HKIA Holds "Art, Culture and Music at the Airport 2016" Festival

(HONG KONG, 6 July 2016)  –  Over the next few months, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) will be immersed in the aura of art and culture as the “Art, Culture and Music at the Airport 2016” festival launched today. Hosted by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), the five-month programme features an array of art and culture displays, with local talents showcasing the city’s unique blend of Eastern and Western culture.

The debut of “Hong Kong Classics: Art, Culture and Music” last year received acclaim from travellers and the public, encouraging the AA to host the event again this year in celebration of HKIA’s 18th anniversary. This year’s festival features a wide range of vibrant performances and exhibitions, ranging from Cantonese Opera, classical and jazz music, and photo exhibitions to comics and cityscape sketches - creating a memorable cultural experience for airport users. The event also allows visitors from around the world to get a glimpse of Hong Kong’s multicultural ambiance, and its talented artists and musicians.

Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Secretary for Transport and Housing; Anita Fung, Chairlady of AA’s Art and Culture Advisory Committee; and Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of AA attended the opening ceremony today. Featured artists and representatives from participating organisations also attended the ceremony to show their support.

Officiating at the ceremony, Anita Fung said, “To enhance passengers’ overall airport experience, we cannot only rely on hardware improvements. We must also introduce new services and ideas catering to passengers’ different needs. This is why AA established the Art and Culture Advisory Committee last year - to showcase local art and culture at HKIA. The committee has organised various art, culture and music activities at the airport, providing a unique and memorable experience for travellers, and introducing them to Hong Kong’s talented local artists and its one-of-a-kind East meets West culture. We hope to use the airport as a stage to showcase our lively local culture and arts to passengers from around the world.”

At the ceremony, Professor Adrian Walter, Director of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), renowned pianist Nancy Loo and students of the academy treated audiences to mesmerising guitar and piano performances. Around 40 HKAPA students also staged a flash mob performance of French composer Maurice Ravel’s Bolero.

This year’s festival features eight exhibitions and musical activities:

1. “The Exquisite Brushwork of Kong Kai Ming” – This exhibition features 31 local landscape and cityscape paintings and sketches by local artist Kong Kai-ming. Kong is a highly recognised artist who has dedicated over six decades to art creation and local education, and has published over 60 books on art and art education.

2. “Liu Tung Mui’s Life Spectrum” – 31 pieces of Liu Tung-mui’s colourful artwork will be displayed. Liu suffers from cerebral palsy and has been motor impaired since birth. She started drawing in 1992, and subsequently received the “Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award” and the HKSAR Government’s Medal of Honour.

3. “Two Studio: Grand Birthday Celebration” – A collaboration between the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Professional Photographers Network (HKPPN), it features a photo exhibition based on the set piece “Grand Birthday Celebration at Mount Heung Fa” (《香花山大賀壽》) by HKPPN, and performances of selected Cantonese opera pieces by the Cantonese Opera Academy of Hong Kong.

4. “Airport Proms” – HKAPA and Extension and Continuing Education for Life will team up to entertain travellers with live music for seven days. Passengers will be able to enjoy a variety of performances, including students, alumni and teachers of HKAPA, renowned local pianists Nancy Loo and Colleen Lee, the Hong Kong String Orchestra and others.

5. Bruce Lee “Alive” Exhibition – In partnership with the Bruce Lee Foundation, HKIA is treating passengers to an exhibition featuring dynamic original pieces by local artist Milton Wong, which capture Bruce Lee and his remarkable martial arts prowess in bold, vibrant colours.

6. Comix Home Base Exhibition: “Art Touring in the City @ Airport Flying Fantasy” – Lift facades in the Arrivals Hall and platform screen doors of the Automated People Mover system will be transformed into flight-themed artwork displays featuring local comic artists Li Chi-tak and Kongkee. The display celebrates the third anniversary of Comix Home Base, which is a collaboration with Hong Kong Arts Centre.

7. “Our City ‧ Our Dream” – This art installation, created by young local architect Stanley Siu, features 324 bicycle rims which capture the image of the bauhinia flower. The giant art piece is a tribute to Hong Kong’s international award winning cycling team, and evokes the energetic, youthful and whimsical spirit of the city.

8. “Harmony” – International Students’ Visual Arts Contest-cum-Exhibition of Hong Kong –  The Contest and Exhibition organised by the Education Bureau and Po Leung Kuk aims to stimulate students’ creativity through creation in visual arts, and to foster international art and cultural exchange. Winners of the Hong Kong Grand Prize and Honourable Mentions will be displayed at HKIA.

Details of “Art, Culture and Music at the Airport 2016” can be found on the designated webpage at http://www.hongkongairport.com/artandculture2016, and in the brochure available for download at http://www.hongkongairport.com/leaflet/programme_brochure.pdf.