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Hong Kong is the focus of a video art programme at the LOOP Barcelona international video art festival from May 28 to June 6.
"Hong Kong in LOOP 2015", which includes the work of more than 20 Hong Kong video artists, is being presented with the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) at the initiative of its long-time cultural partner in Spain, Casa Asia.
The first part of the programme, "Simultaneity - Reframing, Hong Kong", is curated by the Director of Hong Kong video and media art organisation Videotage, Dr Isaac Leung. It presents selected video works of art produced by Hong Kong artists from 1989 to 2014 and reinterprets the experiences of here and now by looking into potentially excluded and forgotten images of Hong Kong.
"Micro Narratives: Invented Space-Time", the second part of the programme, is curated by Associate Professor and Major Leader for the Bachelor of Arts in Creative Media at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Dr Linda Lai. It presents the best projects created in the School of Creative Media from 2000 to 2015.
The programme will be screened at Cinemes Girona today (June 3, Barcelona time) and will be followed by a roundtable discussion with the curators. The same films will be shown on a loop at the Media Lounge of the LOOP Fair from June 4 to 6.
Dr Lai is also curating "Hong Kong Crossings", a programme of video works which will be screened at the LOOP Fair Media Lounge from June 4 to 6. The LOOP Fair is the first fair in its field exclusively dedicated to the discovery, promotion and acquisition of contemporary video art works.
On the occasion of the festival, HKETO, Brussels hosted a dinner for representatives of international art institutions, gallerists and artists at the UNESCO world heritage-listed Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site yesterday (June 2, Barcelona time). Briefing guests on Hong Kong's vibrant arts scene, the Acting Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Miss Drew Lai, said that in recent years, Hong Kong has turned into a flourishing international cultural metropolis. Major international art galleries as well as smaller independent ones have flocked to the city. Art Basel Hong Kong has become a well-established event on the international art calendar.
Miss Lai said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is keen to provide an environment conducive to the diversified development of art and culture. PMQ and Comix Home Base are two examples of the successful transformation of heritage buildings into art hubs. The Government is also making a long-term, strategic investment in the form of the West Kowloon Cultural District.
One of the most eagerly anticipated institutions of this art district is M+, Hong Kong's new museum for visual culture, focusing on 20th and 21st century art, design, architecture and the moving image, she said.
She noted that although M+ is still under construction, the M+ team is already very active, embarking on a series of programmes and exhibitions in Hong Kong and abroad. This has included participation in the world-renowned Venice Biennale, where this year the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council jointly presented video installations by talented Hong Kong artist Tsang Kin-wah.
About Videotage
Videotage is a leading non-profit organisation in Hong Kong focusing on the presentation, promotion, production and preservation of video and media art. Since 1986, Videotage has developed from an umbrella for media artists to a network of media art and culture for cross-disciplinary cultural productions, and a platform to facilitate international exchanges. With continuous support from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Videotage organises exhibitions, workshops, performances, artist-in-residencies and exchange programmes to bring media art closer to people's everyday lives.
About LOOP
LOOP is an independent platform founded in 2003 dedicated to fostering video art. Following its founding principle of casting light on current trends and presenting them to the general public, LOOP continues to focus on the advancement of aspiring young artists, while also presenting established positions of video art. It teams up with an international community of gallerists, artists, curators, collectors and institution directors to develop projects worldwide. LOOP hosts the annual LOOP Barcelona international video art festival as a main meeting point and highlight for the international video art community. The festival presents a selection of contemporary video art works and premieres new productions, and also features exhibitions, specific projects and screenings, and an extensive programme of talks dealing with current discussions and positions of video art.
Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 08:25
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