Hong Kong has transformed into a vibrant cultural hub, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said during the opening of the Hong Kong Exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale, emphasizing the event as a significant platform for sharing Hong Kong’s narrative.

Two Hong Kong artists, Kingsley Ng Siu-king and Angel Hui Hoi-kiu, unveiled their work at the world’s most established international art exhibition on Friday (May 8), with the presentation curated by the Hong Kong Museum of Art for the first time.

Attending the opening ceremony, Law celebrated the city’s long-standing partnership of over 25 years with the Biennale. Both “cities of water” serve as  hubs for international cultural convergence, with art building a bridge between them, she added.

“This platform has not only showcased the excellence of our artists, but has also become a vital channel for sharing Hong Kong’s rich stories with the world,” Law added.

She highlighted that while the city may not have been a primary cultural destination for art enthusiasts in the past, art is now woven into every aspect of the city, extending a warm welcome to global visitors.

The transition has been driven by the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the establishment of major international events such as Art Basel in the city, and a consistent schedule of diverse monthly arts activities.

Hong Kong’s participation in the Venice Biennale since 2001 is a key part of these efforts, with the government positioning it as the city’s flagship overseas art program.

This year, the HKMoA brings the Collateral Event “Fermata: Hong Kong in Venice,” adopting the musical symbol “fermata” as its theme to engage in a dialogue with “In Minor Keys,” the overarching theme of the Biennale.

The exhibition spans a courtyard and four gallery rooms, featuring five installations: Ng’s Sometimes, There Are Clouds in Puddles, Sky Well, and Laundry Nocturne, alongside Hui’s Drifting Sanctuary and I Would Like to Open a Window for You.

Beyond the Hong Kong Exhibition, Law also visited the Biennale’s two main venues – the Arsenale and the Giardini – and toured several national pavilions.

She particularly noted the strong presence of female curators and artists from different regions this year. 

Describing the power of the works and the strength of the messages conveyed as deeply impressive, Law remarked that she benefited immensely from the visit.

She believes the trip provides valuable insights for art curation in the city and is highly beneficial in helping Hong Kong bring more high-quality exhibitions to both locals and tourists.
 

Unique East-meets-West aesthetics draw visitors to Hong Kong Exhibition

The exhibition “Fermata: Hong Kong in Venice” presents five installations that explore poetic rhythms in everyday life, drawing on familiar yet fleeting moments in Hong Kong that subtly resemble those of Venice. 

Established media artist Kingsley Ng is known for his poetic, site-specific installations that expand the viewer’s perceptions of life. From drizzles to laundry, Ng transforms the familiar and the ethereal into meditative environments. 

For his video projection Laundry Nocturne in this exhibition, he draws inspiration from hanging laundry, a common everyday sight in both Venice and Hong Kong. He also recorded and incorporated the night-time sounds of Hong Kong into the multimedia installations, inviting visitors to pause and appreciate the tenderness of transient moments amid the rush of city life.

In the work Sometimes, There Are Clouds in Puddles, he references a verse from the poem Midday, Quarry Bay by the late Hong Kong poet Leung Ping-kwan – also known as Yasi – which reflects on the often overlooked moments in daily life.

Another participating artist, Angel Hui, is skilled at integrating traditional Chinese cultural elements with contemporary artistic language. 

She invited embroiderers from Suzhou to craft millennia-old embroidery onto ordinary Hong Kong plastic bags, thereby incorporating national intangible cultural heritage into her kinetic installation, Drifting Sanctuary.

For I Would Like to Open a Window for You, she collaborated with traditional metalsmiths to create handcrafted iron window grilles in both Hong Kong and Venetian styles, with shifting shadows casting onto the walls of an old Venetian house as natural light filters through.

The Hong Kong Exhibition has drawn numerous international art enthusiasts who demonstrated a strong interest in the city’s arts and culture. Some visitors remarked that the exhibition reflects a unique fusion of Eastern and Western artistic styles, expressing a desire to visit Hong Kong to participate in local art events.

Said Yilmaz, an official photographer for the Morocco Pavilion, noted that the aesthetic presented at the Hong Kong Exhibition is completely different from European and North African styles.

A group of three visitors from Rome shared that they were deeply impressed by Laundry Nocturne, which offered them a moment to relax after an intensive day of gallery-hopping at the Biennale. 

One of the visitors, Valentino, noted that Hong Kong’s arts and culture contrast sharply with the European market and expressed a wish to explore the city in person, especially knowing it hosts mega international art events such as Art Basel.

 

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓