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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) hosted two signature events in Berlin to showcase Hong Kong's creative industry on June 7 (Berlin time). About 100 guests including senior government officials as well as professionals in the cultural and creative industries gained insights into the design and arts scene of Asia's World City and learned about potential opportunities for further collaboration between the two metropolises in these aspects.
On the occasion of the biennial Asia-Pacific Weeks (APW) 2013 Berlin, the HKETO Berlin organised a seminar "Creative City: Design and Arts Scene in Hong Kong" at the German Federal Foreign Office as part of the partner programme of the APW 2013. Since 1997, APW have been providing a forum for discussing major topics in business and politics, science and research, as well as culture and society between Berlin and the Asia Pacific economies. With a focus on "Smart Cities", the APW 2013 was dedicated to address the challenges facing Berlin and the growing metropolises of Asia.
The Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Ivan Lee, highlighted the importance of arts and design in the development of Hong Kong as Asia's creative and cultural centre in his opening remarks at the seminar, "Hong Kong is an open society that enjoys free flow of information and intensive cultural exchanges. Embracing arts and design of both East and West and building on our cultural vibrancy, we have laid a strong foundation for a thriving creative industry."
Moderated by the Director of the International Design Centre Berlin, Ms Cornelia Horsch, the seminar featured leading professionals from Hong Kong's and Berlin's creative industries. The former curator at Museum Fridericianum in Kassel and the curator (since 2011) at M+, the new museum for visual culture in Hong Kong, Mr Tobias Berger, elaborated on his museum's mission to focus on 20th and 21st century visual culture from a Hong Kong perspective but with a global vision. With an area of over 17 000 square metres, the M+ building would offer exhibition and learning spaces, theatres, a library and resource centre, outdoor plazas, as well as art pavilions. It would also be part of the West Kowloon Cultural District, a new hub of arts and culture in Hong Kong.
Board Member of the Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design (HKAoD), Mr Jehan Chu, focused on opportunities in Hong Kong's cultural and creative industries while Chief Executive Officer of Designmai Youngsters (DMY) International Design Festival Berlin, Mr Jörg Suermann, introduced the Berlin arts and design scene from an international point of view. In the ensuing discussion, the panelists explored the rich potential for further co-operation between Hong Kong's and Berlin's creative industries.
In the evening, the HKETO Berlin hosted a reception in the exhibition area of the HKAoD at the DMY International Design Festival Berlin. Under the theme "Emersion", the HKAoD's exhibition examined the simultaneous and opposing dynamics of "Emergence" and "Immersion". Drawing from objects and rituals of Chinese scholarly culture such as calligraphy, poetry, and ink painting, the designers and applied artists from Hong Kong interpreted traditional culture in a contemporary manner.
Staged in the historic city airport Berlin Tempelhof, the annual DMY International Design Festival Berlin offers opportunities for visitors to explore new design products, prototypes and material innovations. Over 500 designers, companies and universities present their latest works and provide insights into the processes, ideas and concepts that led to the final designs.
Ends/Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Issued at HKT 00:08
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