Top art exhibitions to see in Hong Kong this month

Offering a unique insight into the remarkable community that was the Kowloon Walled City, City of Darkness is an exhibition that explores into the now-demolished organic megastructure that, somehow, without basic services, regulations or building standards, managed to not only survive but positively thrive. Showcasing this influential body of work put together by photographers Greg Girard and Ian Lambot, the exhibition brings this extraordinary community that held such a looming presence in Hong Kong into the spotlight. 

Featuring 10 of the most talented French artists specialised in the street art scene, La Street Française is a curated show held by L’Epicerie Fine HK in partnership with The Stallery. Showcasing the diversity of the French street art scene and the creation coming from their different backgrounds and stories, all artworks were specifically created for this show, with artists drawing inspiration from our great city. From canvases to art toys and two prints to pollard sculptures, this is a fun, one-of-a-kind art exhibition you shouldn't miss out on.

They've brought you the giant rubber duck and a floating KAWS, and now they're back again with acclaimed Japanese artist Yu Nagaba in the second exhibition of their brand new creative project series《Meet ___ project》. Marking as his first overseas solo exhibition, Nagaba will showcase his most original artworks from his "Ace Hotel" collection. From Pulp Fiction to La La Land, Nagaba's sketches of imaginary 'tourists' pay tribute to all his favourite classic movie scenes. This not-to-miss exhibition will even be featuring the artist's latest large-scale artwork with a famous Hong Kong movie scene – any guesses?   

Head to Perrotin gallery this month and pay tribute to the late French artist Georges Mathieu at the first dedicated exhibition held in Hong Kong. Depicting the calligraphic language of the 1950s in a totally new form, Mathieu's works upscale works consists of vehement gestures, broken lines, explosions of paint and high contrastive colours.

Coming at you this December with his solo exhibition, 25-year-old British artist Sam Cox, more commonly known as Mr Doodle, will be invading Sotheby's gallery with an impressive collection of his best work yet.  In response to art critics who would describe the artist’s work as ‘not art’, Mr Doodle couldn’t think of a better way to prove them wrong than by invading Sotheby's, one of the most prestigious fine art auction houses in the world, with his take on some of the most renowned artworks in history – doodle-style. Humorously reinterpreting some of the most famous and iconic painting in history, each piece has been morphed and recreated in Mr Doodles' own fun, unique and abstract ways. To make it even more exciting, Mr Doodle will be transforming the gallery space into his very own DoodleWorld with a live doodling session on December 7 (3-4pm). This is a rare chance to catch the artist in action so save the date!  

Expanding from her ongoing series of collage sculptures, Carol Bove's Ten Hours exhibition features a collection of square steel tubing works that has been crushed, manipulated, painted in vibrant colours and mixed with found pieces of scrap metal and/or highly polished steel disks. Making her first solo exhibition in Asia, Bove's artworks play with surface texture while pushing the limits of steel's physicality, rendering the material she uses with an almost fabric or clay-like finish.

Step into a world of new digital art as Opera Gallery Hong Kong presents a series of stunning works by the "Father of Video Art" Paik Nam-June and artist Anthony James. Guests will be able to immerse themselves in a digital art experience and explore the innovative forms of visual art like never before.

Showcasing over 70 pieces of Banksy’s original artwork, the exhibition will be held from December 20 to March 1, 2020, at private exhibition space Portal 6311 in Kowloon Bay. Not only will visitors be able to marvel at Banksy's amazing collection of works from over the years, but they'll also have a rare and unique chance to immersive themselves in an unprecedented audio-visual installation that's been specially created for this show.  After its success in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Madrid, and Lisbon where it gathered over 700,000 visitors, the Hong Kong exhibition will be the first show held in Asia. Tickets cost $145-$180 from Monday to Friday and $170-$210 on weekend and public holidays. Each ticket will also be assigned to a specific day and time slot (there are only 9 sessions per day) so choose your preferred time and don't be late!

Featuring a series of breathtaking photography works by French artist Catherine Henriette, the "Conte d’hiver, conte d’été” (Winter tale, summer tale) exhibition showcases the vanishing points and figures from the cold and frosty Songhua River to the scorching hot days on the beach in northern China. Having witnessed first hand the rapidly growing culture and social evolution of China, Henriette is able to perfectly capture each scene as “a mirage of modernity caught red-handed in the act of realization”.

Travel back in time this October and head to F11 Foto Museum to witness a beautiful display of black and white photography by one of the most influential Dutch photographers in the 20th century, Ed van der Elsken. Extending beyond his direct and avant-garde style, this particular collection showcases Elsken's love and perspective of the old Hong Kong. A city which he described as "the prettiest of harbour cities".