New UK Dance Night, Rezonate, Coming to Social Room in July

Get ready to see Pacific Place and StarstreetPrecinct transformed into surreal playgrounds of art and imagination, as part of Swire Properties Arts Month 2025. From Mar. 20 to Apr. 6, 2025, two larger-than-life public installations will captivate visitors with their playful, thought-provoking designs.

For the third year running, Pacific Place is hosting Art Basel Hong Kong’s offsite “Encounters,” this time featuring a site-specific installation by Zurich-based artist Monster Chetwynd — her first public artwork in Hong Kong. 

Titled "Lanternfly Ballet," the vibrant artworks of the lantern bug – native to Hong Kong – celebrates biodiversity with three massive lanternfly sculptures resting on oversized lily pads, each one collaged in Chetwynd’s signature handmade aesthetic and maximalist style. 

Adding to the magic, dancers will deliver live performances inspired by "The Ballet of the Enchanted Dragonfly" and "The Little Mermaid" on select dates, bringing the ephemeral beauty of lanternflies to life.

Live Performances: 

• Saturday Mar. 22: 3:30 PM
• Friday Mar. 28: 1:30 PM
• Saturday, Apr. 5: 3:30 PM

Location: Park Court, Level L1, Pacific Place, Admiralty.

Meanwhile, the colorful exploration of public art extends to Starstreet Precinct as Laurent Perbos’ sculptural installation "Beauty and Gesture" makes its Hong Kong debut.

First unveiled at the 2024 Paris Olympics, this series reimagines the iconic Venus de Milo statues, transforming them into sporty goddesses. 

Each of the six sculptures grips equipment from different Olympic and Paralympic sports — including basketball, boxing, javelin, surfing, tennis, and para-archery. This acclaimed series, which previously toured the Chinese mainland, will be displayed outside Three Pacific Place, offering a perfect excuse to take a stroll, snap some photos, and immerse yourself in a world where art, nature, and sport.

Location: Outside Three Pacific Place on Starstreet Precinct, Wan Chai

Opening Hours: from 10 AM to 10 PM

For more information, visit Pacific Place on their website, Instagram, and Facebook. 

This Art Month, horror-comedy fans can expect a mix of gasps, shocks, and dark humor when multimedia artist IV Chan brings her newly commissioned performance piece, “Our Birthdays (uncut),” to this year's Art Central 2025.  

Presented as part of the fair’s Performance program, “In Search of the Miraculous,” Chan’s piece reimagines the maternal figure as a vampire, drawing on the campy absurdity of Chinese B-movie horror comedies.

Chan’s artistic practice focuses on bodies and the corporeal, as well as their fragile and often grotesque ties to memory, environment, and maternal forces. Her works span sculpture, installation, photography, and performance. 

In her other works, her textile sculptures — soft, bulbous forms — stitched, stuffed, and punctured — spill into the space and dangle from the ceiling. These whimsical, anthropomorphic sculptures, inspired by psychoanalysis, folklore, and mythology, straddle the line between the feminine and monstrous, evoking themes of childhood memory and identity.

With exhibitions at Art Basel, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, and Karin Weber Gallery under her belt, Chan is a fixture in the city’s contemporary art scene. She also designs costumes for film and theatre and teaches sculpture part-time at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The Beat Asia sat down with Chan to discuss her Art Central performance and the creative process behind her evocative, boundary-pushing work. 

When did you first realize you wanted to be an artist? Was there a defining moment?

I never consciously thought about wanting to be an artist, but my obsession with building stuff, creating chaos, and exploring sensory experiences has always been a part of me.

My mother once reminisced about my primary school days, recalling how I would return home covered in dirt, my white uniform and socks stained, and my hair disheveled. She could only imagine the mischief I must have gotten into when she wasn't around. 

I was more inclined to cause trouble than focus on my studies. One day I would be punished for dissecting earthworms with a twig in the field, and another day, my mom would receive a call from the teacher for shaving erasers with a ruler during class. 

My teenage years at a strict Anglican convent school surprisingly became a catalyst for my rebellious spirit. It was during this time that my curiosity about deconstructing and transforming began to take root, and this fascination has only deepened over the years. 

What inspired this piece “Our Birthdays (uncut)"?

The concept for this performance originated from an imaginative scenario of a Chinese vampire giving birth inside a coffin. I found the idea of dressing up as the living dead and delivering a child in front of the audience both absurd and thought-provoking. 

Your work often deals with the body — its vulnerabilities, transformations, and politics. How does this performance “Our Birthdays (uncut)” continue that conversation?

I was led to reflect on Marie Antoinette's traumatic experience of giving birth publicly to her first child. The intimate moment of a mother and child was transformed into a spectacle for unrelated onlookers, showing how private experiences can become public concerns. The iconic "Madonna and Child" image also came to mind. In my performance, I replaced the Virgin Mary, a symbol of virtue and purity, with a Chinese vampire, embodying mortality, rebellion, and nonconformity. 

By creating this vampire as a maternal figure, I aimed to challenge the quintessential qualities of motherhood. This juxtaposition allows us to question traditional notions of motherhood and explore new narratives that blend the sacred with the macabre. 

“Our Birthdays (uncut)” reimagines the vampire in Chinese cinema. What fascinates you about these figures?

I recall watching Chinese vampire movies in the late 80s, but never quite enjoying them. However, I was captivated by the vampires’ imagery. Typically portrayed by male actors, these characters often embodied an intriguing blend of femininity through their styling and excessive makeup, which lent them a cult-like appeal. The long-braided hair, prominent blush on pale cheeks, blood-red lips, and super-long fingernails all combined to create a strikingly campy impression that I found deeply intriguing. 

Why were you drawn to the maternal archetype in Chinese cinema for this piece?

In my exploration of post-war black-and-white Chinese cinema, I noticed that female characters were often portrayed as either virtuous wives and mothers, diligent workers, or well-behaved daughters, or, at the opposite extreme, as morally corrupt and evil. I find these dichotomous female roles deeply unsettling. To me, they are as frightening as vampires, embodying a rigidity that feels suffocating. 

How do they intersect with the themes of queerness and horror in your work?

Vampires in films exist in a liminal state, they are neither fully alive nor entirely dead. From my perspective, this liminality resonates with the essence of queerness. It is about being in a constant state of metaphorical transformation, resisting fixed categorizations, and embracing fluidity. 

Your work spans sculpture, installation, photography, and performance. Can you describe your creative process?

I've noticed that I often start projects with an imaginary character in mind, who is partially a reflection of myself. Usually, I create individual sculptures in response to this character. As the fabrications grow, they sometimes reach a scale that necessitates situating them within a specific scenario, which prompts the revelation of a secret, myth, or narrative. 

This process often leads to a desire to create larger installations, where multiple sculptures, special lighting, and other theatrical elements can come together to form a more comprehensive presentation. Occasionally, I incorporate performance into these installations, bringing the imaginary character to life and exploring new personas as we progress. 

How do the different mediums you work with influence each other throughout your creative process?

What I particularly enjoy is the aftermath of the installation after it has been activated by the performance. The presence of the objects and the space feels more natural and authentic, less artificial and carefully arranged. The "mess" created by the performance is, to me, beautiful. 

As for photography, I primarily focus on black-and-white nude self-portraits. I haven’t properly shown them yet. I see them as bodily exercises, finding forms in front of the mirror, unleashing personas through the lens. 

Recently I have been working on setting up my own darkroom in the studio, with the hope that it will soon be fully operational.

Location: Central Harbourfront Hong Kong, 9 Lung Wo Road

Stay connected with IV via her website, Facebook or Instagram. 

West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) is turning up the heat this Art March 2025 with its vibrant WestK Art March Celebrations from now until Apr. 30, 2025!

Caffeine lovers won’t want to miss the COFFEE HK x Tokyo Coffee Festival @WestK, a collaboration with Tokyo Coffee Festival and organized by COFFEE HK, which will be making its debut at the Great Lawn from Apr. 18 to 21, 2025. 

The outdoor festival will bring together 50+ renowned coffee, liquor, and cultural brands from Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, Japan, and beyond. Expect coffee tastings, wine pairings, and lifestyle workshops alongside vibrant live music.

In the art and installations department, things are also ramping up as the WestK FunFest returns for its second edition from Mar. 21 to Apr. 27, 2025, across various venues. The festival features nearly 100 multimedia art programs, with ticketed or free options, including Pollinator, a large-scale installation and live artist residency by U.S. artist duo Alex Schweder and Ward Shelley at Harbourside East Lawn, and Interactive pop-up performances and artist-led workshops at Art Park. Feeling art fatigue? Get a bite to eat at the themed food stalls held at the FunFest Market every weekend.

At M+, visitors can explore the newest world-class exhibitions, like The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation, the largest exhibition of Picasso’s masterpieces in Hong Kong, co-presented with the French May Arts Festival. Meanwhile, Lee Mingwei’s Guernica in Sand offers a haunting reinterpretation of Picasso’s iconic Guernica (1937), merging visual art with performance.

At the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) in WestK, a new exhibition A Movable Feast: The Culture of Food and Drink in China, is running from Mar. 19 to June 18, 2025, offering a 5000-year culinary journey through Chinese history, and a chance to see eight grade-one national treasures from The Palace Museum. 

Lastly, on Apr. 13, 2025, the Skechers Friendship Walk Hong Kong will return to Art Park, featuring a family and pet-friendly walk with proceeds benefiting local charities. Participants will receive a themed event kit, while the carnival area offers game booths, pet activities, photo spots, and stage performances for a fun-filled day with purpose.

Location: Multiple Locations in West Kowloon Cultural District

For more details on the celebrations, visit WestK's official website, or go to their Instagram and Facebook. 

Immerse yourselves in the joie de vivre of art in this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong. 

French Riviera-inspired restaurant Le Petite Maison (LPM) has partnered with renowned Pearl Lam Galleries for a restaurant exhibition titled “Blooming Shields,” showcasing the works of Nigerian artist Ayobola Kekere-Ekun during Art Basel Hong Kong 2025. 

Running from Mar. 17 to Apr. 16, 2025, the exhibition will be celebrating the shared joys of food, art, and culture at Le Petite Maison’s Mediterranean-style rendezvous at H Queen’s, Central. 

“Blooming Shields” sees Kekere-Ekun’s signature mixed-media quilling technique and playful use of colour. This bespoke exhibition portrays nature as a protector, with the use of flowers and butterflies as contrast to the idea of shields. The artworks are from Kekere-Ekun’s series “The Real Housewives of Old Oyo,” which is a vibrant dialogue between traditional mythology and the politics of gender, power, and representation in contemporary Nigeria. 

Le Petite Maison has crafted a limited-time cocktail and dessert pairing inspired by the artwork. The dessert, Rum Baba, Strawberry and Coconut Cream (HK$138), embodies the zestful spirit of the exhibition through its colorful presentation and creative inspiration. Plated with bright strawberry coulis and dollops of whipped cream, it echoes Kekere-Ekun’s dynamic African hues, while capturing the artistic essence of Le Petite Maison’s celebration of joie de vivre. 

Inspired by the vibrant and vivid artworks displayed in the restaurant, Le Petite Maison designed a themed cocktail called Jardin de Fleurs (HK$128). This inspired concoction features a lively blend of rose wine, elderflower liqueur, champagne cordial, and vodka, all complemented by peach & jasmine soda. Crowned with bergamot and raspberry foam, the cocktail begins with a delightful fizz, gradually revealing a harmonious symphony of floral aromas and fruity flavors. The presentation gives a glimpse into the inspirational journey behind the exhibition, resonating deeply with its delicate yet insightful exploration of gender and nature. 

Le Petite Maison’s partnership with Pearl Lam Galleries aligns with a “deep-rooted passion for art and creativity ingrained in the brand’s DNA,” said Nicolas Budzynski, CEO of Le Petite Maison. “Our first collaboration with Pearl Lam at Art Basel Miami was a huge success, and we’re excited to bring something equally special to our guests in Hong Kong.” 

He added, “This latest initiative allows us to extend the creativity we harness in our food and drinks, intersecting art and culture with the restaurant experience as Hong Kong celebrates art during Art Basel.” 

Founder of Pearl Lam Galleries, Pearl Lam, said, “Marrying art and hospitality highlights how both play a central role in creating memorable experiences and meaningful connections. I want to thank La Petite Maison for once again providing a platform to bridge cultures during Art Month with 'Blooming Shields.' This collaboration celebrates our shared passion for enriching the cultural landscape of Hong Kong, which is my root.” 

Le Petite Maison’s passion for fusing art and culture with the dining experience extends from its Belle Epoque-inspired artworks that decorate the restaurant walls, to its Recipe For Our Friends cocktail menu, which is a tribute to the artist, writer, and bon vivant Jean Cocteau. 

Renowned for its bright and imaginative dishes made from immaculate Mediterranean ingredients, Le Petite Maison reminisces the laid-back glamour of the Cote d’Azur through its commitment to quality, consistency, and the signature French joie de vivre. 

For more information, visit Le Petit Maison (Hong Kong)’s website and Instagram. Make reservations here or call them at +852 2887 1113.

Location: Le Petit Maison (Hong Kong), H Queen’s 23-29 Stanley Street, Central

Opening Hours: 12 PM to 2:30 PM, 6 PM to 10 PM (Monday to Friday), 12 PM to 3 PM, 6 PM to 10 PM (Saturday to Sunday)

Hallyu fans, imagine experiencing NCT WISH and THE BOYZ live on stage in Seoul without any cost. Thanks to Agoda, this dream can become a reality for fans in Hong Kong.

The digital travel platform has unveiled an exclusive deal: free tickets to the Seoul Spring Festa’s opening ceremony, WONDER SHOW, featuring a star-studded lineup of K-Pop’s biggest names, like NCT WISH, THE BOYZ, n.SSign, TWS, NMIXX, STAYC, and more. 

If you book a stay through Agoda’s "Agoda x Wonder Show" special room package, you’ll receive two free tickets per booking. The offer is available from Mar. 17 to Apr. 11, 2025, and also includes an additional 15% discount on accommodations for stays between Apr. 21 to 30, 2025.

To make the most of your trip, Agoda is also offering the Discover Seoul Pass, an all-in-one travel pass that grants access to top attractions, transportation, and connectivity in Seoul. 

WONDER SHOW is set to take place on Apr. 30, 2025, at the iconic Seoul World Cup Stadium, kicking off the festival with a dazzling K-Pop concert, mesmerizing drone shows, and cutting-edge laser displays. Seoul Spring Festa promises the best of Korea’s vibrant arts and entertainment scene, where interactive K-Pop, beauty, entertainment-themed booths, and food intersect.

For more details on these deals, visit Agoda on their website or Instagram.

Dominic Johnson-Hill, better known as Plastered 8, has never been one to color inside the lines. From the moment he set up shop in a historic Beijing hutong, he has built a cult following with his witty, irreverent streetwear and designs, infused with nostalgia and celebrating Chinese culture. 

Dominic collaborates with a diverse range of local artists, including illustrators, sculptors, musicians, and filmmakers, to create his unforgettable aesthetic, splashed with iconic Beijing imagery, which has graced everything from T-shirts and murals to the walls of some of Beijing’s most renowned establishments. 

Now based in Hong Kong, Dominic's series "Monster Control," takes a jab at the modern workplace, exploring themes of control and power structures. The exhibition, fittingly hosted in an empty office space in Central and titled RE:URGENT, will feature this series alongside new artworks and pieces from four other contemporary artists — Go Hung, Louie Jaubere, OBSRVR, and Riya Chandiramani — each offering a unique take on the absurdities of corporate culture.

The Beat Asia sat down with Dominic ahead of his upcoming exhibition to talk art, control, and what’s next for the artist. 

What inspired you to start your brand Plastered 8?

In 2006, I decided to open a t-shirt brand in Beijing on this old hutong that I lived on. It was a very impulsive idea, I didn't really think it through. I just thought that Beijing didn't have any good T shirts, so I started taking icons from the city and putting them on T shirts and it became really popular. 

But I needed to innovate the brand as I built it and give it more artistic depth. So I started collaborating with illustrators, tattoo artists, and anyone I met with artistic skills to create more designs and provide them with concepts and direction. That's how I got into art and built my career as an artist in Beijing.

You will be exhibiting your series “Monster Control” in the RE:URGENT show. What inspired these artworks?

“Monster Control” is about Ultraman giant monsters in the city who are unable to be naughty. I was taking photographs and getting the monsters set up in those different locations. It took a lot of time to create this series, probably well over a month. If you ever watch the old Kaiju, the Ultraman series, those monsters have a lot of meaning in them. 

The monsters [in "Monster Control"] represent children, artists, and people living in a controlled society who don’t have a medium to express themselves and are just doing monotonous, boring jobs, whether they're working for property companies or dressing up as mascots to promote hygiene in Hong Kong. It reminds me of my time at school where I was desperate to be creative and naughty, but had no place to do it because I was placed under some form of control. So it's just a playful way of showing how control works.

Can you share more about the oil paintings you're featuring in the show?

The works displayed in this exhibition are about how our lives are controlled generally, and we were given this theme of the office. The office for me is a nightmare, I can't sit still for very long, and I don't think I would ever thrive in that kind of environment. This is the common thread that runs through all the artworks and the oil paintings, maybe except the one of the old Hong Kong [governor], Henry Pottinger.  I saw one of these portraits of him, and I thought, wouldn't it be fun to play around with that, so I added a very naughty theme to the painting.

I was looking on the internet for old paintings of Hong Kong, and came across one of these guys looking at this wall that had notices written on from the 19th century, and I thought, that's perfect, so I sent that painting to the oil painters, to recreate it with this poster.

And I love [Lap Sap Chung], he's a wonderful icon in Hong Kong. Mascots are very common in Asia, but they are not something we have in the UK.  I just love the fact that you have these really playful mascots telling us what to do, I think it's really good fun. 

The [sign] that's featured in that oil painting was one I saw on the road in Tung Chung. It was like his eyes coming out of this poster saying, "Someone is watching."

Then I did another one, a collaboration with a Hong Kong street artist called OBSRVR, where I took one of his slogans and put it on the wall, and put the CCTV cameras above it, so it's like you're being watched. Those two are very much in line with this control theme, which works very well with the office. The office is just such a wonderful example of how we control and organize human beings into teams and be productive and what have you. 

You’re also introducing a new range of Flashcards in this exhibition. What inspired this series?

This range ["Flashback 9 to 5"] is all about the office. 

I’ve got a director in a gimp suit, a manager with no face, a boss watching everybody on CCTV cameras, and an intern in a prison suit.  I'm not normally that dark, but I thought it would just be fun to go really hard on the office, because the office can be a really desperate place. In the back of my mind, I'm always terrified that one day I'll have to go and work in one. 

The original range of flashcards came to me when I went to a second-hand market, and found a set of flashcards that were designed in that style, a kind of offset style. And it was very classic. It was 媽媽 (mother), 爸爸 (father), 醫生 (doctor), etc., and I changed them so that they were on their phones, because those flashcards were made in the 1970s and I thought it would be fun to see all these people distracted. The second range was about Hong Kong people; there was an expat, a banker, a tycoon, etc. 

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is there a particular era you draw from?

When I started the brand, I used a lot of iconography and ideas that came from second-hand markets and vintage markets. A lot of it came from the zeitgeist and what was going on in Beijing. I was taking objects and icons that people in Beijing took for granted, things they had in their lives growing up every day that they didn't notice because it was normal for them. I often take two things that have absolutely no relation to each other and stick them together in a colorful and inquisitive way. It’s like an extension of my personality – I’m a very playful person. 

Why did you decide to move to Hong Kong?

I lived in Beijing from 1993 until 2019, and I've been in Hong Kong since 2019. Now I'm full-time in Hong Kong because I've closed my retail operation, and I have an agency I run in the mainland and a licensing business. But that's boring. I moved here because the mainland was changing a lot and it was becoming quite difficult for me, especially as an artist. 

I met my wife in China and my kids were all born there. We wanted a change, but we didn't want to leave China, so it was like a soft exit from the mainland.

What aspects of Hong Kong’s culture and environment inspire you?

Hong Kong is incredibly inspiring. I mean I think if you're a curious person, most places can be a playground in one way or another. I'm British, but I grew up on the mainland and never spent time in Hong Kong. Suddenly, you come down here and you see all these little eccentricities that are quite British. And visually, there's just so much going on with the buildings, the street art, the culture, it's kind of a retro-future that you have here. 

I also love cheap signage, like sun-bleached, cheap plastic signs, and adverts. I’ve got thousands of photographs and albums full of different stuff I get inspired by in Hong Kong.

How would you describe the art scene here?

I don't really follow an art scene per se. People like to ask me who's your favorite artist from time to time and I don't really know how to answer that question. I just create artwork because I like to express myself, and I sometimes find the courage to create things and put them out there.

I'd say that the creative pool is quite small compared to the mainland, but it's got a lot going on in terms of transactional art. There are a lot of galleries and people selling art. There's not a huge amount of people creating it, but that’s only from my uneducated perspective as someone who lives in Lantau and spends half of my time here and half my time in other areas.

What's the most challenging aspect of being an artist?

The fear of being judged, I never got over that one. I still worry what people will think when I create something – that’s something I have all the time as an artist. The other aspect is having these ideas that come to my mind and the thought, what if I don't create them? That really induces anxiety.

And what is the most rewarding aspect?

That I created hundreds of things from sculptures and videos and artworks, and each one I look back on with incredible pride. I love seeing new creations, and knowing it was just an idea that popped into my head one day when I was walking down the street, [and] then boom, it’s in the shop window.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects you want to share and where can we view your art?

I've been working on this project called “Flock” where I bring in artists to do huge murals of birds on abandoned buildings in different parts of Lantau. I thought, why don’t I put these birds on these beautiful canvases, these abandoned houses all around Lantau, so everyone can enjoy it? 

So that's an ongoing project that I'm doing at the moment, and I'm super proud of it. I get so much incredible feedback from people in the village.

I'm used to creating art and people being like 'Oh, I don't really like that, which is fine, because as they say, good art divides.' But in the case of these birds, everybody likes it and there’s no commercial aspect to it whatsoever.

I'm also working on another series of artworks right now with a Russian/Ukrainian artist that will come out probably in August. 

Make sure to catch Young Soy Gallery's new show RE:URGENT from Mar. 13 to Apr. 6, 2025 here:

Location: 15F, Universal Trade Centre, 3 Arbuthnot Road, Central 

Opening Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays from 11 AM to 7 PM 

Stay connected to Plastered 8 on their website or Facebook, or check out Dominic's Instagram.

The original “Chill Guy” is heading to Hong Kong for the Easter holidays. 

The world-famous character Chill Guy will be hosting his first-ever official pop-up store in Hong Kong from Apr. 11 to May 5, 2025, at the Festival Walk named “Chill Guy. Chill Walk Pop-up Store.” 

Who Is Chill Guy?

This internet sensation is a character made by American digital artist Philip Banks, who first posted the character on social media on Oct. 4, 2023. The artwork depicts an anthropomorphic dog wearing a gray sweater, blue jeans, and red sneakers, wearing a “chill” expression with a smirk on his face and his hands in his pocket, indicating his nonchalance. He is also noted for resembling Brian Griffin from Family Guy.

Introduced as a “chill guy that lowkey doesn’t give a f***,” Chill Guy became popular on TikTok and the internet in 2024 after memes were made with the catchphrase, “I’m just a chill guy,” with the song “Hinoki Wood” by Gia Margaret in the background. Chill Guy also became a figure for Gen Z to look up to, especially with the harsh realities of life. 

Chill Guy’s First-Ever Pop-up Store in Hong Kong

The “Chill Guy. “Chill Walk Pop-Up” is set to happen at the Festival Walk in Sha Tin, Kowloon Tong, from Apr. 11 to May 5, 2025. Fans, meme lovers, and Chill Guy enthusiasts can expect over 100 officially licensed products up for grabs, such as figures, T-shirts, baseball caps, disposable film cameras, lifestyle items, and more. 

And, of course, the Chill Guy pop-up wouldn’t be complete without a massive three-metre-tall Chill Guy installation in the atrium. There will also be meme-themed photo walls, and a Ditto.Snap selfie studio should fans want to snap some pictures with Chill Guy!

Make sure to save the date for a visit to Chill Guy’s Chill Walk Pop-Up in Hong Kong!

For more information, check out Festival Walk Hong Kong’s website, Facebook, and Instagram pages!

Location: LG 2, Festival Walk, 88 Tat Chee Avenue, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Opening Hours: 11 AM to 9 PM