bc magazine

Hong Kong Art Week: 25-31 March 2024

The art world again focuses on Hong Kong this March with several exhibitions bringing thousands of art pieces from emerging and established artists to the SAR.

As the old cliche goes ‘one man’s art though is another’s trash’ and you’ll wonder exactly what the attraction of some pieces are – but there’s enough variety that you’ll likely find a few things to discus, enjoy and perhaps even buy.

Art Central
A contemporary art fair in the heart of Hong Kong with over 100 exhibitors showcasing the next generation of talent alongside some of the most established galleries from across Asia.

Art Central
Date: 28-31 March 2024
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $850, $270, $250 HKTicketing
More info:
28 March: 12nn-5pm / 5-9pm
29 March: 12nn -3pm / 3-6pm
30 March: 11am-7pm
31 March: 11am-5pm

Art Basel
Many of the world’s leading modern and contemporary art galleries display paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, prints, photography, film, video, and digital art by over 4,000 artists.

Art Basel
Date: 27-30 March, 2024
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: $3,680, $1,650, $1,100, $990, $620, $550, $420, $350, $225 from HKTicketing
More info:
27 March: 5-9pm
28 March: 2-8pm
29 March: 2–8pm
30 March: 12 noon–6pm

Hong Kong Art Week 2023

The art world focuses on Hong Kong in March with three exhibitions bringing thousands of art pieces from emerging and established artists.

Art Central
A contemporary art fair in the heart of Hong Kong with over 100 exhibitors showcasing the next generation of talent alongside some of the most established galleries from across Asia.

Art Central
Date:22-25 March 2023
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets:$275, $225, $175 from HKTicketing
More info:
23 March: 2-5pm / 5-8pm
24 March: 12nn -4pm / 4-8pm
24 March: 12nn -4pm / 4-8pm
25 March: 11am -3pm / 3-6pm

Art Basel
Date: 23-25 March, 2023
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: $1,560, $1,290, $1,020, $850, $600, $530, $430, $320, $280 from HKTicketing
More info:
22 March: 5-9pm
23 March: 2-8pm
24 March: 2–8pm
25 March: 12 noon–6pm

HK Art Week 2023
Date: 22 – 25 March, 2023
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: Free, tbc

The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2021 Winners

The winners of The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2021 organised by National Geographic – for photos taken in Hong Kong before 3 December 2021 – have been announced. There is no overall winner, just winners in each of the six categories: City; Wildlife; Landscape; People; Mobile and Short Video.

“It has allowed me to once again renew my perspective on Hong Kong’s urban, cultural and natural features,” said National Geographic Documentary director Andrew Yao about judging the entries. “A video entry that chronicled the Yau Ma Tei Car Park Building before its demolition impressed me the most this year. Using time-lapse photography, the videographer [So Ka Chun] succinctly captured the tenseness of Hong Kong’s daily life as well as the monotonous, if not mechanical pace of the city. It is a requiem for historical buildings, which when combined with its wonderful ending and soulful soundtracks, makes for a touching and deeply impressive piece of video work.”

There is a virtual exhibition of the winning entries at hkphotocontest.com/exhibition.asp which is online until 31 July 2022.

Instagram links to winners added – some beautiful images of Hong Kong.

City Winner: Cheung Chun Him, Jeremy – Man in the Mirrors

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-PM3XWBW

Wildlife Winner: Lee Ying Wah – Caught It!

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-Q8Bb3V4

Landscape Winner: Tse Hon Ming – Blossom in the Sea

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-rj8fn3t

People Winner: Leung Hon Shing – Duty

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-Bz9bKNn

Mobile Winner: Chiu Bong Chi, Dominic – Crimson Tide

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-pvszWt2

Short Video Winner: So Ka Chun – Stay

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-LndLmMP

An exhibition of winning entries will be held at Gallery by the Harbour, Harbour City dates to be confirmed.

Centenary of Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower Bell

At 6pm today, 9 December 2021, a ‘Chiming Ceremony’ commemorated the centenary of the former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower Bell. It’s the first time the bell has been heard in 70 years.

The Kowloon-Canton Railway Kowloon Terminus used to be located at the present site of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Designed by Arthur Benison Hubback and built on reclaimed land overlooking the harbour; the Kowloon Terminus opened in 1916 as the southernmost railway station of China and served as a gateway between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

A lack of space for expansion saw the southern terminus move, in 1974, to a new station built on land reclaimed from Hung Hom Bay.

The station building was demolished in 1978 except the clock tower which was conserved thanks to the efforts of the Heritage Society. Additionally, six pillars of the original station building were moved to the Urban Council Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

Now known as the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, the tower is a popular landmark. The Bell of the Clock Tower began service in 1921 and ceased operation in 1950.

Now in 2021 the Bell’s chime will be brought back and report the time via a digital bell system synchronised with the web clock of the Hong Kong Observatory, sounding hourly every day between 8am and midnight.

A “Centenary of the Bell – Resonance of Time” exhibition will run from 10-24 December in the foyer of the HK Cultural Centre. More information at www.hkculturalcentre.gov.hk/en/hkcc/TSTClockTower

Images courtesy of the relevant owners

Hong Kong Underwater Photo Competition 2021 Winners

The winners of the 10th Hong Kong Underwater Photo Competition 2021 – for photos taken in the year up to 30 September 2021 – have been announced and the winner in the Macro & Close-Up category is Fran Cheung for her image “Single-eyed Hairy Shrimp” (above) taken off Yin Tsz Ngam. While Henry Li is the Champion of the Standard and Wide Angle Category.

Macro & Close-Up

First Runner-up:
Poon Yiu Nam David – I Believe I Can Fly, taken off East Dam

Second Runner-up:
Henry Li

Standard & Wide Angle Champion: Henry Li

First Runner-up:
Yu Wing Chung

Second Runner-up:
Ho Tsz Hung Daniel

Exhibition of winning entries will be held as follows:

Date: 28 November – 2 December 2021
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Venue A, Level 7, Fortune Metropolis, Hung Hom

Date: 2-6 January, 2022
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Atrium C, L2, MOSTown, Ma On Shan

There is also a virtual exhibition of the winning entries at www.golocal360.co/HKUPVC2021/index.htm which is online until 27 November, 2022.

A booklet about this year’s competition and the winners can be downloaded here