Art & Culture
The latest art exhibitions, theatre, opera and classical events — plus Hong Kong's best galleries and cultural venues
10 Iconic Hong Kong comic characters you need to know about
Remember those times when the simplest things like cartoons and comic books would make your day? Nowadays, with so many types of entertainment readily available for our perusal, whether it's binge-watching Netflix, browsing through online shops, or getting on your Nintendo Switch, it takes a lot more than just a few drawings on paper to impress us. But if you are feeling nostalgic for the good old days – or simply curious about what kids enjoyed doing back then besides watching cartoons – then join us as we pay homage to some of the most iconic comic characters our city has ever created. By Natalie Lam RECOMMENDED: Feeling some strong old-school vibes today? Check out these classic childhood games or drool over these tasty nostalgic snacks.
8 indie musicians from Asia you need to know about
Despite the number of incredibly talented musicians coming out of our part of the world, it’s a challenge for artists to build fanbases beyond their own countries and cities. Indie artists in the region simply don’t get enough publicity and advertising – sometimes even locally – which is a shame because indie audiences are more than willing to explore sounds from all over the world. In our effort to help remedy this, we’ve assembled a list of some of our continent’s brightest modern indie musicians and bands. By Ethan Lam RECOMMENDED: Hong Kong has a thriving music scene too, check out these underground artists in Hong Kong.
On The Line: The history of Hong Kong MTR Stations
One of the things we love about Hong Kong is its convenience and efficient transportation. Despite some disruptive incidents over this past year and the occasional annoying passengers we encounter on the trains, the MTR system is still well-loved by Hongkongers and it boasts a 99.9 percent punctuality record. During the normal run of things, the majority of Hongkongers rely on the MTR to get about the city every day, but how much do you truly know about the stations and its history? If you’re curious, read on to find out all the interesting facts and history. RECOMMENDED: The MTR system is constantly expanding. Here are three maps showing the possible future of the MTR.
Best Hong Kong underground music you should be listening to
Music can serve as an escape from reality, whether you're into vinyl records, electronic music, or underground hip-hop. But sometimes it's hard to find quality music to listen to, especially when you are trying to find something that is original and local. Hong Kong may have an image as a commercial hub that's more stiff than bohemian, but within the sea of grey suits and concrete buildings lies a hotbed of artists rocking out loud and proudly representing Hong Kong. By CJ Villanueva and Ethan Lam RECOMMENDED: Explore music beyond the 852 and check out these awesome indie bands from around Asia.
Top art exhibitions to see in Hong Kong this month
Whether it's vibrant street art and graffiti or world-class art galleries, Hong Kong is a city that's bursting with incredible art by both local and international talents. To narrow things down and help you be well on your way to a true culture vulture, here are some of the best art exhibitions on show around town this month. RECOMMENDED: If you don't feel like venturing around the city to discover all the hidden art spaces you can find, then why not give our ultimate art guide to H Queen's a try?
Made in Hong Kong
10 Iconic Hong Kong comic characters you need to know about
Remember those times when the simplest things like cartoons and comic books would make your day? Nowadays, with so many types of entertainment readily available for our perusal, whether it's binge-watching Netflix, browsing through online shops, or getting on your Nintendo Switch, it takes a lot more than just a few drawings on paper to impress us. But if you are feeling nostalgic for the good old days – or simply curious about what kids enjoyed doing back then besides watching cartoons – then join us as we pay homage to some of the most iconic comic characters our city has ever created. By Natalie Lam RECOMMENDED: Feeling some strong old-school vibes today? Check out these classic childhood games or drool over these tasty nostalgic snacks.
On The Line: The history of Hong Kong MTR Stations
One of the things we love about Hong Kong is its convenience and efficient transportation. Despite some disruptive incidents over this past year and the occasional annoying passengers we encounter on the trains, the MTR system is still well-loved by Hongkongers and it boasts a 99.9 percent punctuality record. During the normal run of things, the majority of Hongkongers rely on the MTR to get about the city every day, but how much do you truly know about the stations and its history? If you’re curious, read on to find out all the interesting facts and history. RECOMMENDED: The MTR system is constantly expanding. Here are three maps showing the possible future of the MTR.
5 traditional Chinese dishes vanishing from Hong Kong menus
From dim sum to claypot rice, Chinese gastronomy has a long history going back thousands of years. Many traditional dishes take hours to prepare and include an arduous process as the chef battles with many complicated ingredients. Sadly, as unique as these handcrafted creations are, they are too labour intensive to be commercially viable, especially within Hong Kong's diverse and vibrant food scene. While some esteemed restaurants try to keep these dishes on the menu, the chefs behind them could be the last to uphold these culinary traditions. Read about the remaining restaurants in town that are keeping the traditions alive. Try them – while you still can. RECOMMENDED: Luckily, Hong Kong still has plenty of dishes that are unique only to Hong Kong.
Urban heritage: preserving Hong Kong's disappearing street signs
For better or for worse, Hong Kong waits for no one. The city moves fast, adopting trend after trend, changing its appearance so often that it’s sometimes hard to remember what it looked like yesterday. Leave for even a month, and you’ll come back to find that gentrification and corporate globalisation have only further encroached on the precious little space available here. But underneath it all, there’s still an intense passion and love for the classic culture and trades of old Hong Kong – call it nostalgia if you will, but after all, these are the people, places, and practices that helped make the city what it is today. As such, the city is full of organizations and people who have made cultural preservation their personal business – one such group is @streetsignhk, who document and preserve the signboards that you’ll find all around the city. They’ve hosted several exhibitions since they started in 2017, including one in London! We sat down at a neighbourhood cafe in Kowloon City to talk to the brains behind the project. By Ethan Lam How did your group come about? Ken: Our group came together towards the end of 2017, but it all started back in 2015. We were colleagues at an architectural firm at the time. We passed by a pawn shop one day and saw its sign was being removed. It was already cut in half and lying on the ground. We hadn’t thought much about it at the time but we knew it had a lot of cultural value, so we asked the workers if we could keep it. That’s
Historic streets of Hong Kong
With Hong Kong in constant change and flux, it's always helpful to stop and appreciate our city's long, complex and fascinating past. One of the fastest-growing cities in modern history, starting from humble origins, Hong Kong's timeline of development has left behind various markers of our storied past. And what better way to explore that past than through our efficient network of roads and streets. As a small fishing village, Hong Kong had a small network of roads, but during the subsequent century, many new streets were paved, named, and put into use, meaning that many have a long and interesting history. Here are some of our favourites. By Yu An Su RECOMMENDED: If you're looking for streets with some colour, check out the best street art spots in Hong Kong!
Where to see art in the city
Best shutter art in Hong Kong and where to find them
Whether it's art galleries for photography, vibrant street art, or independent art spaces, Hong Kong is drenched in art and creativity everywhere you look. But did you know that there are tons of great art that's hidden away from plain sight? We're talking about shutter art. Organised by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, HK Urban Canvas is a community art project dedicated to putting a spotlight on small local businesses. Using shopfront shutters as a creative canvas, each of the shops and its unique historical contribution to the city is brought to life via these artworks. Here are just some of our favourites. RECOMMENDED: Discover more art with our monthly roundup of the best art exhibitions happening around town.
Best art galleries in Hong Kong for photography
Thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and digital cameras (oh, and Instagram), photography is now a near-constant presence in our daily lives. Especially in a place as beautiful as Hong Kong. While there are plenty of art galleries in the city, there are a handful of speciality galleries who dedicate themselves to discovering photographs worthy of being considered art. From local indie gallery Bamboo Scenes to private art museum F11 Foto Museum, here are some of our favourite photography art galleries in Hong Kong. RECOMMENDED: If street art is more your thing, why not check out these fantastic street art galleries instead? Or if you’re keen to try your hand at photography, pay a visit to these Instagrammable photo locations in Hong Kong.
Hidden art spaces in Hong Kong
Art can be found just about anywhere, even in the unlikeliest of places. For those looking to step up their culture game in Hong Kong, we've scoured the city beyond mainstream art galleries, to reveal the quaint shops and venues doubling up as art spaces. From independent shops to coffee shops, there are plenty of artworks hidden in plain sight. RECOMMENDED: Take it to the streets and explore the city's best street art.
The best street art and graffiti in Hong Kong
There’s no denying that Hong Kong is an expanding art hub, home to a wealth of international world-class art galleries and exhibitions. But the city streets themselves are a gallery thanks to artists like Invader and Messy Desk who have turned entire buildings and alleyways into their personal canvases. If you’re looking for some creativity in the city, this is our roundup of the best street art and graffiti locations throughout Hong Kong. RECOMMENDED: Keen to take home a piece of street art instead of admiring from afar? These galleries in Hong Kong can help make it happen.
The best art galleries in Hong Kong
If you believe Hong Kong is a cultural desert when it comes to visual arts, think again. From the heart of the city to the nooks and the crannies, there’s art everywhere in our metropolis as long as you know where to look for it. You can find works by established and up-and-coming local and international artists working in everything from photography to street art at fine-art gallery hubs like H Queen’s and Pedder Building, as well as at institutions like Tai Kwun. For a taste of the avant-garde, there are many independent art spaces that have popped up all over the city in recent years and there are some fantastic museums, including M+ Pavilion, to satisfy your culture cravings too. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a handy guide to the most interesting art hubs and neighbourhoods to help kick-off your journey as a bona fide culture vulture. RECOMMENDED: Check out our pick of the best art exhibitions in Hong Kong this month for inspiration and discover a plethora of incredible art.
