Hong Kong is home to some of the world’s best restaurants and bars, an art market that has grown to be one of the largest in the world, and a thriving underground scene of creatives that bring fashion and conceptual events to the city. As a densely populated concrete jungle located on more than two hundred jungle-coated islands, it’s lucky enough to offer an array of outdoor activities, and all the sophistication and excitement of city living. A beach day, for example, can end with a Michelin-starred dinner, rooftop drinks and jazz. But with so much going on it’s sometimes hard to choose what to do, so we’ve curated a list of the best goings on around town for you to check out this week.
Playing it Straight
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Presented by the Hong Kong Arts Collective, which was established by local artists to nurture both emerging and established artists in the city, Playing It Straight is a photography exhibition exploring sexuality. In a series of photographs, artists Shawn Griffin, Leslie Montgomery and Rhody Chan flip the roles of heterosexuals and sexual minorities in society, to capture the tension created by couples who are forced into relationships outside of their sexual orientation. Viewers are invited to participate in the project, and reflect upon their attitude and perception towards LGBTQ relationships.
When: 17-26 July
Where: The Hong Kong Arts Collective, 41 Water Street, Sai Wan; facebook.com/events
LANDMARK’s EATO TGIT
LANDMARK presents ‘Thank God It’s Tuesday’ promotions at more than 70 outlets, and the new food hall concept BaseHall. There will be extended happy hour sessions — with $69 drinks from 6-9pm — a summer series of exclusive pop-ups and food events, as well as a limited-time special menus everywhere from SEVVA to one-Michelin-starred Man Wa. Plus, state-of- the-art omakase at three-Michelin-starred Sushi Shikon.
When: 9-31 July
Where: LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; landmark.hk
Rackets of Cobwebs: Chinese Contemporary Art Group Exhibition at Tang Contemporary Art
Featuring some of the biggest names in Chinese contemporary art right now – Ai Weiwei, Chen Fei, Chen Ke, Huang Yuxing, Liu Wei, among others – Racket of Cobwebs brings together 16 artists who show the progress of the region’s art over the past 30 years. Curator Amy Lee explains, “the artists in this exhibition coincidentally chose this “racket of cobwebs” strategy. From accumulating the energy to spinning a web to wielding it freely, this one coherent, smooth movement can highlight the driving forces in the competitive arena of this new era.”
When: 8 July – Aug 13, 2020
Where: Tang Contemporary Art, 10/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central; tangcontemporary.com
Tango Night at Buenos Aires Polo Club
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Learn to tango this summer at Buenos Aires Polo Club. It’s part of the Black Sheep Restaurants Summer Festival, which attempts to take Hongkongers on a tour around the world without having to travel. At the Argentine steakhouse, guests will be able to try out a style of dance originated in the 1880s along the border between Argentina and Uruguay, and is the result of a combination of African Candombe, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Argentine Milonga — book for $408 per person.
When: 18 July
Where: Buenos Aires Polo Club, 7th Floor LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St; bapoloclub.com
Get Redressed Secondhand Pop-up Shop
For vintage, pre-loved designer and high street fashion, head down to the Get Redressed Secondhand Pop-up Shop at The Annex. 20% of the profits will go to sustainability driver Redress, who work to reduce clothing waste in the fashion industry, catalyse a circular economy and reduce fashion’s water, chemical and carbon footprints, and organise community outreach programs to encourage consumers to keep clothing in use for longer. The environmental NGO also hosts the Redress Design Award each year, where emerging designers compete with textile waste-reducing designs in the world’s largest sustainable competition.
When: 10-16 July
Where: The Annex, Loft 22, California Tower, 30-32 D’Aguilar Street, Central; redress.com.hk
Return Love Star Collider at Gallery HZ
British-born, Hong Kong-based artist Simon Birch’s abstract oil paintings depict superhumans re-emerging from past traumas. Energised in colour, they show a kind of transformation – the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction that imparts a sense of hope. An exhibition of his work will be showcased from July in collaboration with Lane Crawford. Titled Return Love Star Collider, it includes a series of his large-scale figurative paintings.
When: 8 July – 6 August
Where: Gallery HZ, 222 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong; galleryhz.com
Hanging/Hong Kong/2020 at Over the Influence Gallery
French graffiti artist Invader’s solo exhibition Hanging/Hong Kong/2020 will feature his iconic mosaics, alongside a series of RubikMasterpieces inspired by paintings from art history — work by Paul Gaugin, Vincent Van Gogh, and Édouard Manet. Best known for his city ‘invasions’ that see him place square ceramic tiles in the shape of pixelated video game characters from the 1970s–1980s and pop culture archetypes on buildings and walls, Invader has created public art in highly-visible locations in over 65 cities around the world.
When: 10 July – 8 August
Where: Over the Influence; G/F & 1/F, 159 Hollywood Rd, Central; overtheinfluence.com
Haustage Pop-up at PMQ
Haustage is a curated store of sustainable fashion and lifestyle brands, and will be hosting a pop-up at PMQ this month. From t-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles by Bottle Tee to zero-waste jeans by Unspun and recycled leather sneakers by Laccess — there’s plenty to discover. Clean beauty products free of toxic and harmful chemicals, sold in up-cycled packaging, will also be on show, as well as a range of homeware made using natural materials — wood, leather, stone, hemp and wool.
When: 1-31 July
Where: H103, Hollywood, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central; haustage.com
Editor
Emma RussellCredit
Lead Image: Screw Fizzer Major by Simon Birch
