What’s On? Things to do this May in Hong Kong

As the Hong Kong begins to return to a sense of semi-normalcy, and public venues open their doors to visitors once again, prompting a sigh of relief from Hongkongers in time for Art Month. From the highly anticipated Art Basel to the annual Le French May and much, much more, see our round up of exciting happenings for the month of May.

Art Basel
27-29 May

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu art basel
Photo courtesy of Art Basel

Although the city’s biggest art fair arrives two months later than usual due to Covid-19 social distancing and flight restrictions, it has nonetheless pulled out all the stops to present an astonishingly diverse showcase of modern and contemporary works from established and emerging artists around the world. Get ready to browse the collections of some 130 participating galleries and institutions across Asia and beyond, as well as visit online viewing rooms catering to exhibitors unable to attend the fair in person.

Price: From HK$150
Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
For more information:  artbasel.com/hong-kong

Art Central
26-29 May

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu art central
Photo courtesy of Art Central

In this art-filled month, the seventh edition of Art Central will run alongside its larger cousin, Art Basel Hong Kong. This year’s dynamic showing will encompass more than 40 innovative galleries among other content, such as Gok Dou Live presented by Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Within an expanded programme, the latter includes talks, artist interviews and new initiatives designed to excite a public starved of in-person, real-time art appreciation.

Price: From HK$150
Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
For more information:  artcentralhongkong.com

Le French May
Until Jun

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu le french may
Photo courtesy of Le French May

One of the largest cultural and art festival in Asia, the annual celebration that is Le French May returns in time for Art Month to offer the city a month and more of French-inspired heritage. Featuring emerging Hong Kong-based visual and dramatic artists, theatrical performers, dancers and filmmakers, the festival will showcase the cultural synergies that connect Hong Kong to France through more than 100 programmes. From musical shows and performance arts to exhibitions and culinary offerings, prepare to be artfully fed and enlightened by this highly anticipated event.

Location: Various Locations
For more information: frenchmay.com

 

Instead of an Afterwards
Until 14 May

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu instead of an afterwards
Photo courtesy of PMQ

Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong asks art lovers to ponder about the concept of time and timeliness through the works of five South Korean artists. The exhibition, curated by Choe Nowk, reframes what it means to be present. Featuring art by Jaekyung Jung, Daniel Schine Lee, Hyejoo Jun, Suyon Huh and Rong Bao, Instead of an Afterwards seeks to draw out a deeper meaning than what meets the eye, prompting us to reconsider what we view as important.

Price: Free entry
Location: Korean Cultural Center, PMQ, Central
For more information:  pmq.org.hk

Looking East: St Ives Artists and Buddhism
Until 31 May

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu looking east st ives artists buddhism
Photo courtesy of 3812 Gallery

Central-based 3812 Gallery turns its spotlight on the St Ives school with an exhibition on how Eastern influences, particularly Buddhist philosophy, influenced post-war British artists in the southwestern Cornish town. Works by famed ceramicist Bernard Leach and Buddhist scholar D.T. Suzuki feature among a multimedia display spanning stoneware, oil painting and collage that illustrates the spirituality underlying Western art in that era.

Price: Free entry
Location: 3812 Gallery, 26/F, Wyndham Place, Wyndham Street, Central
For more information: 3812gallery.com

 

Also Read: Places to visit to see vibrant street art in Hong Kong

Recovery, Resilience, Resurgence
Until 6 Jun

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu recovery resilience resurgence
Photo courtesy of Asia Society

Asia Society invites the public to rediscover the compelling history of Hong Kong through beautifully captured photographs that illustrate 30 years of heritage, change and development. From the post-war period into the ’50s, ’60s and the onset of the ’70s, the lenses of the late acclaimed photographers Hedda Morrison, Lee Fook Chee and Brian Brake each reveal a distinctive take on the rise of this modern Asian city.

Price: Free entry
Location: Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty
For more information: asiasociety.org/hong-kong

Spinning East Asia Series II: A Net (Dis)entangled
Until 7 Aug

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu spinning east asia series II a net (dis)entagled
Photo courtesy of The Mills

Non-profit art institution Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat) presents an exhibition held both virtually and in situ at former textiles factory The Mills. Underscoring the diversity of East Asian history and culture, contemporary works by 16 prominent artists and groups from across the region will be showcased. The affair joins the likes of guided tours, online discussion forums, talks and performances on Chat’s illuminating Spring Programme 2022. 

Price: Free entry
Location: 3/F, The Mills, Tsuen Wan
For more information: mill6chat.org

Bonart Terrarium Workshops
Ongoing

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu bonart terrarium workshop
Photo courtesy of Bon-Art HK

You don’t have to step outdoors to exercise your green thumb. Explore the extent to which plant life can elevate your home at one of Bonart’s terrarium workshops. The botanical concept store in Tai Kwun combines art and nature in a variety of two-hour sessions in which participants can learn how to build a miniature eco-system, while also picking up some practical gardening skills and tips to better care for home greenery. Participants can take home their terrariums to admire afterwards.

Price: From HK$380
Location:  Shop 03-204A, Tai Kwun, Central
For more information:  bonart-hk.com

Online Singing Bowl: A Self-Healing Journey with Anita Cheung
Ongoing

What’s On Things to do this May in Hong Kong gafencu iliving hong kong anita cheung singing bowl
Photo courtesy of iLiving Hong Kong

Keen to relieve stress in the comfort and safety of your own living room? Join award-winning transformative healer Anita Cheung in a soothing sound bath to relax, heal and tap into a deeper connection with the mind. Discover your inner self, find your balance, and gain a new level of wisdom through this 60-minute virtual sound-healing journey. Cheung’s ongoing sessions offer a different experience to devotees each time.

Price: HK$128 (pay what you want)
Location: Online access
For more information:  ilivingacademy.com

 

Also Read: Unique attractions to see and do in Hong Kong

Race to RWC Hosts an Evening of Chairty Inside the Kerry Hotel

Last week, the Race to RWC Gala took place inside The Kerry Hotel, where guests took part in a night of celebration as cyclists Ron Rutland and James Owen arrived to Hong Kong as part of their quest to cycle from Twickenham, United Kingdom to Tokyo, Japan. The initiative – Race to the Rugby World Cup (RWC) – was founded earlier this year as an unique awareness campaign to raise funding for ChildFund’s, Pass It Back program which seeks to help disadvantaged children in Asia who may not otherwise have the opportunity to take part in and learn the vital life skills that can be gained from the sport of rugby.

Together guests helped contribute to the EUR€40,000 (HK$347,996) that have already been raised throughout the 231-day journey that is set to finish in Tokyo on Thursday, September 19.

race to rwc

Notable guests and sport legends such as former Manchester United player Denni Irwin, DHL Rugby ambassador Sir John Kirwan, former England Sevens captain Rob Vickermand and current Australian Sevens player and ChildFund ambassador Charolette Caslick were all in attendance.

To learn more about the Race to RWC one can visit the initiative’s website here.

The OneSky Hong Kong Gala celebrates an evening of bright stars

Last Friday, the OneSky Hong Kong Gala took place inside the JW Marriot Hong Kong, where guests partook in a night of celebration, unrestricted funding and charity. Initially founded in 1998 as “Half the Sky”, the now re-named OneSky is an NGO organisation that designs and implements affordable, replicable model programmes to help communities and caregivers unlock the vast hidden potential of the world’s vulnerable young children in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Mongolia.

OneSky Hong Kong
PC Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong *An illustration of the future centre

Guests of the gala celebrated one truly incredible achievement – the upcoming opening of the PC Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development in Sham Shui Po. The centre will take the NGO’s mission to help “hidden children” to new heights by offering the local community a place for early learning childhood development, while also acting as a local community drop-in centre. Working closely with the government and key stakeholders, the centre will train caregivers, thus reaching thousands more children right here in Hong Kong, as well as across all OneSky programs.

Thanking attendees for their continued generosity and support, CEO and Founder Jenny Bowen addressed the gala crowd with gratitude, expounding that their help has allowed OneSky to touch the lives of children in not only in Hong Kong, but in China, Vietnam and Mongolia. Other highlights of the OneSky Hong Kong Gala included live and silent auctions, where a considerable sum was raised thanks to the generous supporters and prize sponsors that evening.

Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Awards celebrates a night of diversity

Leading non-profit organisation Community Business hosted the Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Awards’ third gala dinner last week at the luxurious Hotel ICON in Tsim Sha Tsui. 

Founded in 2015, the Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Index arranges a gala night each year and the Inclusion Index Awards every two to act as a key influencer to encourage businesses to lead the way towards creating corporate policies and practices that encompass an inclusive workplace for their LGBT+ employees.

Over 60 organisations participated in the index this year, representing some 110,000 employees across Hong Kong. A diverse group of industries were in attendance including representatives from the financial services, hospitality, technology, legal, media, and properties and construction.

Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Awards
Su Ling Voon, Sudesh Thevasenabaty and Fern Ngai
Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Awards
Community Business assigned Gold, Silver and Bronze Standards to participating organisations, which acknowledge their level of performance in the Index.

 

 

          

 

Harbour City turned into a ‘Bubble’ land for Shinji Ohmaki’s exhibition

At the opening of Harbour City’s public art project, Bubble Up, Japanese artist Shinji Ohmaki flew in to Hong Kong for his first solo exhibition in the city. For the occasion, Ohmaki had tailor-designed a special three-metre-tall, six-level bubble pyramid at the centre of the forecourt. It seemed that Harbour City was transformed into a bubble-filled wonderland.

What to see and do in Hong Kong this September

It’s the typhoon season, but that’s no reason for your spirits to be dampened! We have here a list of must-see and must-do events to keep up the party spirit this September. The choices are eclectic, from art shows and Shakespeare plays to pop music concerts and beer tasting events. Read on to find the event that piques your interest the most.

 

Ariana Grande in Concert

Multi-platinum-selling superstar Ariana Grande comes to town with her unique brand of pop and R&B. Listed among Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, Grande will be performing chart-toppers like Side to Side, Into You and Dangerous Woman.
21 September, 8pm
AsiaWorld- Expo arena, Chek Lap Kok, Lantau Island
HK$888-$4,888.
www.livenationlushington.net

 

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Musical

This Olivier and Tony award-winning musical is a feel-good favourite from Broadway and the West End. Based on the hit movie, it tells the story of three friends who hop aboard a battered bus named Priscilla in search of love and friendship. Dance floor favourites such as Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, I Will Survive and Shake Your Groove Thing are sure to get disco babies dancing.
29 September-22 October
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Lyric Theatre
1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai
HK$330-$995.
www.priscillahk.com

 

Road to Ultra

The Road to Ultra tour visits several countries in Asia this month. The Hong Kong encore touches down on the third Saturday, with Europe’s best electronic music acts headlining: DJs Kygo (Norway), ZEDD (Germany) and Hardwell (The Netherlands).
16 September, 12pm-10pm
West Kowloon Nursery Park Hong Kong
HK$990-1,480
www.hongkong.roadtoultra.com

 

Asia Contemporary Art Show

The 11th edition of the Asia Contemporary Art Show begins on a Thursday night with an exclusive UnionPay Private View and VIP Collectors Preview. On Friday, the HK Liquor Store Art Night officially kicks off the weekend with 2,500 works of art. Original paintings, limited editions, sculptures and photography from emerging to mid-career artists will be on display.
21-24 September
Conrad Hong Kong (Level L)
One Pacific Place
88, Queensway, Admiralty
HK$240
www.asiacontemporaryart.com

 

Beertopia

Are you a big fan of the amber brew? Does choosing from over 500 varieties sound like a dream come true? If so, there’s only one place to be on the fourth weekend of September: at the waterfront along with the rest of the city’s revellers. Called “Asia’s biggest craft beer event” by CNN, Beertopia partners with 25 restaurants, live music acts, shisha experts and more for a 14,000-strong outdoor party.
22-23 September
Central Harbourfront Event Space
Lung Wo Rd, Central
HK$230-$445
www.beertopiahk.com

Latino Party 5

The Mexican Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong brings back its annual bash celebrating all things Latin-American. This colourful party – well-attended by Hong Kong’s Spanish-speaking community and friends – features free-flow mezcal cocktails, Mexican canapés and raffle prizes. No Latin party is complete without a live salsa band, which will be firing up the dance floor with a reggaeton DJ from the land of Despacito. Get your dancing shoes ready for this one!
9 September, 9pm-12am
Picada, 2/F, LKF29, 29 Wyndham Street, Central
HK$250-$350
www.mexcham.hk

HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair

The region’s leading timepiece trade platform returns to Hong Kong for its 36th edition. Last year, the fair hosted more than 800 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions. This year, make a beeline for Salon de TE, which offers a curated selection of international watch brands grouped into five thematic zones including wearable tech, chic & trendy, and “renaissance moment”.
5-9 September
Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre
1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai
Free admission for trade visitors
www.hktdc.com/fair/hkwatchfair-en

OneRepublic Live

Grammy Award-nominated quintet OneRepublic – hailing from Colorado Springs, USA – stops in Hong Kong at the tail end of their tour. The band’s most recent album, Oh My My, became their highest-charting debut to date, landing at No 3 on the Billboard 200. Their biggest hits include Apologize, Secrets, Counting Stars and If I Lose Myself.
19 September, 8pm
AsiaWorld-Expo Arena
Chek Lap Kok, Lantau Island
HK$688-$888
www.livenationlushington.net

 

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s iconic show, the three-man comedy troupe brings its antics to the Hong Kong stage. The bard’s 37 plays will be condensed to 97 minutes in a high-speed roller-coaster of comedy and tragedy that promises to have you laughing and crying at the same time.
19-24 September
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Drama Theatre
1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai
HK$295-$595
www.auroratheatrehk.com

Galloping Good Time

Horse racing enthusiasts joined owners and jockeys at the Grand Hyatt for Hong Kong’s Champion Awards. The presentation ceremony honoured the best horses of the season, with Rapper Dragon trotting away with the Horse of the Year award.


Prized Art

The Sovereign Art Foundation held a gala dinner and auction in which most of the artworks by the Sovereign Asian Art Prize finalists were sold. The gala dinner also celebrated Chinese artist Li Hongbo, who won the 13th annual Sovereign Asian Art Prize. Along with the title, Hongbo was awarded a trophy and US$30,000 (HK$234,000).

French Belle Epoque exhibition held in Hong Kong

As part of the ongoing Le French May celebrations, an exhibition titled French Belle Epoque was held in Hong Kong recently, where French masterpieces from the 19th century were put on display. The La Belle Epoque period, which literally means “a beautiful era”, was a period of peace and culture in France between the Prussian War of 1871 and World War I in 1914.

Renowned collector Sandrine Souchon displayed her private collection of rare 19th-century decorative masterpieces by famous French maisons. One notable feature is that most of the artefacts are studded with malachite, crystal or lapis lazuli, which seem to have been the favoured gems of the Belle Epoque period.

Souchon has been an avid art collector and aficionado for over three decades. Her collection boasts monumental sculptures, rare furniture and unique artworks from across the world.

The exhibition was visited by art connoisseurs like Diana Zhang, William and Priscilla Chak, Robert and Sally Lo, French designer Zhor Tiber, Hong Kong Cancer Fund founder Peter Matthewson and Le French May organisers Julian-Loic Garin and Andrew Yuen.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

World First

Luxury yacht company Ferretti Group unveiled its Riva 100’ Corsaro yacht at the Aberdeen Marina Club. The event was the first time a Riva yacht had made its world debut in Asia. The unveiling was held during the fourth edition of “Ferretti Group Open Days” and attracted over 200 international guests, including yacht owners, fans and friends.

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