Director’s Note
It’s been three years since INK ASIA was last held. I am delighted to welcome all guests here today as this landmark arts exhibition celebrating contemporary ink art returns in full force. On behalf of INK ASIA, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top-notch artists, curators, participating galleries, collectors, scholars, and members of the media for their unwavering support for our event.
I would like to extend a special thank you to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau for their generous support to make INK ASIA happen with a successful return through the “Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund”. This event underscores the commitment of HKSAR Government in developing and promoting Hong Kong as a vibrant hub for artistic creation and innovation. We believe that art and culture play a vital role in inspiring creativity, enriching lives, and strengthening social cohesion.
Ink art is an integral tribute to our cultural heritage, encapsulating the essence of traditional Chinese artistic representation. It is a captivating and profound medium that represents the spirit of our antiquity and embodies the beauty of our shared history. At the same time, it is important to embrace innovations and adapt to changes of the times. I am enthralled to see how modern ink art is breaking through the physical boundaries with technological advancement and be reinterpreted in virtual forms. The innovative approach preserves the originality of the traditional art while offering new avenues for exploration, creating unprecedented and immersive experiences.
This exhibition encompasses the outstanding talent and creativity of local, mainland and Asian artists, embracing the power technology to recast the presentation of art. It affirms Hong Kong’s position as a global hub for cultural exchange and innovation. I invite you all to immerse yourselves in INK ASIA to celebrate the fusion of tradition and technology, and appreciate its beauty and diversity. Let us applaud the artists’ remarkable achievements and acknowledge the transformation of art in shaping our society. Thank you, and I wish you an enjoyable experience at this event.
Andy Hei
Founder & Director, INK ASIA 2023
CEO’s note
Chinese ink art has a history that spans over a thousand years. The path of this long history is laid down by the practice and innovation of each artist along the way. With the effort of each generation of artists, ink art has continued to evolve, manifesting in artworks that represent the aesthetics and culture of each time period. It is not an overstatement to say that ink art is a vital medium for the heritage and promotion of Chinese culture.
Based on our idea of “building on tradition, valuing the present, and nurturing the future,” since our establishment, INK ASIA has been actively promoting ink art as an art form because we see the tremendously rich cultural heritage that it represents. With the grand return of INK ASIA this year, we hope to bring a fresh perspective to traditional audiences and to provide a new entry point for those who are just getting to learn about this art form. Therefore, in addition to the beautiful artworks brought by the world’s top ink art galleries, we have also developed several innovative art-tech projects that we hope to catch your attention:
Immersive Ink Art Experience Corner: This immersive corner is split into two exhibition areas. The first is called “The Eight Principles of the Character ‘Yong'”, which utilizes motion capture technology to guide the audience back to the basics of calligraphy and to reacquaint them with ink painting techniques. The second is called “Splendor of Ink” which is an immersive environment created using LED technology, leading the audience into the evolutionary process of ink artworks spanning over a millennium.
INK ASIA in the Sandbox: By bringing ink art into the Sandbox Metaverse, this initiative allows anyone, anytime, at anywhere to access the virtual exhibition space located in the metaverse to appreciate and learn about the rich cultural heritage of ink art. Meanwhile, the virtual exhibition hall features games and missions related to ink art and its history, embodying the play-to-learn spirit. This is the world’s first ink art metaverse space, and we firmly believe that it can expand traditional culture into new territories.
Unknown Mountains and Rivers: Through learning the forms of different ores, the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) generates stones of assorted colors and patterns and explores the possibilities of natural colors. Transformed from the stones, the flowing ink culminates in a landscape of mountains and rivers, thereby constructing a painting of nature drawn by the computer. An installation art piece that combines tradition, innovation, and technology, by curator Grace Cheng and artist Seth Hon.
In addition to INK ASIA that is held at the HKCEC, there are also multiple exhibitions and activities taking place outside of the venue, including those at Hysan Place, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Asia Society, and various major art galleries.
INK ASIA is made possible by the collaborative efforts of various institutions. Notably, we are honored to have been trusted by the HKSAR government Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. With the ” Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund”, we are empowered to realize many innovative projects to bring forth a brand-new ink art experience to art enthusiasts of all generations. For this, we express our utmost gratitude.
In the past, through our own efforts, the artistic atmosphere could only be felt within the exhibition venue. This year, however, with the support of multiple parties, we are able to create a city-wide ambiance of ink art, allowing this cultural heritage to permeate every corner of Hong Kong. We sincerely hope that everyone can fully enjoy this city-wide ink art extravaganza brought by the INK ASIA team.
Thank you all, and we look forward to meeting everyone in the various programs of INK ASIA.
Susanna Lo
Chief Executive Officer, INK ASIA 2023