SWaitse Blog: Voyage of Discovery: Shek Kip Mei to Tsim Sha Tsui

A 2009 Hong Kong Arts Festival PLUS Programme co-organized by JCCAC and Hong Kong Arts Festival, 6 Feb – 7 Mar 2009
Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

As mentioned, about 60 artworks including Chinese ink painting, oil painting, mixed media, glass, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and drawing by JCCAC’s residential artists are displayed at Hong Kong Cultural Centre during the 37th Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Performing art is never viewed apart from the

visual arts although the current usage of the term commonly includes fine art, applied art, and media art. While the former allows us a pleasant sensation of motions and presence, the latter keeps us still and think through physical art objects or digital images. These art forms work well and closely in which fine art artists sometimes choose to perform their work live to the audiences, and most performances involve plastic art in the creation of sets, props, and customs. In this exhibition, however, I do not learn much about its relationship to the Hong Kong Arts Festival. There only seems to be an opportunity to exhibit some outstanding artworks of painting, sculpture, and mixed media by Hong Kong artists, under the label of “JCCAC,” at Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

As introduced, “public perceptions of Tsim Sha Tsui and Shek Kip Mei have always been poles apart…JCCAC has found a common language which draws Tsim Sha Tsui and Shek Kip Mei closer to each other – a bond which will now be strengthened further this year during the Hong Kong Arts Festival.”

Shek Kip Mei is never close to Tsim Sha Tsui, geographically and environmentally. What puzzles me is how JCCAC can form a bond between Shek Kip Mei and Tsim Sha Tsui by a singular event. Is it feasible to arrange related art activities and exhibitions in both places during the same period? Is it also feasible to have some performances of Hong Kong Arts Festival held in JCCAC or in the community of Shek Kip Mei? I believe that an effective art promotion is not simply contingent on the location, but the way how the organizer(s) call forth people’s attention and participation. Interestingly, art connection can be developed everywhere: from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wanchai, from Shau Kei Wan to Shek Kip Mei, from Kwun Tong to Tsuen Wan, from Kwai Chung to Fotan…

A news report (20 Feb 2009):
http://www.takungpao.com/news/09/02/20/MFTX-1035693.htm