Why this food-obsessed traveller has decided to feast on something else on her next trip to Hong Kong
Hong Kong is world-renowned as a food destination, satiating your hunger with Michelin-starred meals, well-loved local delicacies and delicious street foods. But did you know that it is brimming with just as many choices when it comes to food for the soul—the arts?
One of my greatest discoveries from a recent trip to Hong Kong was PMQ, which stands for Police Married Quarters. It is a revitalization project that has transformed two historic tenement blocks on Aberdeen Street into one of the city’s hippest creative and design hubs.
In addition to housing more than 100 studios, shops and restaurants in what used to be apartment units, it is also a hot venue for local and international arts and culture events like deTour, Hong Kong’s largest design festival. Initially, I planned to spend just an hour or two there, but because there was so much to see, I ended up staying the entire afternoon.
This community of local artists is just the tip of the iceberg with respect to Hong Kong’s art scene. Drawing on the food analogy again, just as you can find international, local and grassroots cuisines, you can also find legendary international events, iconic local institutions and hidden grassroots gems throughout the city all year round. What makes the art landscape in Hong Kong unique is its “East meets West” heritage, adding a veil of excitement and exoticism, whether it is fine arts, music or stage performances.
Art Central 2022
For the jet-set type, there is Art Basel, and Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions, attracting art collectors of the highest calibre from around the world. Did you hear about the record set this spring when Sotheby’s made a combined sale of $282 million Canadian dollars in just one evening? Among that night’s roster were Picasso’s Dora Maar, Yoshitomo Nara’s Oddly Cozy and Chen Yifei’s Banquet from Sir Run Run Shaw’s collection. The diverse range is actually quite typical for Hong Kong.
West Kowloon Xiqu Centre
Locally, the hottest cultural place in Hong Kong must be the brand new M+. Located on the Victoria Harbour waterfront in the West Kowloon Cultural District, this museum of visual culture is striking, both from the outside and from the collections inside.
The slender terracotta tile-clad tower, designed by Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, is monumental in its architectural form. The facade is equipped with a 65-metre-tall LED wall for screening moving works, and it can be seen from the West Kowloon waterfront promenade and Hong Kong Island across the Victoria Harbour. I still remember how much in awe I was when I saw the building turning into a large countdown clock in the 2022 countdown concert held there. I fell in love with the MIRROR boys at that event.
Inside M+, there is a whopping 17,000 square metres of exhibition space in the form of 33 galleries, three cinemas and more. I really want to catch the Things, Spaces, Interactions exhibition, which showcases more than 500 objects that have had a profound influence in Asia and around the globe over the last 70 years. Who wouldn’t want a selfie taken with Anita Mui’s 1984 Leap the Stage album artwork? This exhibition is on-going till 20 May 2023, and it is definitely going to be on my Hong Kong to-do list.
I have also made a note to myself to allow plenty of time to explore the surrounding area. With 23 hectares of public open space, a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces and museums, West Kowloon Cultural District is billed as one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world.
But don’t forget that it is also one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. Buildings erected as early as the 1800s are lovingly preserved. Remember Yau Ma Tei Theatre and the Fruit Market? Many of the artisanal shops selling traditional wares along Shanghai Street are still in operation. I need to reserve space in my luggage for Man Kee chopping board, a Chan Chi Kee butcher knife and some bamboo steamers from Ming Sang.
Central ArtLane
Like food, art can be equally enjoyable in a grand setting or in an alleyway. Amazing street art can be found all over the city. Graffiti on street stores’ metal rolling gates has elevated into “shutter art” and is particularly abundant in Yau Ma Tei, Ap Lei Chau and Kowloon City. The mural art at ArtLane in Sai Ying Pun is a favourite Instagram spot. Art can also be found outside of urban areas, as you’ll discover when you visit Cheung Chau or the historical Hakka village of Lai Chi Wo.
Hidden Map
As you can see, my list is getting long, but there is still so much more to discover. The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s discoverhongkong.com website is a great resource. It even has a dedicated arts section when you click the “Explore” tab. Don’t get me wrong: my itinerary in Hong Kong will always include grand plans to fill my stomach, but I also look forward to nourishing my mind and my soul.
