Earlier this week, the Hong Kong Tourism Board had organised the “Arts in Hong Kong” Virtual Tour, showcasing state-of-the-art museums, world-class arts and creative cultural hotspots in the vibrant West Kowloon neighbourhood.
Home to the finest crafts, ancient buildings, authentic dining and rich shopping experiences, West Kowloon does not fall short on artistic entertainment and cultural delights. Discover long-forgotten craftsmanship hidden in the streets of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei and be mesmerised by the local and international visual art with the latest openings of the M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museums.
World-class art Museums
M+
Hong Kong’s most iconic landmark and newest must-visit attraction opened in November last year. As Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, the museum presents roughly around 1,500 works extracted from the M+ Collections within the exhibition space of 17,000 square metres across 33 galleries and other spaces.
The museum comprises of both 20th and 21st century visual art, design and architecture, moving images and the thematic area of Hong Kong visual culture. With the M+ ‘harbour-facing’ Facade that lights up from the Hong Kong Island, it’s pretty hard to miss even if you try.
Hong Kong Palace Museum
With over 900 priceless treasures in its possession, the Hong Kong Palace Museum is set on becoming a part of the world’s leading cultural institutions that is committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture.
Acknowledging the international perspective of art, the museum encourages partnerships among world civilizations as well as embracing new curatorial approaches—offering a Hong Kong point of view and a global vision as they present the finest objects from the Palace Museum and other cultural institutions across the globe.
Arts and Culture in the Neighbourhood
Tung Nam Lou
Before transforming into the boutique art hotel, Tung Nam Lou used to be the neighbourhood seafood restaurant on the streets of Yau Ma Tei. The award-winning hotel does not only provide accommodation, but takes you on an artistic journey, exploring the local history, community and customs.
The trendsetter that brings experiential art by allowing their customers to participate in healing workshops, multisensory art experiences and explore the cultural attractions of the historic Yau Ma Tei.
Sindart (先達商店)
Staying true to her roots, Miru Wong, the third-generation owner of Sindart—a store that sells handmade traditional embroidered footwear—has infused modern elements into the age-old art. The innovator inherited her embroidery skills from her grandfather and adds her own spin to the ladies favourite, silk-brocade slippers.
Sindart offers heels, flats, accessories and handbags, apart from the slippers, that appeals to the younger generation along with the non-traditional motifs such as the panda, owls and flora patterns, camellia and cherry blossom.
Biu Kee Mahjong (標記麻雀)
Uncle King, the last guardian of the art of mahjong carving, continues to hone his skills and carry the long-forgotten craft into the new age. For over 50 years, he creates traditional mahjong sets by deftly etching symbols and numbers onto bare tiles and then animating them with technicolour.
Apart from that, Uncle King also makes custom tiles that bear names and cartoon characters. In order to prevent the dying craft from meeting its end, Uncle King hosts workshops open to anyone interested in learning.
For more information, you can visit their website here.
Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article
