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Shop Cats: Photographer captures charming felines living in Hong Kong's shops

When Dutch visual artist and photographer Marcel Heijnen moved to Hong Kong, he was immediately drawn to the fascinating culture of shop cats, and decided to capture the little feline emperors amongst their retail kingdoms.

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All images courtesy of the artist and the Blue Lotus Gallery

All images courtesy of the artist and the Blue Lotus Gallery

Sharing his shots of the loveable moggies on Instagram under the handle @ChineseWhiskers, the charming series soon grabbed the attention of the world – so much so it's now available in a book and pop-up exhibition at the Blue Lotus gallery, offering a fascinating insight into Hong Kong's traditional trades.

Marcel said: "“In most modern cities there will be all kinds of rules and regulations against cats in shops. Not in Hong Kong, and I’m grateful for that. Here we can still witness this wonderful symbiotic relationship between human and feline, and the very reason for it harks back to why we domesticated cats in the first place, centuries ago: mice-catching and companionship.

"And yes, it’s about the cats. But it kind of isn’t at the same time. It’s just as much about the context; these chaotic-yet-organically-organised traditional Chinese shops that form beautiful photogenic subjects in their own right. Places in which time seems to have stood still, devoid of branding and all the other modern-day retail trickery we’ve grown accustomed to."

From dried fish and rice to paper offerings, the backdrop of each shot presents a portrait of Hong Kong's local culture. To discover more, visit www.marcelheijnen.com.

Via Creative Boom submission | All images courtesy of Marcel Heijnen

Tabby and white cat standing on a counter in a Hong Kong shop, looking upwards, with a shopkeeper in red behind the glass counter and shelves of merchandise in the background
Black and white cat perched on a cardboard box amid stacks of plastic-wrapped goods in a Hong Kong shop
Orange and white tabby cat wearing a cone collar sits on a wooden surface in front of a fan and cluttered shop interior
A tabby and white cat sits on the counter of a traditional Hong Kong shop filled with glass jars of dried goods, while a shopkeeper works behind the counter
Man in white shirt stands in a cluttered traditional Hong Kong shop with Chinese characters on the signage above, a ginger cat resting in a box nearby, and vintage refrigerators and storage shelves filling the narrow space
Man relaxes in a cluttered Hong Kong shop filled with cardboard boxes, dried goods and a potted plant, with a clock and Chinese characters on the wall above
Tabby and white cat sitting among bowls and containers in a cluttered Hong Kong shop, with an elderly man visible in the background amongst shelves of dried goods
A tabby cat watches intently as a man eating noodles with chopsticks sits at a counter in a Hong Kong shop filled with merchandise and newspaper clippings
White cat sitting among red and gold decorations and traditional Chinese lanterns in a shop window display
Tabby cat peering through a narrow horizontal gap between white slats, eyes visible and alert
An elderly man sits amongst stacked bolts of fabric and merchandise in a cramped Hong Kong shop, with a tabby cat perched on cushions beside him.
Tabby and white cat eating from a plastic bag in a cluttered shop whilst a person behind holds up a Chinese newspaper
Tabby and white cat stretching across the floor of a cluttered Hong Kong shop, with stacked white packets to the left and an elderly man sitting on a chair in the background
A traditional Hong Kong shop with red Chinese characters on the signage above, displaying sacks of rice and dried goods, with a white cat sitting in the doorway and a man standing inside
Grey tabby cat resting on a cluttered desk beside a large metal shovel, with shelves of merchandise visible in the background of the shop
Tabby and white cat with yellow eyes looking up at the camera while lying on a geometric patterned tile floor of white and gold squares
A tabby cat and white maneki-neko figurine sit among glass jars of dried goods with red price tags in a Hong Kong shop display
Ginger cat resting on tiled floor next to a yellow "Cleaning in Progress" sign in a Hong Kong shop
Tabby cat sitting upright on a box inside a Hong Kong shop, with shelves of dried goods and glass jars blurred in the background
Tabby and white cat peering over a window ledge, with its reflection visible on the glass below
Tabby cat with yellow eyes sitting on a sack of rice marked with Chinese characters and Hong Kong Top Brand logo, with stacked sacks behind it
A tabby and white cat walks past a weathered beige shopfront decorated with gold Chinese characters and a green-framed entrance displaying traditional signage.
Ginger and white cat hanging from the edge of a shelf stacked with packages of dried goods in a Hong Kong shop
A tabby cat squeezes out from beneath stacked bedding and cushions displayed in a Hong Kong shop window
A cluttered Hong Kong shop interior with a tabby cat perched among shelves, blue fan, coiled metal tubing, old monitor, merchandise and miscellaneous items
Tabby cat sitting on a concrete platform in front of a wooden pillar with a neon green sign bearing Chinese characters in an industrial space
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