Hong Kong proves its resilience with major players in the arts ecosystem coming together to launch an online activation of events in the city this May.

TEXT: CoBo News
IMAGES: Courtesy of various

In a show of resilience, major arts and cultural stakeholders in Hong Kong such as Asia Art Archive, Para Site, M+ and CHAT (Centre for Heritage and Textiles) are coming together to launch an online platform in March known as ART Power HK. CoBo Social has also been involved since early discussions and is proud to be supporting ART Power HK through digital and editorial coverage during the month of May as well as collaborating on several forthcoming events.

As we reported one month ago, on 7 February Art Basel Hong Kong announced the cancellation of its 2020 edition in March due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus COVID-19. Consequently, Art Central was cancelled while many galleries, institutions and auction houses postponed or cancelled their March events. The city itself had already been grappling with disruptions from domestic unrest since last year, and now had to face the ramifications of a major public health risk.

However, Hong Kong is proving its indefatigable spirit with an exciting digital platform spanning across the city’s art ecosystem with galleries, museums, auction houses, not-for-profit organisations, educational institutions, corporate sponsors of the arts and cultural media outlets coming together.

Through March, April and May, ART Power HK will consolidate, promote and present arts initiatives in the city to a wider online community with the use of technology, since large public gatherings are being avoided due to the virus. This platform will include events that have been cancelled, postponed and are still going ahead.

“ART Power HK brings the collective energy of the Hong Kong arts sector, demonstrating an empowering spirit that is central to each and every one of the arts organisations in Hong Kong,” said Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+ of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in the press release announcement about the initiative on 4 March.

The online campaign will be showcasing content provided by partners such as pre-recorded and livestreamed gallery tours, artist interviews, studio visits, collector engagements and an online talks programme involving local and international talent.

Initiated from a community-wide aim to sustain the momentum of the arts in Hong Kong in spite of the cancellations, ART Power HK will also help to spotlight the diversity and dynamism of the city’s art scene in the lead up to the art exhibitions and events taking place in May 2020.

ART Power HK is currently inviting all stakeholders in the city’s art community to get involved in this expansive online initiative, leveraging on the immense support the campaign has garnered so far.

“Art happens 365 days of the year in Hong Kong. It happens through collecting, patronage, research, making, looking and so many other expressions. This initiative is a platform to showcase that and is another example of why art thrives here—it is a community that takes initiative and shows up for each other. I believe there has never been a more necessary moment for contemporary art in Asia,” said Alexandra Seno, Head of Development at Asia Art Archive.

ART Power HK

www.artpowerhk.com
Instagram: @artpowerhk
Facebook: @artpowerhk
YouTube Channel: ART Power HK
Linkedin: ART Power HK

ART Power HK Partners include (as of 4 March 2020):

10 Chancery Lane Gallery
1a Space 3812 Gallery
A2Z Art Gallery
AAN Foundation
Academy of Visual Arts (AVA), Hong Kong Baptist University
Alisan Fine Art
Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong
art-partners
Asia Art Archive
Asia Society Hong Kong
Axel Vervoordt Gallery
Ben Brown Fine Arts
Blindspot Gallery
Bonhams
CHAT (Centre for Heritage Arts & Textiles)
China Guardian Hong Kong
Christie’s
CoBo Social
Contemporary by Angela Li
Crafts on Peel
de Sarthe Gallery
Department of Fine Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Department of Fine Arts, The University of Hong Kong
Do What You Love
Duddell’s
Edouard Malingue Gallery
Empty Gallery
Freespace, West Kowloon
Friends of Hong Kong Museum of Arts
Galerie Ora-Ora
George Wyndham
HART Hall
HART Haus
HKwalls Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA)
Hong Kong Arts Centre
Hong Kong Contemporary Art (HOCA) Foundation
Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize
Hong Kong Maritime Museum
Hong Kong Museum of Arts
Hong Kong Palace Museum
Karin Weber Gallery
Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery
La Galerie Paris 1839
Lévy Gorvy
Liang Yi Museum
M+
Massimo De Carlo
Para Site
Pékin Fine Arts
Phillips
Rossi & Rossi
SCAD
SHOP Taki Ishii Gallery
Sinclair Arts
Soho House Hong Kong
Soluna Fine Art
Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF)
Tai Kwun
TAPG – The Art People Gallery
University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG), The University of Hong Kong
Villepin
White Cube
Whitestone Gallery
Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon