Wednesday 11 May 2016

Beyond Event Horizon
Panel Discussion: The Future of Public Art in Hong Kong
Tuesday 17 May 2016, 7pm – 8.30 pm at The Fringe Club

Sign up here. Free admission

#LookUpHK #EventHorizonHK #BritishCouncilHongKong #K11ArtFoundation #AntonyGormley

10 May 2016 (HONG KONG) – Event Horizon – Hong Kong’s most extensive public art installation has changed the urban landscape of Hong Kong since November last year. Before the completion of this tremendous project created by British artist Antony Gormley, the British Council will host a panel discussion with key cultural speakers to discuss the impact of Event Horizon and the future development of public art in Hong Kong on Tuesday 17 May 2016.

Presented by the British Council Hong Kong and supported by lead partner the K11 Art Foundation (KAF), Event Horizon’s 31 sculptures installed at both street level and building tops have enriched Hong Kong’s cityscape and the exhibition will be shown until 18 May 2016. In addition to running a series of education and outreach programmes for teachers and the general public, the upcoming panel discussion aims to share some unique insight into the Event Horizon story, as well as the many challenges that the project encountered along the way.

Moderated by Robert Ness, Director of British Council, the panellists include:

  • Benny Chia, Director of Hong Kong Fringe Club
  • Cassius Taylor-Smith, Curatorial Director of Event Horizon Hong Kong
  • Euan Upston, Director of Central Police Station Compound 
  • Maris Wong, Managing Director of HKwalls

Apart from taking an in-depth look at Event Horizon in Hong Kong and how the project resonates with Hong Kong people, the panellists will also discuss how it can change the perception of public art in the city; what the key lessons are; and what Hong Kong people can do to contribute to the city’s cultural life.

Robert Ness, Director of British Council Hong Kong said: “Public installations encourage the community to interact with art, which I believe makes a city a better place to live in. The installation has provided the opportunity for debate, discussion, and evaluation of the impact that is created when the public encounters art on this expansive scale. As Event Horizon is almost coming to an end, I think it is a good time for us to reflect on what has been achieved in the past six months, and what challenges we have come through to put this together. We are looking forward to seeing more public art in Hong Kong after Event Horizon.”

In partnership with Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association, the panel discussion is a pre-2016 Cultural Leadership Summit event.

Notes to Editor

About Antony Gormley

Antony Gormley’s work has been widely exhibited throughout the UK and internationally with exhibitions at Forte di Belvedere, Florence (2015); Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern (2014); Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia (2012); Deichtorhallen, Hamburg (2012); The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (2011); Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2010); Hayward Gallery, London (2007); Malmö Konsthall, Sweden (1993) and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark (1989). Permanent public works include the Angel of the North (Gateshead, England), Another Place (Crosby Beach, England), Inside Australia (Lake Ballard, Western Australia) and Exposure (Lelystad, The Netherlands).

Gormley was awarded the Turner Prize in 1994, the South Bank Prize for Visual Art in 1999, the Bernhard Heiliger Award for Sculpture in 2007, the Obayashi Prize in 2012 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2013. In 1997 he was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) and was made a knight in the New Year’s Honours list in 2014. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, an Honorary Doctor of the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Trinity and Jesus Colleges, Cambridge. Gormley has been a Royal Academician since 2003.

Antony Gormley was born in London in 1950.

Artist’s website: www.antonygormley.com 

About the K11 Art Foundation

Founded by Adrian Cheng in 2010, the K11 Art Foundation (KAF) is a registered not-for-profit organisation, which supports the development of Chinese contemporary art from Greater China by providing a creative platform that nurtures artistic talents and brings them to the international stage. Not only does KAF support artists, the Foundation also serves as an incubator for young Chinese curators.

KAF has embarked on many international collaborations. Amongst them the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí in Spain, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, Centre Pompidou, Palais de Tokyo and Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Armory Show in New York, showcasing Chinese talents and the voice of the young generation.

With 11 studios for its artist-in-residence programmes in the K11 art village in Wuhan, KAF serves as the unique incubating springboard for young and emerging contemporary Chinese artists to create new and meaningful works. Beyond traditional art spaces, K11 art village serves as innovative exchange platforms between local and international artists.
Through research, initiatives and partnerships, KAF offers the Chinese public a diverse range of programmes and exhibitions fostering people’s appreciation of arts and culture.

Please join the conversation with K11 Art Foundation on Instagram (@K11ArtFoundation), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/K11ArtFoundation), Weibo (http://www.weibo.com/u/2964758631) via the hashtag #K11ArtFoundation #KAF.

Acknowledgement

Antony Gormley: Event Horizon Hong Kong is presented by British Council Hong Kong with support from lead partner the K11 Art Foundation and sponsors GAW Capital Partners, Grosvenor, Christie's, Hogan Lovells, Howard Bilton of The Sovereign Art Foundation, Central Saint Martin /Kai-Yin Lo Cross Culture Lecture, Dynamic Network Alliances, Mazarine Asia Pacific, Icicle Group and Sinclair Communications.

Antony Gormley: Event Horizon Hong Kong education and outreach programme is supported by M+, West Kowloon Cultural District, Asia Arts Archive, the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, PMQ, Asia Society Hong Kong and Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation.

Event Horizon Hong Kong supporting organisations include JIA Group, Perrier Jouët, Aedas, Friends of British Council Hong Kong, G4S, The Financial Times, Time Out Hong Kong, Art Map and Art Plus.

Event Horizon Hong Kong Installation Manager: AECOM Asia Co Ltd; Structural Engineer: Atkins; Fabrication and Installation: Wan Chung Construction Co Ltd; Art Handler: Integrated Fine Arts Solutions (IFAS).

Learn more about Antony Gormley: Event Horizon Hong Kong on the website at www.eventhorizon.hk, and join the conversation on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EventHorizonHK
Instagram: instagram.com/eventhorizonhk
#LookUpHK #EventHorizonHK #BritishCouncilHongKong #K11ArtFoundation #AntonyGormley

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide. We work in more than 100 countries and our 8,000 staff – including 2,000 teachers – work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year by teaching English, sharing the arts and delivering education and society programmes. In Hong Kong, we have been doing this since 1948, giving people opportunities to learn, share and connect worldwide. Our work in the arts spans photography, drama, dance, literature, creative writing, film, design, and the visual arts. Recent initiatives include a ‘Musician in Residence’ programme, the ‘Above the Line’ exhibition of photographs of North Korea, and the ‘New British Inventors: Inside Heatherwick Studio’ exhibition in September 2015 at PMQ.

We are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter. A core publicly-funded grant provides 20 per cent of our turnover which last year was £864 million. The rest of our revenues are earned from services which customers around the world pay for, such as English classes and taking UK examinations, and also through education and development contracts and from partnerships with public and private organisations. All our work is in pursuit of our charitable purpose and supports prosperity and security for the UK and globally. 

 

For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org. You can also keep in touch with the British Council through blog.britishcouncil.org/. To learn more about British Council in Hong Kong, please visit www.britishcouncil.hk and www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilHK.