Located within stone’s throw of each other, K11 Musea, the city’s new culture plus retail destination. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong, being a bridge between East and West, has the best of both worlds, said Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the CEO of New World Development and founder of the K11 Group.
“Here (in Hong Kong) you can experience the high-end fashion originating from Europe, and you can also enjoy the traditional Chinese craftsmanship that lasts thousands of years,” Cheng added, saying, “It serves a much bigger purpose as the core city of the (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area and a pearl of the orient.”
To conserve and preserve Chinese traditional art and culture, Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the CEO of New World Development and founder of the K11 Group, believes the way to convey the nation’s time-honored heritage to global civilizations and the city’s millennials lies in its history
The 13th National People’s Congress, the nation’s top legislature, in March approved the outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), supporting Hong Kong to strengthen its position as a hub for arts and cultural exchanges between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world, in addition to maintaining its traditional regional leadership in finance, trade and aviation.
“Hong Kong is always a bridge between East and West,” Cheng noted, adding that it is important to maintain its inherited cultural identity, present its unique culture and keep an open mind for communication.
To conserve and preserve Chinese traditional art and culture, Cheng believes the way to convey the nation’s time-honored heritage to global civilizations and the city’s millennials lies in its history. “We look into the past to find new inspiration,” he said.
Cheng looks forward to hosting a multibrand fashion exhibition in December at K11 MUSEA, a Hong Kong shopping center which opened in 2019 and features a cultural-retail concept operated by K11 Group. Integrating high-fashion with traditional artisanship, the exhibition will showcase antiques dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
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“It creates a contrast yet an extreme beauty when you see modern fashion trends echo old artisanship,” Cheng said. “People can understand more about the preservation of techniques, more importantly, the rejuvenation of these techniques.”
Well-positioned to initiate art and cultural dialogue between East and West, the Hong Kong Special Administration Region government has over the years facilitated cultural exchange projects such as international festivals, visits and cross-border collaborations, including the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (Filmart), the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Art Basel Hong Kong.
Cheng uses technology to bring innovations to art and new experiences to the city’s audiences. “The progression of technology will always generate new forms of art,” he noted. “As we are speeding up into a digital age, digital art will become just another type of creativity from artists.”
By using digital channels and methods, Cheng hopes to bring art lovers in the city on an immersive journey in a sustainable way through traditional art and culture preservation. “To make it relevant to the next generation, to make it sustainable - this is how we foster a cultural identity,” he said.
The integration of art and technology was pushed up the government’s agenda once the Chief Executive proposed in her 2020 Policy Address to actively promote and support the development of art technology. A task force led by the Home Affairs Bureau was also set up to formulate industrial strategies, promoting Hong Kong’s cultural essence where East meets West.
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“It is the best time for international art galleries and world-renowned artists to expand their presence in Hong Kong,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at a webinar organized by Art Basel in June, highlighting Hong Kong’s competitive edges with its low and simple tax regime, a robust intellectual property protection environment, and comprehensive private wealth management services.
