After Art Month and the Spring Auction, the art scene is still exciting! Here are some selected exhibitions in the city in April that are worth seeing. The types of exhibitions cover photography, oil painting, illustration, sculpture, and multimedia installations, so there is definitely something that will suit your taste!
German artist Katharina Grosse’s exhibition “Touching: How and Why and Where”
Gagosian
Katharina Grosse excels in using compressed air spray painting techniques to spray vibrant colors onto wooden boards, objects, the interiors and exteriors of buildings, and even entire landscapes. Through her spectacular and delicate exploration of physical actions and sensory effects, she pushes the boundaries of traditional painting in terms of scope and potential. She engages in improvisational creation under precise control, allowing for a fresh interaction between touch, vision, materials, and the environment.
These works are derived from the artist’s extensive bodily movements, revealing not only concepts of speed and density, but also the potential for the expansion of painting space and activity beyond the actual edges of the canvas, as well as the imagination beyond preconceived notions and inherent hierarchies. When creating the works exhibited in Hong Kong this time, Grosse adopts an open approach, abandoning templates and other objects. She explains, “The role of templates is to become obstacles to the image, and my interest has shifted to the free flow of colors and their ambiguity.”
Date: From now until May 6, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Location: 7th floor, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong
“On The Road” Photography Exhibition
Boogie Woogie Photography
Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
Courtesy of Boogie Woogie Photography
Presented by Boogie Woogie Photography and Photogstory, the exhibition draws inspiration from the eponymous novel “On The Road” by American writer Jack Kerouac in 1957. The story follows a group of young men and women on a cross-country journey, seeking self-discovery while indulging in revelry. Through their numerous road trips, they explore the freedom of life and the soul. The exhibition showcases works from 15 Hong Kong and international photographers, including renowned photographers Raymond Cauchetier, Takeshi Shikama, and Roger Ballen, who captured images during their own journeys. Through the click of their shutters, these photographers capture the world before them and explore their inner worlds.
Date: From now until April 29, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Wednesday to Saturday)
Location: 8th Floor, The Loft, 56-60 Wong Chuk Hang Road
Korean artist Lee Soo-yun’s first exhibition in Hong Kong, “In Limbo”
Gallery Ascend
The exhibition explores the themes of the afterlife and love, drawing inspiration from artist Lee Soo-yun’s personal experience of losing her beloved dog, Choco, and the subsequent grief that plunged her into contemplation of mythology and science fiction. The subject of the artwork is a new universe and planet that serves as the narrative, representing the eternal realm where loved ones now reside. In this new world, Choco represents the beloved, arriving in a vast void of possibilities that have yet to be realized. The artist employs various mediums in her work, such as oil and acrylic paints, ceramic sculptures, and digital media, highlighting the boundaries of art and the fluidity and progression of human experiences.
Date: From now until April 22, 2023 (Sunday, Monday rest)
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: 8th floor, 43 Fragrant Leaf Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong, Yag Hotel
Further reading:
- Impressive Results from the 2023 Hong Kong Spring Auction: How Many of These 10 Contemporary Artworks Worth Over 10 Million Do You Know?
- “BOOKED: Hong Kong Art Book Fair” Returns at the End of the Month! First Time Incorporating Experimental Music to Showcase the Fusion of Print and Sound
- French renowned artist JR’s bamboo art installation has sparked mixed reviews! Inviting the artist’s team to personally explain the design concept and production process
Gloomie Returns to Tai Ping Shan Street: “Purr.fect Obsession”
13a New Gallery
Once obsessed with cat lovers, Gloomie, the cheeky cat, returns to Tai Ping Shan Street! This time, Gloomie transforms into an amber cheeky cat, not only appearing at the stain+ coffee shop, but also collaborating with 13a New Gallery to hold an art exhibition called “Purr.fect Obsession”, embarking on a cat-hunting journey in the streets and alleys.
In addition to repainting the iconic exterior walls with a giant amber-colored Gloomie mural, the gallery will transform into a towering blue sky, showcasing over ten new Gloomie artworks, including 10 never-before-seen pieces, a new limited edition “Gloomie Amber” vinyl sculpture, and art installations.
Date: From now until April 16, 2023 (closed on Mondays)
Time: 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Ground Floor, 13A New Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Cross-media artist Liang Jijue’s “Nine-part Ensemble” exhibition
“The Octet” exhibition is an extension of the “Unidentified Connections” exhibition series curated by two multimedia artists and composers, Leung Kai Cheuk and Lo Wing Lun. Inspired by the application of technology and music, they apply the concepts of “timeliness” and “performative” to different artistic mediums, incorporating the use of technology to give art forms a new perspective and new life, thereby inspiring more new works.
Date: April 27th to May 27th, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Location: H Queen’s 17th Floor, Unit 1701, Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
12 local artists collaborate on the exhibition “ArtNimal” to create an animal fantasy
Whatever. Coffee
Whatever. Coffee transformed into a zoo in April, collaborating with 12 local artists to depict the lives of animals living on the same planet as us and their interactions with humans. The exhibition, titled “ArtNimal,” showcases various forms and transformations of animals, and their cuteness can be discovered through careful observation. The exhibition consists of three main themes: “Cat’s Mark,” a must-see for cat lovers; “Animals and Me,” with a philosophical touch; and “Biological Field Guide,” showcasing the unique beauty of living creatures.
Date: From now until April 30, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Location: Shop B, 172 Tai Nam Street, Sham Shui Po
Second solo exhibition by Kusama Kiyoshi in Hong Kong
AISHONANZUKA
AISHONANZUKA brings its second solo exhibition to Hong Kong since 2013, showcasing the artist’s passion for mechanized creatures over the past 30 years – from his insect paintings in 1990, to his iconic sensual robot sculpture series, to his recent mechanical dinosaur sculpture series. Inspired by some of Kusama’s paintings from the 80s, viewers will have the opportunity to see the artist’s most representative works all at once.
Date: From now until April 29, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Location: Room 101, 1/F, Wah Miu Hollywood Centre, 1-13 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
