co-organized the "Conversations in Subdivided Flats: Children's Art & Mothers' Photography Exhibition" on March 14 to July 12, 2025. Through photos and paintings, the exhibition provided insights about the everyday struggles and challenges faced by the children and the mothers living in subdivided flats, as well as different pressures with other family members. The exhibition encouraged public to reflect on how living environment could affect family relationships as well as society expectation on specific gender.

In addition to the regular exhibitions, the Association and the SWDCDC co-organized an event day on March 29. On that day, we used photos and paintings as an introduction to engage in an in-depth discussion with our guests about living in small spaces.

In the Human Library session, two mothers shared their life living in subdivided flats, expressed their challenges, pressures of raising children without adequate space, and the conflicts between spouses. Their sincere sharing allows us to understand the sacrifices women make in conventional family roles and to ponder on the relationship between gender and family in the contemporary society.

Four child ambassadors introduced their paintings to visitors, sharing the pressures they face living in subdivided flats and their aspirations of an ideal "home." The artworks drew from the children’s perspective also revealed their humble wish, which is as simple as “having a bed that won’t bump my head".

During the exhibition period, our Association also hosted a book donation campaign, encouraged the public to donate FPAHK sexuality education books to children who live in subdivided flats. For every book donated, FPAHK contributed an additional age-appropriate sexuality education book, ensuring that more children from the underserved families have access to resources on personal growth and puberty.

This exhibition is not only a presentation of art, but more importantly, it reminds us there are still families fighting against the shackles of the environment, striving to find space for their children to live and to grow up in a better environment. We hope to create more opportunities for these subdivided flat families to be seen and understood through art and public education, and to inspire the general public to be more tolerant and accepting to the less privileges.

A total of 1,506 visitors attended the exhibition and the event day. Participants expressed that the exhibition helped them understand how spatial issues in subdivided flats affect parent-child and marital relationships, as well as the difficulties faced by these families. They also expressed hope for more future exhibitions on different sexuality education topics.