A quick digest of the coolest weekend happenings in Hong Kong.
Friday, April 12
The traveling exhibition “Van Gogh Alive” has travelled to many corners of the globe, from Anchorage, Alaska to Singapore, and it’s now in Hong Kong. Running here until July, this immersive exhibition will display more than 3,000 artworks on LED screens, floors, ceiling and walls, set to a classical music score that will take visitors on a journey through Arles, where he painted his famous bedroom; Saint-Rémy where he entered the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum and painted his famous The Starry Night scene depicting the view outside his sanitarium room window at night; and to Auvers-sur-Oise where he painted Wheatfield With Crows and many other works until his death in 1890.
10am to 9pm (Mon-Thurs) and 10am to 10pm (Fri-Sun and public holidays) until Sunday, July 7 at, 1/F, FTLife Tower, 18 Sheung Yuet Road, Kowloon Bay. Free (children under the age of 4), HK$190 (children aged 4-15, full-time students and concessions) HK$230 (aged 15 years and over) HK$550 (family tickets for two adults and one child).
Portrait of Hong Kong by Fan Ho
Last chance to catch this exhibition, which features photographs of old Hong Kong taken by the late Shanghainese photographer and film director Fan Ho. The images take you on a journey from the “boat people” of west to east of Hong Kong Island, moving across Victoria Harbour into the bustling and modern Kowloon, and then ending in the quiet waters of the New Territories. The exhibition will feature about 40 works including some rare vintage pieces, and a book of Ho’s photos, also with the same title, will be on sale for HK$780. There will be a preview tonight from 6pm to 9pm, and a formal opening on Monday, March 25.
11am to 6pm until Sunday, April 14 at, 28 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Free.
Audrey Hepburn is one of the most famous Hollywood icons of all time, and Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby made a name for himself capturing candid photos of stars. To mark the 90th anniversary of Hepburn’s birth, and the 10th anniversary of Willoughby’s death, F11 Foto Museum will be holding an exhibition presenting 90 of Willoughby’s photos of Hepburn. Each photo — one from each year since Audrey’s birth — features a number of behind the scenes shots of some of her most well-known movies, to rare candid photos of Hepburn as a mother. This exhibition has been curated by F11’s founder and director Douglas So with the help of Willoughby’s son Christopher. Guided tours will also take place on Saturday (2:30pm for English, 4:30pm for Cantonese).
2pm to 7pm until Saturday, July 27 at, F11 Foto Museum, 11 Yuk Sau Street, Happy Valley. HK$100 (adults) HK$50 (students and seniors aged 65 and above) Free (children aged 11 and under, and disabled).
A Pop Up Show by Jonathan Jay Lee
Last chance to catch this pop up show by Taiwanese-American artist Jonathan Jay Lee, an illustrator based in Hong Kong known for his vibrant illustrations. His clients have included Marvel Comics, South China Morning Post, as well as big brand names like Mercedes, Lamborghini, Lee Kum Lee and HSBC. This exhibition will feature illustrations of Hong Kong. For examples of his work, check out his Instagram page.
5pm to 12am on Tuesday to Thursday; 5pm to 3am on Friday to Saturday; 3pm to 12am on Sunday, until Wednesday, April 17 at, Chez Trente, 6 Chung Wo Lane, Soho, Central. Free.
It’s been getting hotter in Hong Kong these last few days — summer’s about here, which means beach season and junk parties. For those looking for a way to stay cool, how about a water fight? Songkran HK, organized by Hongkongers of Thai descent, aims to promote Thai culture, food, products, fashions, arts and crafts by bringing the Songkran celebration from Thailand to the streets of Hong Kong. There’ll be a traditional Thai market and the Nang Songkran parade, too. Don’t forget to bring your water pistols for the mass water fight on Sunday.
12pm to 8pm until Wednesday, April 17 at, D2 Place, 9 Cheung Yee Street, Lai Chi Kok. Free.
Game of Thrones Ultimate Experience
Well, the final season of Game of Thrones is just about here, which means the end is near for the mega-hit fantasy TV show. It also means that people can finally stop saying “winter is coming” and perhaps, instead, “winter is here.” If you’re excited for the final season, Now E and HBO GO will be bringing this one-off exhibition that features eight interactive zones, white walkers, collectable gifts, and the Iron Throne itself, so that you can geek out over GoT irl.
11am to 9pm until Tuesday, April 23 at, 2/F Atrium & Centre Bridge, Cityplaza, 18 Tai Koo Shing Road, Quarry Bay. Free.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
Watch all 37 of William Shakespeare’s plays in 97 minutes in this hilarious, fast-paced retelling of all of the bard’s works.
8pm to 10pm (Friday and Saturday) 3pm to 5pm (Saturday and Sunday) until Sunday, April 14 at, MacAulay Studio, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. HK$240 (afternoon) HK$300 (evening).
Saturday, April 13
HK Brewcraft’s 6th anniversary party
This craft beer supplies store and workshop has been a go-to for aspiring home brewers in Hong Kong when the craft brew craze took hold of the SAR. To celebrate its sixth birthday, it will be serving up six types of free flowing beers, some of Brewcraft’s own brews and guest taps. There will also be food, a lucky draw, and a pop quiz testing you on your beer knowledge and prizes. Guests will also get a complimentary sixth anniversary glass.
4pm to 7pm at, HK Brewcraft, 4/F 15 Cochrane Street, Central. HK$250.
Spanish electronic music festival Sónar will return to Hong Kong Science Park on Saturday, April 13, for its third edition in our city. Among the 35 acts announced for the event, there’s Danish electropop chanteuse MØ (who was one of the Clockenflap 2017 headliners), Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Thundercat, Spanish house DJ/producer John Talabot, and British trip-hop legend Bonobo. There will also be the in-festival conference Sónar+D, which will feature a number of technology-driven attractions, including workshops for those interested in creative technology, audio visual performances, VR experiences, and talks.
12pm to 3am at, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories. HK$580 (SónarPass) HK$780 (SónarPass).
Hong Kong-based Japanese vocalist Yoko Wende will be performing some a night of chilled jazz music and acoustic covers. She will also be performing original arrangements of music by Japanese composers like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Joe Hisaishi. She will be accompanied by Nobel Queano on guitar, and Floro Sernande on flute and percussion.
9:30pm at, Peel Fresco Music Lounge, 49 Peel Street, Soho, Central. HK$150.
HKI Presents: April Improv Night at TakeOut Comedy
The TakeOur Comedy Club will be presenting a night of improv comedy featuring Pajama Party and People’s Liberation Improv. Players will act out unscripted scenes based on suggestions by the audience, so if you’re a fan of shows like Whose Line is it Anyway, this is the show for you. Note, boozehounds, that the event is BYOB.
9pm to 11pm at, 34 Elgin Street, basement, Soho. HK$150 (online) HK$200 (at the door).
We can all do with being a bit more kinder the our environment, and if you were inspired by the recent worldwide climate strike, then you may want to swing by for the Conscious Festival. There will be a green-conscious marketplace with more than 80 local and international brands, live music, interactive games, art installations, healthy food, and talks. Entry to the marketplace is free, but for workshops you’ll need to pay, and you will need to book and pay online to confirm your place for the workshops.
10am to 9pm at, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay. Free (marketplace) HK$185 (individual price for Live, Work, Consume and Travel workshops) HK$490 (All four workshops).
Beauty and Sadness — a chamber opera by composer Elena Langer and librettist David Pountney had its world premier in Hong Kong last week. Based on Utsukushisa To Kanashimi To, the last published novel by Yasunari Kawabata, it follows story of a successful writer who reunited with his ex-lover, who is now a famous artist and recluse, and who is also living with her young protégée and jealous lover. The performance will be staged in English with Chinese subtitles.
8pm at, Lyric Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wan Chai. HK$380 to HK$880 (adults) HK$266 to HK$616 (full-time student with limited quota), HK$680 (wheelchair and restricted view).
Sunday, April 14
Long Poses Life Drawing Session
To Kwa Wan arts gallery Swing A Cat holds regular life drawing sessions on Wednesday evenings, but this week, they’ll be holding it on Sunday. Sessions start with a series of warm-ups where participants draw poses for five minutes, then 20 minutes, then one hour. This session will feature a female model. Drawing tools like A2 paper, charcoal, pencils, easels, drawing boards will be provided, although participants are welcome to bring their own. WhatsApp +852 9378 8614 to register.
2pm to 5pm at, Swing A Cat, Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon. HK$250.
This handmade craft market will feature local and independent vendors selling their handmade and self-designed wares. There will be bags, jewelry, home accessories, fine art, stationery and paper crafts, and children’s accessories. Promo for the market promises visitors that it’ll be packed with one-of-a-kind and limited edition items.
11am to 6pm at, Discovery Bay Main Plaza, Discovery Bay Plaza, Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay, Lantau. Free.
Steps Through Time: Old Photo Exhibition
Pottinger Hong Kong will be celebrating its fifth year with this exhibition featuring more than 30 rare prints of old Hong Kong. The main hotel entrance is located on 21 Stanley Street.
6am to 11:30pm until Sunday, May 5 at, Hotel Lobby, The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen’s Road Central, Central. Free.
Hong Kong artist Hon Chi-fun wowed the art world with his distinctive traditional Eastern style blended with contemporary Western techniques. Born in 1922, Hon was a postal inspector by trade and a self-taught artist who rose to prominence with art works. He passed away in February at the age of 96, and this exhibition at the Asia Society features 30 pieces of work by Hon that examine his fascination with light as a material and subject with his use of various media and cultural influences.
10am to 8pm until Sunday, June 9 at, Asia Society, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty. Free.
EAST presents “Vertical Dreams” solo exhibition by Desmond Lo
Chic boutique hotel EAST Hong Kong will be presenting this new art exhibition by local artist Desmond Lo, who is known for neo-noir and cyberpunk-inspired photos of Hong Kong. His new exhibition will use SCI renders to create “a new sensation of the city,” and take viewers on a visual and colorful journey of Hong Kong.
Always open until Tuesday, April 30 at, EAST, Hong Kong, 29 Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Shing. Free.
PLAY to Proliferate: Sign City
As Coconuts HK discovered last year, as the government ramps up efforts to take down many of the city’s iconic neon signs, some groups have been working to save some of these signs from the landfill. One such group is Streetsign HK, an NGO which works to draw attention to the disappearing legacy of the city’s unique signboards, including neon signs and other types of overhanging signs.
The main installation features rescued pieces of Chinese characters from actual abandoned signboards, combine with lighting and a series of mirror walls and floor to recreate and “proliferate” an infinity signboards effect, similar to the old street photos of Hong Kong when signboards filled up the sky on the street.
The exhibition would also encourage visitors to “play” or interact and create part of the exhibit by selecting their preferred authentic Hong Kong style signboard, represented as graphic combination on transparencies and to project them into the signboard installation area by the overhead projector.
10am to 8pm until Sunday, May 5 at, Oil Street Art Space, 12 Oil Street, Fortress Hill. Free.
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