Best things to see and do in Hong Kong this February

Get close to mother nature this March as local mental health charity Mind HK organises its sixth annual Move it for Mental Health 2023 campaign. Raising awareness for the importance of a positive mind-body balance, the campaign encourages folks of all ages to take part in completing a total of 30 km in nature from March 1 to 31. 

Starting Feb 6, participants can achieve the goal by taking up their choice of outdoor physical activities, such as walking, running, or hiking along nature trails, coastal walks, or country parks, and uploading their activity record to the Run2gather app. Those who successfully finish the challenge and submit their activity records before April 6 will be given a certificate and a chance to win a special prize, courtesy of lululemon.

To make your steps more impactful, you can also become a #MoveitHK supporter and help raise funds for one of Mind HK's key initiatives, iACT, to support the charity’s efforts in improving access to mental health services for the community. Visit mind.org.hk for more details about this meaningful campaign.

To celebrate the release of the animated film The First Slam Dunk in Hong Kong, Times Square is bringing a pop-up store of the popular basketball manga from January 12 through to March 31. Located on the fifth floor of the shopping mall, the pop-up features over 100 store-exclusive items, including collectibles straight from Japan and Taiwan, as well as locally-designed limited-run products such as coffee mugs, clocks inspired by basketball scoreboards, home essentials, caps, tee shirts, shoelace locks, and more. In addition, the Open Piazza of Times Square will transform into an insta-worthy Slam Dunk-themed basketball court from January 11 to 15 for fans to take a pleasant trip down memory lane with the classic anime.

Curated by Inti Guerrero and Chantal Wong, and co-presented with Sunpride Foundation, Myth Makers—Spectrosynthesis III is the first major exhibition that shines a light on LGBTQ+ perspectives in Hong Kong. On view from now until April 10 at Tai Kwun Contemporary galleries, the exhibition features over 100 artworks from over 60 artists from Hong Kong and overseas. Together, they address the core notion of 'queer mythologies', inviting audiences to explore contemporary mythologies and practices of the body through new productions, historical works from the 1940s to the 1990s, artworks on loan from the collection of the Sunpride Foundation, along with a publication collaboration with Queer Reads Library.

Aside from the striking artworks that will no doubt stimulate both the eyes and the mind, visitors can also take part in a wide range of programmes and educational events such as talks, workshops, Family Day, and guided public tours.

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To celebrate M+'s first anniversary, the museum is hosting a special exhibition featuring over 200 creations by Yayoi Kusama, one of the most influential and inspiring artists of our time. Held from now to May 14, the exhibition – titled Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now – is the largest retrospective of Kusama in Asia outside of Japan. 

Through six different themes – Infinity, Accumulation, Radical Connectivity, Biocosmic, Death, and Force of Life – visitors will be able to view the artist's work spanning over seven decades, from her earliest work to the most recent output, inclusive of paintings, installations, sculptures, drawings, collages, moving images, and archival materials. The exhibition will also present three brand-new works to audiences for the first time: Death of Nerves (2022)​, a large-scale installation connecting the museum’s ground floor and basement levels; Dots Obsession—Aspiring to Heaven's Love (2022), an immersive environment that includes one of the artist’s signature mirrored spaces; and Pumpkin (2022) two large sculptures available for public viewing in the Main Hall.

Starting from November 12, 2022, visitors are required to purchase tickets in advance ($120 for adults; $60 for concession) to access all M+ exhibitions – except for the Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now exhibition, which you will have to buy tickets for separately ($240 for adults; $150 for concession). Admission to Pumpkin (2022) and the Hong Kong: Here and Beyond exhibition will remain free of charge. Tickets are now available for online purchase on M+ and West Kowloon Cultural District's official websites. 

Korean digital design company d’strict heads to Hong Kong with Arte M, a special digital art show showcasing selected highlights from its renowned immersive media art exhibition Arte Museum.

Open from now to January 7, 2024, at K11 HACC, Arte M takes on the theme of 'Eternal Nature' and consists of four individual spaces displaying unique media artworks that reinterpret elements and nature. From the life cycle of flowers and crashing swells to boundlessly stretching seashore and the tropical rainforest, the works will take audiences on a surreal immersive experience through a combination of visual effects, sensuous sound, and elegant aromas.

Following its 15-month showcase at K11 HACC, the exhibition is expected to relocate to 11 Skies as a permanent exhibition with more works added to the collection in a much larger space. If you can't wait that long, get your tickets to the current show now.

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