Hong Kong Looked Up and Event Horizon changed the future of public art in the city
#LookUpHK #EventHorizonHK #BritishCouncilHongKong #K11ArtFoundation #AntonyGormley
25 May 2016 (HONG KONG) – This month sees the completion of Event Horizon in Hong Kong. Presented by British Council Hong Kong and supported by lead partner the K11 Art Foundation (KAF), the city’s most extensive public art project saw 31 sculptures installed at both street level and building tops, encouraging citizens to stop, look up, engage, and re-assess their current position in the world by looking within. The installation, complemented by a successful education and outreach programme, gave the Hong Kong public access to world class contemporary art. During its six month installation, Event Horizon enriched Hong Kong’s cityscape and paved the way for more public art in the city.
“It was exciting making Event Horizon in Hong Kong. Whether visible or not, somehow the subtle influence of those lookouts on high towers seemed to me to make the tight streets of Hong Kong more open and alert. It was a privilege and a pleasure to encounter so much good humour and engagement in your vibrant city. I look forward to all future attempts to engage the public imagination – being able to dream with your eyes open is good!” comments Antony Gormley.
"In the past six months, 'Event Horizon Hong Kong' has brought us a lot more than 31 identical life-size sculptures in Central. It has encouraged discussions of public art in the community and given much food for thought and insights to our local artists. I am pleased that this Asian premiere of Event Horizon in Hong Kong has demonstrated to the world our city’s progressive and promising development into a regional hub of arts and culture, as well as reinforced our position as an economy where creative industries are set to prosper,” said Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
At a panel discussion hosted by British Council before the closing of Event Horizon, the project team shared the experience and the challenges that the project encountered, “One of the most challenging things is to get all permissions that we need for Event Horizon. We are excited to see the support from the government and Hong Kong community. We are a creative problem solving team with all the departments and parties that we worked with. All parties were trying to find a way that works as there is no “public art” sector that we can apply. It is the effort of all 14 government departments to come to a solution. It is a legacy and also a case study for how Event Horizon Hong Kong has paved the way for future public art projects to understand how the process works.”
'The most wonderful thing about the success of Event Horizon Hong Kong has been the welcome it received across the board, from citizens of all walks of life. And while it's true that it might never have seen the light of day without the resolve the Chief Secretary, Carrie Lam, the subsequent reaction has overwhelmingly demonstrated that there is a thirst in Hong Kong for imaginative, daring art. That augurs well for the future of public art projects here,’ said Robert Ness, Director of British Council Hong Kong.
“It has been a great privilege to have worked with an artist as respected as Antony Gormley. It is an important part of the mission of the K11 Art Foundation to bring the work of outstanding international artists to Chinese audiences, and we were delighted that audiences in Hong Kong were able to experience this seminal project first hand. Behind all of KAF’s activity is the drive to elevate and strengthen collective appreciation of culture, through providing wider audiences with easy access to art. Presenting works in the public realm as with this project with Antony Gormley enables audiences to interact with contemporary art in new and engaging ways.” says Adrian Cheng, Founder and Honorary Chairman of the K11 Art Foundation.
The dismantling process of the Event Horizon sculptures will continue until 3 June 2016. Hong Kong citizens will see them disappearing over the next few weeks.
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) and Chord (MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA).
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 Youth Arts Foundation.
Event Horizon 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 Installation manager: AECOM Asia Co Ltd; Structural Engineer: Atkins; Fabrication and Installation: Wan Chung Construction Co Ltd; Art Handler: 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: https://www.facebook.com/EventHorizonHK Instagram: https://instagram.com/eventhorizonhk/
#LookUpHK #EventHorizonHK #BritishCouncilHongKong #K11ArtFoundation #AntonyGormley
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