Art

The HKTDC Design Gallery’s annual LoveHK exhibition has returned to Hong Kong and runs until 9 July, displaying more than 60 artworks made from everyday waste items such as coffee filters, wine corks, egg cartons, vegetable and fruit nets and glass bottles at its Wan Chai CEC shop.

In spring this year Hong Kong’s art community celebrated the end of travel restrictions by holding an “art spring”, with exhibitions and cultural events including Art Basel (main picture), Art Central, HK Walls and other art collective events at venues such as the Tai Kwun and the Fringe Club.

A Hong Kong-based start-up has launched a phygital art and entertainment social marketplace. With the platform’s unique artificial intelligence (AI) tools, companies can co-create useful non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with artists on-demand as eco-friendly corporate gifts, loyalty program stamps and membership cards in a growing Web3 digital economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted bricks-and-mortar retail businesses but provided new opportunities for Hong Kong start-up AEfolio Limited, which expanded its online presence to offer its customisable homeware and artisan glassware pieces.

Plastic pollution in oceans, rivers, harbours and lakes has become a hot-button issue around the world, including in Hong Kong where most people live and work near waterways and see the problem every day.

Hong Kong has overtaken London as the second-biggest contemporary art auction market in the world, behind New York, according to art market tracking site ArtTactic. In the first eight months of last year, the city increased its market share to 26%, from 20% for the whole of 2019, with US$314.6 million in auction sales, compared to London’s $303.5 million.