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Hong Kong’s night scene from Central. Photo by johnlsl. Image from Flickr.
A collaborative online platform launched in Hong Kong on March 4, ART Power HK, is the latest effort from the art community to combat cancellations of art events due to the spread of Covid-19. Initiated by cultural organizations within the city and hosted at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center, the non-commercial platform attempts to provide an alternative space to stage exhibitions and art activities during Hong Kong’s Art Month, traditionally in March.
Aiming to “maintain momentum for the arts in Hong Kong” amid the virus outbreak induced hamper on the city’s art scene and to “showcase that the arts in Hong Kong are open, active and resilient,” the campaign, which continues to seek partners via an online call, has assembled collaborating institutions ranging from local museums, galleries, auction houses, art and cultural centers, universities, as well as media outlets. Some of the planned virtual exercises include pre-recorded and livestreamed exhibition tours, interviews with artists and collectors, studio visits, in addition to webinars featuring both local and global guests. According to its press release, the platform will also host in-person events in May, such as talks, exhibition openings, VIP events, and workshops.
Speaking of Asia Society Hong Kong Center’s role in hosting the platform, executive director S. Alice Mong commented: “We believe that the arts connect. It is testament to both the power of the arts in Hong Kong and the city’s can-do attitude that partners from every sector of the industry have come on board to support the ART Power HK initiative.”
Since the spread of the novel coronavirus from mainland China to nearby regions including Hong Kong, cultural institutions in these areas have largely been shuttered. Art fairs and galleries impacted by the respiratory disease have taken to the internet for displaying works for sale and virtual exhibitions. Art Basel Hong Kong, which announced the cancellation of its 2020 edition earlier in February, is also launching an online platform for fair exhibitors later in March.
The list of confirmed partners of ART Power HK is as follows:
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 Taka 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
Kylie Yeung is an editorial intern of ArtAsiaPacific.
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