As Typhoons Sarika and Haima make sure we know summer is drawing to a close, it’s time to look closer to home for things to keep us active.
Hong Kong’s art galleries are a perfect place to shelter from the weather, as well as to indulge your cultural side and see some of the best art in the city! In a departure from days of old there is now just such a lot on offer and the diversity of galleries means you can engage with a huge range of different art forms, different aspects of the city, its multicultural makeup, and our position within the region.
Introducing the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association
The Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA) was formed in 2012 as a response to the city’s burgeoning art and culture scene. The association plays a major role in the promotion of art development in Hong Kong by providing education opportunities, funding for artist residencies abroad and an united voice for its member galleries.
I love what the HKAGA is doing to support the cultural side of Hong Kong. The more I look at it, the more I believe that art and culture are the foundations of any city – and that it is vitally important for us to encourage and support artists, organisations who represent them, and crucially the accessibility to, and education in, arts and culture for everyone. Art opens doors, it expands horizons, it teaches new viewpoints and it enables expression.
In a few weeks the HKAGA will once again be running Art Week – Autumn Edition, which provides an enormous range of activities that are open to everyone, and through which you can explore the art and cultural opportunities in Hong Kong, meet artists, gallerists and engage with art forms across the board. Art Week- Autumn Edition promises a plethora ways to engage with Hong Kong’s art scene, including of Gallery Talks, Treasure Hunts, Live Performances and Exhibition Openings.
Art Symposium
A major highlight is the two-day Art Symposium held at one of the most wonderful spots in Hong Kong – the Asia Society building. Perched atop Justice Drive, the Asia Society is a converted ammunition arsenal, combining stunning views with beautiful colonial and contemporary architecture, right in the middle of Central and Admiralty.
International speakers from across the art industry, representing galleries museums, collectors and art historians will be discussing why art matters, how it benefits society, and how art and culture infiltrates daily aspects of Hong Kong life. As long as you’re there, you’d be mad to miss the current exhibition ‘Picturing Asia: Double Take – The Photography of Brian Brake and Steve McCurry’ in the Chantal Miller Gallery.
Gallery Walk for Charity
Personally the event I am most looking forward to during Art Week – Autumn Edition is the brand new Gallery Walk for Charity that the HKAGA is planning for Thursday 3 November. In short, it will be a really fun way to snoop around all of Hong Kong’s best galleries as they throw open their doors until late. You do have to buy a ticket for this event, but it will definitely be worth it!
Galleries all the way from Central to Sai Ying Pun will be open with surprise artist performances, live music and street art to keep you entertained along the route – make sure you are wearing your most comfortable shoes! Keeping the energy up shouldn’t be a problem as the HKAGA has partnered up some of the best restaurants along the trail to provide free food for participants and Absolut, Peroni and Pont des Arts wines will be on tap to stave off any thirst! This really is set to be one the most fun city-wide occasions of the year, with a fantastic party atmosphere as the whole Central area comes together.
Family art day in Tamar Park
For those with budding young Picassos, the family art day in Tamar Park on Sunday 6 November is a perfect way to round off the week. Alongside with sketching workshops and exercise classes with Nike, there will be activities including paper camera making, animal mask making and postcard portrait making and large scale projects involving all attendees, like leaf collage making, graffiti art, cubism art, and face painting for mum and dad.
You now know what we will be doing in the first week of November, so check out the website for info on tickets, timings and to register for free tickets!
