Hong Kong Art Community Launches Online Platform Art Power HK

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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