The French May Arts Festival will return to Hong Kong in May and June, as one of the biggest events in the arts world. This year marks the 30th edition, with the theme “ART UNBOXED,” encouraging everyone to break cultural and geographical boundaries and discover more exciting art. This year’s festival will continue to bring a variety of art forms to local audiences, with over a hundred special programs. From traditional and contemporary art, painting and design, to classical music and hip-hop dance, film and circus music, we hope to bring the essence of French art to everyone.
Before the official opening of the art festival, let’s introduce 6 selected highlight programs from over 100 activities!
“Carte Blanche to Christian Rizzo”
(Christian Rizzo’s blank canvas)
Choreographer Christian Rizzo will explore freely in the West Kowloon Cultural District, presenting a series of free programs, art installations, and live performances ranging from installation dance to video art, all the way from France. In collaboration with Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels and Freespace, Rizzo will bring his conceptualized and produced works combining dance, light, sound, objects, and other rich elements to Hong Kong, continuously pushing the boundaries between dance and visual arts, while also continuing his collaboration with local artists.
Date: May 31 to June 5, 2022
Location: Freespace, Art Park, West Kowloon Cultural District
“Theater Without Animals”
(無動物戲劇)
Eight seemingly independent short plays, pieced together to form a ukiyo-e reflecting the daily lives of the French people, each character living ordinary and absurdly, including a younger brother striving to surpass his older brother, a daughter questioning her own name, a hairdresser longing to become a customs officer, and a family invaded by a giant ballpoint pen. “No Animal Drama” premiered in France in 2001, winning the “Best French Playwright,” “Best Comedy,” and “Best Comedy Supporting Actor” awards at the “French Molière Comedy Awards.”
Date: May 31 to June 5, 2022
Location: Ngau Chi Wan Cultural Centre Theatre
“The Breast Man”
(fermented bean curd)
Adapted from the classic surrealist work “Les Mamelles de Tirésias” by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the Green Leaf Theatre brings you an online performance of the play “Rotten Milk” with actors from Hong Kong and France. The wife, tired of living as a submissive woman, lets her breasts fly away like balloons and transforms into a man. The husband is manipulated and gives birth asexually to 40,049 babies in one day.
Rehearsal is a process before a drama performance, through this different mode of performance, the audience can understand more about the backstage production.
Time: May 30 to June 30, 2022
Register online to watch
“Cities of Light”
(City of Starlight – Hong Kong-France Music Concert)
This unprecedented Hong Kong-France cultural exchange concert, led by renowned Hong Kong composer Ko Sai Cheung, together with pop singer Lee Hing Nei and jazz pianist Tali, will be hosted by Eileen. The program will bring you a deep Hong Kong-France cultural exchange concert, featuring well-known songs and popular tunes that have been adapted between Hong Kong and France over the years. This includes French singer Camille’s rendition of the classic theme song from the movie “Infernal Affairs,” “Forgotten Time” by Teresa Teng, and the original song “La Vie en Rose” by Danny Chan, which inspired Alan Tam’s “Pink Life.” The concert will adapt and interpret past iconic pop songs, leading the audience on a unique musical journey through the two cities of starlight in Chinese and French.
Date: June 24-25, 2022 at 8:15 PM
Location: Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre
Ticket Price: $880/$780/$680/$580 (Available at Urbtix)
“I love you… me neither”
This concert pays tribute to the French musical genius Serge Gainsbourg. Serge Gainsbourg’s influence on French music and culture has continued since the 1960s. Hong Kong jazz singer Angelita Li, along with local bands Alan Kwan’s quartet and Ling Kok Music Group, will break all language, cultural, and artistic boundaries to reinterpret many classic songs in jazz and electronic music. If you love music, you definitely can’t miss this!
Date: June 10th to 11th, 2022, 8:00 pm
Location: Hong Kong City Hall Theatre
Ticket Price: $380/$280 (Available at Urbtix)
“French Rendezvous @Tai Kwun”
(Tai Kwun Dialogue: How to rebuild the Gothic masterpiece of Notre Dame in the 21st century?)
The Notre-Dame Cathedral was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, considered one of the best examples of Gothic architecture and one of the most iconic symbols of Paris and France. On April 15, 2019, a major fire broke out at the cathedral, destroying its spire and roof. Images of Notre-Dame engulfed in flames spread worldwide, sparking a wave of donations.
Shortly after the fire, a question arose: how should this iconic French historical building be rebuilt in the 21st century? Should Notre Dame be restored to its original appearance, or reinterpreted in a modern way? How can historical landmarks be reshaped without distorting their original form? Pascal Asselin and Marie Parant will share their experiences in participating in this reconstruction project, analyzing the reconstruction project of this world-famous cathedral and the various artistic and craft elements involved, addressing the above questions.
Date: May 3, 2022, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Watch online after registration
More exhibitions and performances related to the French May Arts Festival will be launched one after another. We will also report more details of the activities for everyone. Remember to stay tuned!
Image source and learn more: French May Arts Festival
