Nine Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed in the City
Hong Kong/ Vibe/ Pop Culture

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed Volar Fly Drop Play More 1 Photo by Facebook/Kee Club

Hong Kong’s electric nightlife scene took off in the early 1990s, when Lan Kwai Fong found its feet as developers and entrepreneurs invested in nightclubs that attracted tourists and Hong Kongers for wild, unforgettable parties. Sadly, many staple nightlife hotspots have now shut shop, leaving nothing but great memories in their wake.

To honor these bastions of Hong Kong’s party scene, let us take you down memory lane and tell you the tales of all the fallen and closed Hong Kong clubs we wish still existed in Lan Kwai Fong, SoHo, Wan Chai, and beyond.

Volar 

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Instagram/Volar

At the heart of Lan Kwai Fong, Volar opened in 2004 to the scene looking for modern and industrial sounds to celebrate the arrival of dance music to Hong Kong shores. The below-ground club featured two rooms that modernised the look of clubs in Hong Kong and led to more electronic music.

COVID-19 restrictions in 2021 led to the closure of Volar after 17 years of operation. Buzz Concepts, owner of then-Volar and Fly, opened Faye later in the year atop California Tower with two top floors and a roof to house the reborn soul of Volar.

FLY

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Instagram/FLY Club

Located just outside Lan Kwai Fong’s main square, FLY on Ice House Street, was a nightclub home to partygoers that shunned the typical party vibes of Lan Kwai Fong, instead preferring tech house, electronic, breaks, RnB, and hip-hop tunes.

The front porch, semi-outdoor area of FLY welcomed people lining up outside Ice House Street with 7/11 drinks in hand through to its 3500-square-foot dance club area. Adorned with a Turbosound system, black DJ booth, and floor-to-ceiling LED wall, FLY was a club that often catered to freshly adulted Hong Kongers on their first voyages into the city’s party scene. It closed in summer 2018.

Drop

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Facebook/Drop

Brought to Hong Kong by actress Colette Koo and DJ Joel Lai, Drop stood for twenty years hidden in a SoHo alleyway. It was best-known for hosting the world’s best house, techno, and rap DJs and mixers.

Drop was well known for its quality music, a superb and creative cocktail menu, and great customers that had many late-late night party veterans in Hong Kong come back for more every weekend. The club opened early in the afternoon for happy hour, and wouldn’t shut until near-dawn every weekend. Like many nightlife venues in Hong Kong, Drop became a victim of curfews and drinking bans in 2020, when the club closed its doors for the last time.

Play

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Facebook/PLAY Club

The nightclub that every international DJ, celebrity, CEO and socialite has graced, Play has hosted some of Hong Kong’s most elite parties for years. The mega-sized 6000-square-foot large club held a luxury bar that supplied tables across the club. It was not uncommon to see high-end alcohol such as Dom Perignon, Ace of Spades, and Belvedere consumed en masse.

Having seen the likes of Skrillex, Paul Van Dyk, and Afrojack pass through the doors of Play, the mega nightclub became yet another COVID-era closure when rules forced the venue to shut its doors in early 2020.

Premium Sofa Club

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Facebook/Premium Sofa Club

Lucas Luraka, owner of Premium Sofa Club, created the multi-purpose basement in Sheung Wan for underground partying and club nights, unrestricted by the tight hold Lan Kwai Fong had on drinks prices and genre choice.

Decorated with paraphernalia from the 80s, the club was known for its plethora of sofas and lounge chairs, filling the space for partygoers to relax comfortably with their own BYOB drinks. The club began its days on Wing Lok Street, before moving to Bonham Strand three years later. As the classic Hong Kong story goes, rents were rising, and the space ultimately had to vacate the premises in summer 2017.

XXX Gallery

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Website/XXX Gallery

Underground music and arts venue XXX Gallery enjoyed a seven-year run in Hong Kong, curating playlists, performances, and exhibitions of local talent and international names. The club was founded by long-time resident Cassady Winston, known as DJ Enso.

The private venue was first brought to life on Wing Lok Street, where Premium Sofa Club once laid, moving to Sai Ying Pun in 2013 after a prolonged battle with complaining locals and politicians. It finally relocated to Tai Kok Tsui after political opposition drove them north.

The warehouse party spot saw its sad demise in 2015, after troubles with local government to secure licences to operate legally.

Privé

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More

Privé, the famed club on Wyndham Street, was once the place to hit up for Wednesday tipples and Friday clubbing in Lan Kwai Fong. Located in a cool basement space, the expansive 6,000-square-foot venue featured two wide bars, a glitzy lighting system with state-of-the-art visuals, as well as Funktion-One speakers for some of the best sounds in the area.

Adorned with a deluxe Moroccan-style interior, Privé hosted several VIP tables for high-end Lan Kwai Fong patrons to relax away from the crowds. Closing in 2015, Prive is still regarded as a top luxury club that once graced Lan Kwai Fong.

Club 97

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Website/SCMP

Hong Kong’s longest-operating nightclub, Club 97, opened way back in 1982 when Lan Kwai Fong wasn’t even known as a nightlife hotspot. Prior to the 2000s modernisation of sleek clubs and bars around Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, Club 97 still rocked its nostalgic charm with a wooden interior,retro disco lights, and music.

In its lengthy tenure, the club outlasted other pioneering nightclubs like Canton Disco in Kowloon and Disco Disco in Lan Kwai Fong. Club 97 was instrumental in welcoming the first partygoers to Lan Kwai Fong, its status as a global party capital not only in Hong Kong, but also abroad. The club took down its signs and closed doors in mid 2017.

Kee Club

Hong Kong Clubs We Wish Still Existed: Volar, Fly, Drop, Play & More
Facebook/Kee Club

Kee Club was founded by Hong Kong nightlife guru Christian Rhomberg, who also brought Club 97 to life. Back then, Kee Club fused fine-dining and luxury clubbing in a space often-mistaken for a private members’ club.

The nightclub opened for lunchtime dim sum, which was considered one of the best in the city, before playing soothing tunes all night alongside the best wines, whiskeys, and cocktails. After 15 years, Kee Club closed in 2017.

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This Week's Event In Hong Kong

Hong Kong/ Vibe/ Artists
Up-And-Coming: Luna Is A Bep Shares Musical Journey Ahead of Blok Party
Luna is a Bep 6 Photo by The Beat Asia

The Beat Hong Kong's Up and Coming is a series where we feature rising talented artists from Hong Kong, giving them a platform to share what they’re passionate about and to promote the music they (and us too!) would love for the world to hear. Do you want or know someone who wants to be featured? Email us at [email protected] or slide through our DMs on FacebookorInstagram!

Hong Kong’s music scene has long thrived on its homegrown talents, and Luna Is A Bep is no exception. 

A staple of Hong Kong’s alternative music scene, known for her razor-sharp Cantonese lyrics and experimental spirit, Luna is set to electrify the stage at this year’s Star Street Blok Party.

Luna has been nurturing her creativity since posting her rap lyrics on online platforms as early as 2018, songs which transform everyday observations and social dynamics into sonic gold. 

Based in Hong Kong, her music traverses different styles, from Hip Hop and Cantopop to Drum and Bass, a sound that is as unpredictable as the city she calls home.

Her raw, authentic style has quickly gained traction, earning her spots on ViuTV’s Chill Club and the 903 Music Awards. Luna also clinched the Best Electronic Music Single at the Tone Music Awards 2022 for her track "每當幻變時."

As she gears up for her performance, The Beat Asia caught up with Luna to talk about her creative process, the evolution of her music style, and playing the upcoming neighborhood bash. 

Luna
Courtesy of Luna Is A Bep

How did you come up with your name "Luna Is A Bep?"

In 2018, I started posting songs anonymously and wanted a fun stage name. "Luna" is my real name, so I thought of "Luna something." It was originally "Luna Is A Bitch," but I changed it to "Beep." When I made my Facebook page, I made a typo, and it became "Luna Is A Bep," which doesn’t really mean anything.

How did you get into rap and why pursue music?

Luna
Courtesy of Luna Is A Bep

I come from a grassroots background, and Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) opened my eyes to art. My music reflects local experiences, like Hong Kong’s busy life and social issues.

How would you describe your music and how has it evolved over time?

Luna
Facebook/ Luna Is A Bep

It’s hard to define—it's very much "me" and evolves over time, often being quite honest.

My taste has shifted. I choose music styles that fit the themes [of the song]. My latest song "到時" is a ballad about my father's loss, and I felt a Cantonese pop vibe suited it best.

Are you experimenting with different styles in the future?

Luna
Facebook/ Luna Is A Bep

Definitely! I’m exploring my feminine side, and I want to create related concept art.

Can you describe your creative process and where do you go for inspiration?

I focus on staying chill and letting inspiration flow, without a strict routine.

[I find inspiration] everywhere! Conversations, people watching, traveling, and life’s ups and downs.

Which artists impact your music the most?

I didn’t have an idol growing up, but The Low Mays back then really inspired me to embrace wild ideas. I love their absurdity and freedom.

Do you take an on-stage persona? How do your live shows differ from studio work?

Luna
Instagram/ Luna Is A Bep

I do! I'm more introverted offstage, but onstage, I connect with the audience and enjoy making them laugh. 

What do you think about Hong Kong's underground scene?

Luna
Facebook/ Luna Is A Bep

Social media has changed things. We used to have strong online communities; now it feels more about self-branding. But creativity is alive, and the younger generation's visual sense is more promising now.

Are you excited to perform at Star Street's Blok Party?

Luna performing
Facebook/ Luna Is A Bep

Yes! This is my first gig this year after my solo show in January. I appreciate every opportunity to showcase my work and can’t wait to see the audience!

What's next for Luna Is A Bep?

I’m taking a break. As the world slows down and AI tech moves fast, I want to stay calm and prepare for the next steps. I’m researching concepts and working on music, focusing on quality without rushing!

Stay connected to Luna Is A Bep on her website, Instagram and Facebook

Details on Luna Is A Bep's Star Street Blok Party Performance:

Location: Starstreet Precinct

Time: Friday, Apr. 18, from 2:40 PM to 3:25 PM

Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Up-and-Coming articles here.

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Hong Kong/ The List/ What's On
Waterbomb Festival is Bringing Back the Heat to Hong Kong this 2025
20250415 Waterbomb HK Photo by Waterbomb Hong Kong/Instagram

Ready for another summer weekend filled with good music, high spirits, and water gun fights? 

After its successful inaugural run last June 2024, South Korea’s Waterbomb Festival will be making a powerful return this 2025

In their announcement posted last Apr. 8, 2025, organisers of the much-awaited Waterbomb Festival said that “water splashes and music will once again bring the heat back to Hong Kong!”

Waterbomb Music Festival: Music, Water, and A Whole Lot of Fun

First held in 2015 in Seoul South Korea, the Waterbomb Music Festival, or Waterbomb, is an annual summer music festival blending music, water, and epic water fights

Artist lineups to the summer event usually include some of the biggest names in the K-pop, K-Hip Hop, and K-R&B genres, such as Jay Park, Jessi, Hwasa, HyunA, and more. 

According to the organizers, “music, water, and passion” will once again come together to bring in new exhilarating moments for festival goers to enjoy. 

Waterbomb Hong Kong 2024

Hong Kong was able to enjoy South Korea’s much-anticipated Waterbomb Festival for the first time last June 1 to 2, 2024, at the AXA x Wonderland in West Kowloon

Last year’s lineup included popular Hong Kong artists like PACT, Tony Yu, Yao Chen, and TIAB, who electrified the Waterbomb stage with its headliners Jay Park, Jessi, HyunA, Loco, Yugyeom, Kwon Eunbi, Rain, and more. 

Follow Waterbomb Hong Kong on their official Instagram page to know more details! And stay tuned to The Beat Asia for more updates and let us know who’s on your Waterbomb Hong Kong 2025 Artist Wishlist! Visit our Instagram for more details.

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Hong Kong/ Vibe/ Happenings
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong Returns with a Bang
AAF 1 Photo by Courtesy of Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong

Those mourning the vibrant celebrations of Art Month, get ready to dive into a world of creativity again as the 12th edition of Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong (AAF) takes over the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from May. 22 to May. 25, 2025.

With 98 local and international galleries showcasing contemporary masterpieces—all under HK$100,000—this is your chance to snag stunning art without breaking the bank.

From rising stars to established names, the fair brings together top galleries from across Asia-Pacific and beyond, many veterans of the global Affordable Art Fair circuit. 

Plus, this year’s GREAT Art zone, curated by Wong Ka Ying in collaboration with the British Consulate General Hong Kong, spotlights the bold, dynamic creativity of UK artists, adding an exciting cross-cultural twist.

Minkyun Cho
Facebook/ Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong

Don’t miss the spotlight on emerging talent with Young Talent Hong Kong, curated by Peony Hung, where five rising artists explore themes from generational connectivity to environmental awareness. Highlights include Jason Chan’s pixelated sculptures made from recycled plastics and Aria Chan and Irene Lee's mesmerizing printworks.

Families, take note! Art Loop will bring interactive workshops and tours for kids (ages 4–12), while adults can join a one-time-only Saturday workshop with award-winning Hong Kong illustrator Kitty N. Wong from 2 PM to 4 PM, presented by Young Soy Gallery. 

Acclaimed artist Eleanor McColl, a long-time exhibitor and staple of the Hong Kong Arts Collective, will also lead an exclusive artmaking session for grown-up creatives, complemented by a free glass of wine.

Kitty N. Wong
Facebook/ Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong

Travel through time with Century of Glory – Kai Tak, a collaboration with Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), featuring 20 artworks reinterpreting the old airport’s legacy. And for pure sensory delight, this year's Special Projects will unveil six unique projects exploring connection, cultural identity, and tradition vs modernity. 

Step into The Tiny Smile’s vibrant, interactive installation or explore Li Shudan’s whimsical Fruit Market, featuring 365 hand-carved wooden apples—with a special surprise reveal!

Prices for the Opening Night and Fair Pass are HK$340, General Admission is priced at HK$195, Family Morning (minimum purchase 2 tickets or above) is priced at HK$180, and Concession (senior citizens aged 65 or above and full-time students) is priced at HK$145. Get your tickets here!

For a full list of the participating galleries, visit their website here, or find AAF on Instagram and Facebook for more details. 

Location: Address: Hall 1D – E, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai

Opening Night Hours: Thursday May. 22, 2025, from 4 PM to 9 PM 

Public Opening Hours: Friday May. 23, 2025, from 12 PM to 9 PM, Saturday May. 24, from 10 PM to 8 PM, Sunday May. 25, from 10 PM to 7 PM 

Family Morning Hours: Saturday 24 May, from 10 AM to 12 PM, Sunday 25 May, from 10 AM to 12 PM.  

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Hong Kong/ The List/ What's On
Chiikawa, One of Japan’s Cutest Obsessions, is Having a Pop-Up at Hong Kong
20250407 chiikawa Photo by NIKO-NIKO/Instagram

Everyone, say hello to CHIIKAWA! 

One of Japan’s cutest obsessions, CHIIKAWA, is having its first-ever official pop-up at Harbour City in Hong Kong from Apr. 2 to 27, 2025

Presented by local lifestyle brand NIKO-NIKO, this highly anticipated pop-up store measuring 3,000-square-feet will be bringing over 400 adorable and authentic CHIIKAWA merchandise from Japan, with some exclusive, limited-edition items that will only be available at Harbour City. 

This pop-up is the first official one in Hong Kong, featuring a range of official printed T-shirts, stationery, plushies, lifestyle items, and trendy fits you’ll surely want to cop!

Tote bags of different colors featuring Chiikawa characters
Photo from Website/Harbour City
Backpacks in different color schemes
Photo from Website/Harbour City
A small, ruffled shoulder bag
Photo from Website/Harbour City
A small, black bag
Photo from Website/Harbour City
A tote bag modeled by a girl
Photo from Website/Harbour City
Small dumpling bags of different colors
Photo from Website/Harbour City
A long-sleeved shirt
Photo from Website/Harbour City
Small charms with Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi
Photo from Website/Harbour City
One of the plushies being sold at the "Chiikawa" Pop Up
Photo from Website/Harbour City

Plus, from Apr. 9 onwards, 21 classic Japanese figurines and charms will be released with limited stocks, with a purchase limit of one per design — so you’ll have to be quick to not miss out on it! 

The pop-up will also have three cute photo spots, including a two-meter-tall plushie display wall with over 600 CHIIKAWA dolls and a 10-meter-long photo wall for cute pictures and selfies with your favorite CHIIKAWA characters!

Make A Wish with Chiikawa at the CHIIKAWA Wishing Garden!

A postcard at the CHIIKAWA Wishing Garden
Photo from Website/Harbour City

Harbour City is bringing the charmingly pretty CHIIKAWA Wishing Garden to Ocean Terminal! The spring-themed garden has three wishing trees, with Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi waiting for everyone to come in and make their wishes!

The garden also has a cute photo wall for fans to capture some shots from their time there! 

After spending HKD$300 or more at the pop-up store, fans can redeem a CHIIKAWA Wishing Card, where they can write down new CHIIKAWA merch they’d like to see in the future, or express their love for CHIIKAWA, and hang it on the tree right after!

Location: CHIIKAWA Wishing Garden, Atrium, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City

A young girl and young woman at the CHIIKAWA Wishing Garden
Photo from Website/Harbour City

Fans are encouraged to pre-register at KKday for priority entry to the pop-up! Same-day tickets will also be distributed during designated time periods at the pop-up store. Register here!

Don’t miss out on this chance to see Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi, and to cop exclusive CHIIKAWA merch! Follow NIKO-NIKO on Instagram for more information and sneak peeks. 

Who is CHIIKAWA?

Chiikawa is short for "Something Small and Cute" in Japanese
Photo from Instagram/Chiikawa Official

Chiikawa is the main protagonist of the Japanese manga and anime series “Chiikawa” or “Nanka Chiisakute Kawaii Yatsu”. Their name is derived from the Japanese title meaning “Something Small and Cute.”

They are creatures of unspecified species or gender that’s small, cute, and easily moved to tears. They also express themselves through sounds, and they often say “Yada” or “Iyada,” a childish way of saying “no” in Japanese. Their best friends are Hachiware, a bicolor cat, and Usagi, a rabbit. 

Location: Ocean Terminal, Main Concourse, Harbour City, 3 – 27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Time: 11 AM to 9 PM (Last entry: 8:30 PM)

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Hong Kong/ Vibe/ Happenings
Update: Star Street Blok Party Has Moved to April 18!
Y2 K Blok Party Photo by Y2K

We're super excited to announce our exclusive English Media Partnership with Star Street Blok Party as Starstreet Precinct is about to be the hottest spot on Apr. 18, 2025. The Blok Party series, powered by Y2K and Clockenflap, is making its biggest 3rd edition comeback yet, turning this stylish, cozy neighborhood into a street full of vibrant energy, good vibes, and local community love. 

Here's a guide on what to expect and how to make the most out of the party! 

Blok Party
Y2K

Pop-ups, Street Style Markets, and Workshops

This Blok Party will be packed with interactive experiences for the culturally curious. Expect a street marketplace from local vendors brimming with artisanal finds and shops rolling out their special promotions and exclusive deals. There will also be fun and engaging workshops and experiences suitable for all ages! 

Exclusively partnered with Starstreet's very own local F&B vendors, Pirata Group (Pici, The Pizza Project, and TMK Rap & Rolls) and Sleepyhead. Food options include Furikake Fries from TMK Rap & Rolls, Lasagna, Homemade Meatballs (2 pcs), and Tiramisu from Pici, and Pizza Margherita and Pizza Nduja from The Pizza Project. While beverage options include Orion draft beer, canned beer, red/white wine, cold-pressed juices, and any coffee, milk tea, and HK lemon tea.

All ticket holders have exclusive access to activities, along with one choice of bite from Pirata Group and one choice of drink from Sleepyhead. 

Silent Disco
Y2K

Blok Party Easter Hunt and Star Street Scavenger Hunt by Street Value

The Blok Party Easter Hunt will be kicking off at 1:30PM exclusively for ticket holders, inviting you to uncover hidden surprises across the neighborhood and win big prizes! 

The prizes include Clockenflap GA 3-Day Weekend Passes, two Pacific Place Vouchers worth HK$5000 in value, a pair of Major V Marshall Headphones, and a Willen II Marshall Speaker.

At 3:30PM, the fun continues with Star Street Scavenger Hunt that is open to everyone with more loot up for grabs, including a Willen II Speaker, two Emberton II Speakers, a set of Major V Headphones, and a pair of Minor IV Earphones

Keep your eyes sharp- there's treasure tucked around every corner!

Blok Party
Y2K

All-Day Beats and Energy

It would not be a Blok Party without music, and this one is turning up from day to night as live music fills the streets with local artists and DJs. Kicking off at 1 PM, The Live Stage will feature indie rapper Luna is a Bep, hip-hop collective OJ Reambillo & The Bosin, surf rock band Mr Koo, and indie-folk singer-songwriter Gwenji, street dance group crew SDS, and singer-songwriter Andreah.

When the sun sets, the energy shifts, and the Silent Disco takes over. Back by popular demand, this after-hours favorite will take over Sleepyhead from 6 to 9 PM. Wind down the party to curated sets by crowd-pulling DJs — Gargoyle Girlfriend, Guido Balboa, and Just Bee

All ticket holders will have free access to Silent Disco headphones!

Live Music
Y2K

Free Entry for All

The Starstreet Blok Party is open to the public of all ages with free entry from 12 NN to 9 PM! If you are looking to level up your day, limited Presale tickets are available for purchase on Ticketflap for HK$220, while Door tickets are HK$260 on the day. 

Each ticket allows a redemption of one drink, one snack, and access to exclusive activities. 

Follow Y2K and Blok Party on Instagram for the more details and connect with us at @thebeat.hkg for exclusive updates! 

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Hong Kong/ The List/ What's On
Catch 'Fake' in June, Presented by The Bootstrap Theatre HK
Untitled design 2025 04 02 T101904 600 Photo by The Bootstrap Theatre

Filipino theater is making waves in Hong Kong with the launch of The Bootstrap Theatre HK, the city’s first Filipino-led multicultural theater company

The award-winning performer, writer, and composer behind Mula sa BuwanWilliam Elvin Manzano — is taking the reins with this new theater group, aiming to bring bold, thought-provoking Filipino stories to a global audience.

For its grand debut, Bootstrap Theatre is tackling Floy Quintos’ “FAKE,” a gripping English-language drama that delves into truth, faith, and identity. 

Set for June 7, 2025, at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Studio Theatre, the play follows Jose Marco, a man who tricked an entire nation with fake historical documents, shaking the foundation of Filipino history. 

Fake
Instagram/The Bootstrap Theatre Media and Entertainment 🇵🇭 theatre group in 🇭🇰

The production marks Manzano’s long-awaited return to directing after a decade, paying tribute to both Quintos and the late National Artist Tony Mabesa, who mentored him.

Starring Philippine theater veteran Ralion Alonso as Marco and Blaise Buendia as a visionary nun from the mountains of Luzon, the cast brings together Filipino and British talents from Hong Kong’s vibrant arts scene.

But Bootstrap Theatre is about more than just great performances. “It is our goal in The Bootstrap Theatre to create an artistic, creative industry for Filipinos living in Hong Kong, from actors, dancers, and musicians to writers, directors and filmmakers as well as backstage and administration personnel,” Manzano stated. 

"FAKE" is just the beginning, with more productions lined up to shine a spotlight on modern Filipino narratives through world-class theater.

Tickets are available now on Eventbrite here. General Admission tickets are priced at HK$380. 

For more information, visit The Bootstrap Theatre HK on Facebook and Instagram.

Location: Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Road 

Date and Time: Saturday, June 7, either at 4 PM or 7 PM

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Hong Kong/ Vibe/ Artists
Emma Webster Presents Vapors: A Testament to Turbulent Times
Emma webster 1 Photo by The Beat Asia

Prehistoric birds and dystopian landscapes abound in Vapors, British-American artist Emma Webster's first solo show in Hong Kong. 

The title of the show, Vapors, evokes multiple meanings – the transformation from air to water, warm to cold, and the fluid form of dust.

Viewing the large canvases of hyperreal landscapes at Perrotin is a dizzying and visceral experience. The 11 canvases on show feature ethereal worlds that Webster built in Virtual Reality (VR), as wildfires swept the hills near Webster's studio in California. Her paintings feature nature, trees, and creatures that distort reality and reflect the real-life climate catastrophe. This tragedy permeates her vistas, imbuing them with a melancholic emptiness. 

Webster is among the pioneers of her generation to repurpose these tools for a painting process that merges traditional artmaking with cutting-edge technology. She creates sculptures in wax and plaster, 3D-scans them, and incorporates them into her digital dioramas. Using Virtual Reality programs like Blender and Oculus, she plays with light and structure within the virtual environment, before projecting and painting these terrains onto a canvas.

Emma Webster in studio
Photo by Mack Breeden, Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

Her works in Vapors are populated with undefined creatures—beasts that defy taxonomy, birds caught in unnatural stillness, and landscapes that breathe with Webster's fluid and expressive brushwork. 

Moon Wood places a spectral hyena-lion hybrid in a moonlit forest, while a vulture in Alaska appears calcified, frozen in time. Each painting suggests a world at its tipping point, where nature is both witness and casualty. 

Webster’s large-scale landscape painting Hunter’s Garden also made its way to this year's Art Basel, showcased at Perrotin’s booth.

The Beat Asia sat down with Webster to talk about Vapors, her unconventional approach to painting, and how technology is reshaping the way we think of landscapes.

What inspired your painting "Woodside" for Vapors?

Woodside, 2025
Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

Woodside is the street name of my childhood house, so it has this kind of sweetness to it, but the title also refers literally to the wood on the side of the painting. The painting is so pared back, all you have is this one tree and this central light sandwiched in the middle, and it strips away everything else. 

It's cheeky to call it Woodside because it's a description that seems obvious and literal, but at the same time, it has this whole hidden thing. The landscape is non-specific, in the same way that memory gets fuzzy.

Woodside, 2025
Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

You created this body of work during the Pacific Palisades wildfires. How did this experience influence Vapors?

Emma in studio
Photo by Mack Breeden, Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

I remember coming outside of the studio my car was covered in gray ash coming down from the sky and the sky was orange. There was this constant fear and noise. I felt like I was in a war zone. 

I always thought that something spectacular would happen at the end of the world. Instead, it’s banal, and you’re kind of lost.  The paintings have a bit of that melancholy, where you’re looking out onto these vistas, and you don’t know what's coming next. 

They have a kind of tunnel-vision: each one focuses on just one element and muffles the noise in the background. This clarity is a symptom of chaos, panic, turbulent times; we focus on just one thing, because that’s all there is to do. That’s a survival mechanism that all animals have, and I think the paintings have that too.

How do these works reflect the times or this generation?

Exhibition
Photo by Mengqi Bao, courtesy of Perrotin

Our generation is in two places at once, the screen and the literal. There’s a confusion about where we are. There’s also a solitude to this generation. You’re more connected with friends through texting, but at the same time, you're alone. I see my paintings as kind of lonely, maybe because there's no people in them. 

I don't ever set out to try and be the voice, or the speaker, for my generation, but I think that they are products of this age. Literally, these paintings couldn't have been made at any other time, because of the technology. So even though there are realistic landscape paintings from other generations, this is a whole new genre that is being invented.

Which artists were you inspired by for this show?

I was looking at John Martin, who's famous for his really over the top, crazy, apocalyptic pieces. I was also looking at a lot of William Blake, especially in the spiritualism of this bright light on the horizon. I always like Arthur Dove and Charles Burchfield, and Georgia O'Keeffe, when she gives volume to these mystical things and spaces.

You construct your compositions using virtual reality models, alongside traditional sculpting and 3D scanning. Why do you enjoy working with this hybrid process and how has it evolved?

Using all of these new strategies keeps my process fresh. I always feel like an amateur because there’s constantly new software added and media to be discovered. The lack of security and ungroundedness is essential to curiosity and play. It’s a mentality that extends far beyond the process and is (hopefully) indicative of my own disposition.

A lot of people see VR as play or recreational, how did you get into VR and what made you see its potential for art?

Emma VR
Photo by Mack Breeden, Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

I had a friend from Stanford who had an extra Oculus [a virtual reality technology] and he asked if I wanted to borrow it. I started playing with it and gradually, things became more intricate and interesting. 

Theater is the first virtual reality. I'm reminded that when we think of virtual reality, we think of technology, but virtual is any imagination.

Imagination isn't necessarily about childishness or inventing the world. A writer I read recently called virtual reality an empathy machine. And I love that, because you can literally put yourself in other people's shoes, and other places. 

With AI and digital tools reshaping creative fields, how do you think they open up new possibilities to the artist?

The new digital tools just represent the “how." What AI and the digital reflects is simply a concise macro-collection. It shows us what we already know. 

I’m interested though in the back-end of the evolution: how AI might help transform different media. For example, it will be fascinating when AI can help us translate a drawing into a photo, and then a photo into an object.

While Vapors doesn't feature any human figures, do you feel there is still a sense of human presence or consciousness embedded within your works?

The Means That Make, 2025
Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

Absolutely, these are very human paintings, even if there are no human actors. It’s just like looking at a dollhouse (as a reflection of human behavior), the dolls are proxies, but the dollhouse is both a schema and an artifact that parallels our reality. The emotions, whether it’s sadness, anxiety, wonder, or curiosity, are so intrinsically human.

Do you get creative block? How do you combat it?

When I have creative block, I’ll start sculpting or do something in wax. I know I'm not a sculptor, so that takes the judgment off and brings joy and fun back into the practice. 

It can get serious when you start showing your work to wonderful galleries and the paintings start selling for big numbers. You can get tight or scared. But at the end of the day, the reason that people like the paintings is they like the freedom that comes with the painting

Your new painting, “Hunter’s Garden” (2025) was exhibited at Art Basel. Can you introduce this painting to us?

Hunter's Garden
Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

There is a hide-and-seek quality to “Hunter’s Garden," as it plays with the idea of hunting and taking a shot (both a picture, and potentially a gunshot). The painting captures a ram drinking in a forest. And, in the context of looking at art, I’m speaking to how we claim things for our own, that to behold an image is also to metabolize it.  

How did it feel to be exhibiting at Art Basel Hong Kong?

Art Basel
Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

I was thrilled to be here and have new audiences see my work. It was an honor to be included in the fair’s vivacious spectrum of work. These were artworks coming directly from the studio, and some of them were still wet. 

I’m excited about this freshness – this is how the art history cannon is made! It’s at fairs like this that we begin to self-historicize and understand links between contemporary artists and the history of art.

Have you drawn any creative inspiration from being in Hong Kong?

exhibition
Photo by Mengqi Bao, courtesy of Perrotin

Hong Kong is incredible. The fact that you've got a public aviary that anyone can just go to and talk to these exotic, beautiful birds is amazing. There’s a pristine quality of the nature here, and a weird mix of high-tech skyscrapers with gorgeous green nature

I've been thinking a lot about how strange it is to show these paintings about artificial landscapes in a skyscraper. It's a cool place to show the work — in the sky, because it’s attached to the natural world, but it also invents new perspectives from the landscape.

What do you make of the art scene in Asia and are there any emerging artists from the region that have caught your attention?

I’ve been a long-time fan of Chiura Obata, and I look at his paintings often for inspiration. 

As for contemporary emerging artists, there are so many! I have a small painting by Makiko Kudo that brings me so much joy.  I absolutely love both Gumi You and Sun Woo, both of whose exhibitions I saw at Make Room, and was totally floored by. I was also impressed by Shuangyi Li’s painting with Searoom at the recent Felix Fair. And of course, fellow Perrotin artist Xiyao Wang!

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions where we can view your work?

I have a concurrent show with Petzel in New York called “That Thought Might Think." Those paintings up in NYC right now are my largest to date and an interesting foil to the more refined and solemn paintings here in Hong Kong.  I’d love to come back and continue exhibiting in Asia so we will see what the Perrotin team says for 2026!

Location: Perrotin Hong Kong, 807, K11 ATELIER Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Opening Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11 AM to 7 PM.

Exhibition Period: Mar. 25 to May 17, 2025.

Learn more about Emma Webster and her work via Instagram. For more information about Vapors, visit Perrotin on their website, Instagram and Facebook

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