The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM or the Museum) today unveiled its first outdoor public art exhibition “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Art Plaza Project at the Hong Kong Palace Museum” (“The Art Plaza Project” exhibition). Organised by the HKPM and solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the exhibition is part of “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series”. It will be open to the public free of charge at the Museum Plaza from 8 November 2025 to 2 November 2026.
“The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Art Plaza Project at the Hong Kong Palace Museum” marks the Museum’s first outdoor public art initiative, designed to enrich the Museum's offerings and spatial experience by integrating art into public spaces, thereby enhancing the visitor experience. Under the theme of traditional Chinese garden aesthetics, the exhibition features six sculptures and multimedia installations created by six cross-disciplinary Hong Kong artists/ architect, presenting poetic and zen-style landscapes through a contemporary lens.
The opening event was officiated by Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA); Winnie Yip, Head of Charities (Culture & Sports Cluster; Community Engagement) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM; and Grace Cheng, Guest Curator of the HKPM.
Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, said, “‘The Art Plaza Project’ exhibition represents an innovative undertaking by the Museum to promote public appreciation of Chinese art and culture. We extend our special gratitude to the Hong Kong artists and architect for creating an artistic garden for all, and to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its steadfast support. Through these tactile, immersive, and explorative landscape installations, we hope the public will experience the enduring vitality of Chinese traditional culture in the contemporary era.”
Winnie Yip, Head of Charities (Culture & Sports Cluster; Community Engagement) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club donated HK$3.5 billion to support the construction of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, allowing the public and visitors to appreciate the treasures of historical Chinese art and culture, while also promoting the values of Chinese culture. This donation is also supporting the HKPM’s efforts in talent development, launching educational outreach activities, and hosting major exhibitions under ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series’, including the current exhibition.”
Six Hong Kong artists/ architect engage in a dialogue with traditional garden art through contemporary artistic language
Curated by Guest Curator Grace Cheng, the exhibition brings together six established and emerging Hong Kong artists/ architect, including the globally acclaimed Hong Kong architect Rocco Yim, who designed the Hong Kong Palace Museum building; Ho Siu-kee, sculptor; Inkgo Lam, bamboo artist; Chloë Cheuk, media artist; Tung Wing Hong, visual artist; and Eastman Cheng, soft sculpture artist. Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese gardens and the Palace Museum’s collections, the artists and architect leverage their unique cultural perspectives and imagination to offer a fresh interpretation of traditional garden culture within the context of a modern city.
Using materials such as bamboo, metal, and fabric, and incorporating light, shadow, and dynamic structures, the installations reinterpret traditional garden elements, such as pavilions, rock formations, flowing water, winding paths, and plants, into poetic contemporary expressions. Several works include interactive features that invite visitors to wander, pause, and engage, experiencing the harmonious coexistence of art and environment.
The six public art installations are:
- Dancing Bamboo by Rocco Yim – Using locally sourced bamboo, the artwork weaves an abstract yet immersive evocation of a forest, celebrating and utilising the material’s remarkable strength and flexibility.
- Range of Mountains by Ho Siu-kee – Formed by bending, twisting, and welding iron rods, the sculpture transforms rigid metal into fluid and powerful lines, echoing the expressive brushwork of traditional Chinese landscape painting.
- Arrow by Inkgo Lam – Inspired by the bamboo arrow, the artwork reflects the tension and struggle between beauty and violence, tradition and modernity.
- When the Earth Remembers by Chloë Cheuk – Drawing on the textures of jade artefacts from the Palace Museum, the artwork reinterprets a jade pendant passed down through generations as a portal through time, inviting viewers to journey from past into future.
- Whispering Wall by Tung Wing Hong – Merging industrial fabrication with display aesthetics, the installation engages in a dialogue with floral motifs found among the Palace Museum’s imperial treasures.
- Garden of Ink by Eastman Cheng – Inspired by eight literati paintings of trees from the Palace Museum’s collection, the artwork uses fabric as the primary medium, emulating the tones and textures of ink painting to reinterpret ancient trees — not as flat images, but as living forms.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the HKPM will host a variety of learning activities including artists talk and workshops to guide visitors in exploring the creative concepts behind the artworks and the artistry of traditional Chinese gardens.
“The Art Plaza Project” exhibition will be open to the public free of charge at the Museum Plaza from 8 November 2025 to 2 November 2026. No reservations are required. Visitors are welcome to explore the Museum Plaza during the Museum’s opening hours.
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About the Hong Kong Palace Museum
Through innovative curatorial approaches, the Hong Kong Palace Museum presents priceless treasures from The Palace Museum along with the finest collections from other world-renowned institutions. The Museum is also in the process of building its own world-class collection. Opened in 2022, the Museum is a leading institution for the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture and the promotion of dialogue among world civilisations. The Museum is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and The Palace Museum. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust made a donation of HK$3.5 billion for its establishment, as well as some of the annual exhibitions and education programmes in 2023–2032.
Through research, exhibitions, publications, and educational and professional exchange programmes, the Museum builds international partnerships and positions Hong Kong as a global hub for art and culture. A resource that belongs to the local community, the Museum inspires community engagement, fosters dialogue, and promotes creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
About the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK)
WestK is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural hubs in the world and Hong Kong’s new cultural tourism landmark, spanning 40 hectares alongside Victoria Harbour. WestK comprises a mix of landmark arts and cultural facilities, including world-class museums M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, intricately designed performing arts venues the Xiqu Centre and Freespace, the 11-hectare Art Park with a waterfront promenade, and the upcoming WestK Performing Arts Centre.
Hosting over 1,000 exhibitions, performances, programmes, and events each year, WestK provides a vital platform for both emerging and established artists. WestK welcomes more than 10 million visitors each year, evolving as the international cultural brand of Hong Kong and strengthening the city’s strategic role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
https://www.westk.hk
