The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) is supporting Hong Kong's creative industries by sponsoring a Hong Kong Pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2018 in Somerset House and by hosting a reception to launch the Pavilion.

     Every two years the London Design Biennale challenges designers from around the world to respond to an overall theme. This year the theme is "Emotional States" and reveals how design influences our emotions. Designers, innovators and curators from 40 countries, cities and territories, including Hong Kong, are represented in this year's event. The Hong Kong Pavilion, titled "Sensorial Estates" and co-chaired by Hong Kong designers Wendy Fok and Elaine Young, plays with the idea of scent as a tool for triggering memories. It features not only the sights of Hong Kong, but also the smells of it, with "scratch-and-sniff" wallpapers and boxes filled with aroma-infused objects alongside each other, exploring nostalgic representations of the city.

     Speaking at the reception yesterday (September 5, London Time) at Somerset House, the Director-General of the London ETO, Ms Priscilla To, said: "We are very pleased to support the Hong Kong Pavilion to take part in this important event in the field of design, alongside other participants from six continents. The Pavilion takes you back to Hong Kong, the place we call home, through sensorial experience of smell.

     "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the creative industries, and design is among the fastest-growing sector of our creative industries.  We believe that there is immense development potential in these sectors as a driver of the Hong Kong's economy, and at the same time their development will create synergy with our traditional pillar industries, such as tourism and the convention and exhibition industry.

     "As announced earlier this year, it is exciting to see the return of the UK as the partner country of the Business of Design Week 2019, after their initial and successful collaboration back in 2006.  We are looking forward to being inspired by design masters and design-minded business leaders from the UK, through their unique insights, good designs and sharing of their enterprising spirit at the event."

     Around 150 guests from different sectors attended the reception. A guided private view of the Hong Kong Pavilion by the design team was also arranged to allow the guests to explore the various smells of the city of Hong Kong, and the stories told by selected cultural icons and experiences through specially designed objects representing the unique local cultures and regionality of Hong Kong. The London Design Biennale 2018 and the Hong Kong Pavilion will be open until September 23 (London time).

Ends/Friday, September 7, 2018
Issued at HKT 4:12

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