Inside Hong Kong’s Art March 2024: 7 Events and exhibitions to check out
Calling all art enthusiasts
Aside from its iconic skyscraper-peppered skyline, world-class food and drink scene, and renowned TV and film industry, Hong Kong is on a mission to be top of mind in Asia when it comes to art and culture. Since 2008, the Hong Kong government has embarked on an ambitious project to develop the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) into a mecca for aesthetes.
Spanning 40 hectares of reclaimed land in Victoria Harbour, the WKCD aims to produce and host exhibitions, performances, and cultural attractions across its museums and venues, which includes 23 hectares of public open space and a two-kilometre waterfront promenade. Further, the WKCD Authority recently marked its commitment to promoting East-meets-West cultural exchange through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony with 21 leading arts and cultural institutions across the globe—thus establishing long-term partnerships for the co-production and sharing of art resources and research.
While the aforementioned events are expected to take place all year round, March is arguably the best time for art aficionados and enthusiasts to experience the best that the WKCD has to offer. This is when the city’s world-renowned annual art fairs, such as Art Basel and Art Central, are brought to life as part of its Art March 2024 initiative.
BURO Malaysia had the opportunity to witness Hong Kong’s burgeoning art scene first-hand this past week through exclusive previews and tours of its various programmes. From internationally acclaimed art fairs to large-scale digital installations, here are all the highlights to check out this weekend and the months to come.
ART BASEL
When: 26 – 30 March 2024
Where: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Art Basel returns to its pre-pandemic scale for 2024, showcasing 242 leading international galleries from 40 countries and territories across Asia, Europe, North and Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. There are 65 additional exhibitors joining the fair this year compared to the previous edition, with a strong focus on artistic works from the Asia-Pacific region.
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This year, the renowned art fair features a curated sector titled Encounters, encompassing 16 ambitious installations from artists of a wide spectrum of geographies, including 11 newly created premiere works. Themed ‘I am a part of all that I have met’, the concept is an invitation to share stories and perceptions of personal and subjective experiences. Another highlight of the fair is Kabinett, the sector featuring thematic presentations within 3 participating galleries’ booths, with a strong focus on solo projects from the Asia-Pacific region.
(Note: If you can’t make it for the 2024 edition, mark your calendars as Art Basel is expected to return in March 2025!)
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M+ FACADE
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When: 22 March – 9 June 2024
Where: M+ Facade
Beyond the Fair, Art Basel expands its artistic reach across the city through a specially commissioned installation with M+ for the third year on the latter institution’s striking facade. Presented by UBS, the artwork entails a site-specific ‘architectural film’ by artist and filmmaker Yang Fudong.
Shot in Hong Kong, the black-and-white film weaves together scenes from seaside villages and nocturnal city streets. Yang references visual motifs and textures from the classic Hong Kong cinema of the 1970s to the 1990s, evoking a sense of nostalgic familiarity. The work is intended to function analogically as a short poem, blending moments from Hong Kong’s past and present to offer a glimpse into an unpredictable future.
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ART CENTRAL
When: 28 – 31 March 2024
Where: Central Harbourfront
For the first time since 2019, Art Central is back at its iconic Central Harbourfront location for its 2024 edition. The Fair presents 98 galleries with work by 500 distinguished artists around the world—including a brand-new gallery sector. This marks its largest and most dynamic programme since its introduction in 2015, with more than one-third of galleries making their maiden appearance and the largest number of solo artist presentations to date.
The lineup includes exhibitions, installations, performances, video art, talks and education tours. There is also a brand new gallery sector called Neo, curated by the Fair’s 2024 Curatorial Director, Enoch Cheng. It presents a careful selection of galleries that feature new or yet-to-be-discovered artists in Asia as well as art and ideas from around the world making their inaugural debut in Hong Kong.
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Not to be missed is Sunayama Norico’s installation titled A Sultry World, a performative artwork where the artist sits on a two-metre tall chair wearing a 20-metre skirt and invites visitors to delve into a sensory chamber underneath. First debuted in 1995, the artwork has travelled the world over for the past 30 years before its showcase in Hong Kong.
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TEAMLAB: CONTINUOUS
When: 25 March – 2 June 2024 (6.30pm onwards)
Where: Tamar Park, Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section)
As part of the large-scale outdoor art project Art@Harbour 2024, famed Tokyo-based international art collective TeamLab is bringing its enchanting light installations to Tamar Park. Dubbed TeamLab: Continuous, the outdoor art exhibitiont features several hundred multi-coloured ovoids that merge natural landscapes with digital technology, inviting visitors to participate in sensory experiences.
When gently pushed, the ovoids change colour and produce sounds that radiate to adjacent exhibits. This also marks the first time the ovoids are exhibited on water, extending out onto Victoria Harbour to highlight Hong Kong’s vibrant waterfront. The exhibition represents TeamLab’s artistic philosophy of continuity, symbolising the symbiotic relationship between people and nature, the city and art, as well as the infinite connections that abound.
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WESTK FUNFEST
When: 16 March – 7 April 2024
Where: Xiqu Centre, Art Park, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District
For family-friendly fun, head over to the inaugural WestK FunFest, located at the WKCD’s Art Park. Featuring over 150 outdoor and indoor creative programmes, the FunFest showcases both local and international talents with participatory performances, interactive experiences, multimedia displays, and hands-on workshops.
Leading the lineup is Ephemeral, an award-winning immersive art installation comprised of giant, dreamy bubbles with custom-designed lighting and audio effects. Created by Sydney-based design studio Atelier Sisu, the larger-than-life installation transforms the Harbourside Lawn East into a whimsical spectacle juxtaposed against the city’s skyline.
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VOYAGE WITH VAN GOGH
When: 28 March – 31 May 2024
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza
Fans of legendary artist Van Gogh should not miss this public art initiative at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, presenting an outdoor multisensory LED art installation located in front of the historic Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower. Dubbed Cycles, the installation is designed by Spanish new media art studio, Visura Studio, and artist Vritis in collaboration with the Van Gogh Heritage Foundation and First Initiative Foundation (FIF).
The artwork takes viewers on a awe-inspiring voyage of artistic exploration that draws inspiration from Van Gogh’s paintings and views of the Hong Kong Victoria Harbour, converting the historic landmark into a canvas of light and creativity. Complementing the experience is the original musical composition, Rain or Shine, composed by Leon Ko, produced by Chiu Tsang-hei, and performed by Chinese prodigy pianist Niu Niu and violinist Wang Liang.
CHROMAFLUX
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When: 24 March – 5 May 2024
Where: Sino LuminArt Façade of Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Empire Centre
Another extraordinary digital art exhibition that highlights Hong Kong’s prominent harbourfront is Chromaflux, the result of a collaboration between leading property developer Sino Group and local art organisation HKWalls. Displayed at the Sino LuminArt Façade of Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Empire Centre, the artwork features digital moving images by five groups of local and international artists from Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Hong Kong. Blending the worlds of art, technology, and cultural diversity, this one-of-a-kind exhibition features a fusion of vibrant colours, dynamic visuals, and innovative digital techniques.
For more information about Art March, visit the website here. Head to the Hong Kong Tourism Board website or follow @discoverhongkong for more updates.
Read more arts and culture stories here. Find more Hong Kong guides here.
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