[News from Institutions] HKDI Gallery Presents its 2024-2025 Flagship Exhibitions Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality
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As Hong Kong’s leading design institute, the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is committed to its mission of fostering top design talent for the creative and design industries in Hong Kong, while also hosting a series of vibrant collaborative exhibitions with leading cultural institutions from the Mainland and overseas at its exhibition venue, the HKDI Gallery, promoting creative exchanges and demonstrating the diversity of local, Mainland Chinese and international design. In January 2025, HKDI Gallery will unveil its two flagship exhibitions – Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality and The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition, providing audiences with the chance to encounter the very beginnings of the Western Impressionism movement; and to witness the charms of contemporary Chinese design.
Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality is organised by HKDI and co-produced by Excurio, GEDEON Experiences and Musée d'Orsay. The experience celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition by using immersive VR and 3D reconstruction technologies, bringing visitors on a 42-minute journey into the origins and influence of this innovative art movement. The experience is offered in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. Meanwhile, The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition, co-organised between HKDI and the Guangdong Museum of Art, is a curated edition of Guangzhou Design Triennial 2024, and will exhibit 22 important works from Chinese contemporary designers. With “warmth” as its theme, the exhibition showcases in Hong Kong for the first time curated works from contemporary Chinese designers, and aims to explore the social value of design, reflecting creativity and humanistic care while promoting the development of contemporary design in support of social progress and a sustainable environment.
Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality
Dr. Lay Lian Ong, Principal of the HKDI and IVE (Lee Wai Lee), expressed her excitement about the upcoming exhibitions, saying: “We are delighted to present Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality. More than just an exhibition, this showcase embodies HKDI’s vision for the future of VR education. We believe that VR is not only a valuable tool for creating immersive experiences, but can also serve as an educational resource that fosters intellectual sharing and exchange, providing students and members of the public with intimate access to complex concepts. The VR exhibition expands visitor’s perspectives by presenting them with a profound understanding of the culture and history of the Impressionist art movement. This innovative approach to art viewing allows them to explore the artists’ mindsets and creative journeys, facilitating a rich and immersive learning experience that deepens their understanding of artistic expression. Additionally, VR serves as a platform for experimentation and innovation, encouraging the interdisciplinary integrations of design, technology, artistry and education. Through this exhibition, we aim to spotlight the value of VR and its untapped potential.”
Through VR technology, Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality will provide audiences with a 42-minute-long viewing experience that is more participatory compared to that of traditional images, films or documentaries. It will immerse visitors into crucial moments of art history, giving them the chance to personally experience the art-making process of Impressionist artists. Upon donning the VR headset in a 1,000 square meters experience room, audiences will be transported back in time to 15 April, 1874, to the Parisian studio of the famous photographer Nadar, which was the venue of the first-ever Impressionist exhibition. They will also gain a 360-degree perspective of other moments and sites of great historical value to the Impressionist movement, such as the studio of the painter Frédéric Bazille, a popular meeting spot for the artists and where the idea of the first Impressionist exhibit was born, thereby experiencing the arts and cultural scene of France in the 19th century; and view Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” up-close at Le Havre, witnessing first-hand the talents of the movement’s leading painters, their bonds of friendships, and their boldness and determination to revolutionize the art world.
The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition
The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition is a must for connoisseurs of contemporary Chinese design. Dr. Lay stated: “The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition features a curated selection of some of the most significant contemporary Chinese designers. This exhibition invites audiences to discover the allure of design and its impact on our daily lives, highlighting how designs infused with ‘warmth’ transcend mere functionality to also encompass emotions and compassion.”
Pieces from 17 Mainland and Hong Kong designers and studios are on display, including photography, models, illustrations, silkscreen prints, film recordings, posters, furniture, installations and more. Among this ensemble is China’s top designer Ma Ke, the first Chinese designer invited to show at the Paris Haute Couture Week. Composed of recycled industrial textile wastes, handwoven cotton and linen fabrics, plastics, metals and other composite materials, her “WU YONG The Earth” collection was first seen at the 2007 Paris Fashion Week, with one of its pieces, “WU YONG The Earth – Mother of Earth”, then becoming part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s permanent collection. This exhibition marks the first time that “WU YONG The Earth” collection will be publicly shown in Hong Kong.
Some of the other exhibiting designers and their works include:
1. Han Jiaying (Founder of HAN JIAYING DESIGN & ASSOCIATES, the Mainland): “Words on Heaven and Earth” poster.
The series portrays the essence of three ancient Chinese philosophies: the "Tao Te Ching," the "I Ching," and the "Bodhi Gatha," reinterpreting Chinese characters through "Dot, Line, and Surface" as an homage to the traditions of Chinese characters and philosophy.2. Kan Tai-keung (internationally renowned artist and designer, Hong Kong): “Eco Series– Green & Life / Green / Rethink Nature” posters.
The works explore the interconnected relationship of nature and humankind, with emphasis on their intertwined destinies.3. Meng Fanhao (Co-founder and Chief Architect of line+ studio, the Mainland): “Dali Erhai Lake Ecological Rest station” live-action photography, diagrammatic figure, model and video.
The project portrays human intervention at a minimal level in the natural environment of Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake. A viewing platform and a sheltered space are created through a structure that rises from south to north. Wooden formwork concrete and locally sourced rough stones are used to achieve a low-carbon architecture design that is both contemporary and representative of the locale.4. Xu Gang (Founder and Design Director of BENTU, NONGZAO and BUZAO, the Mainland): “The Second Mine: Inorganic Substance Grows” installation, made of composite materials.
Large amounts of shell ash from the southern coastal areas of China, construction waste soil and demolition debris from rural Foshan, agricultural and forestry production waste, and modern material technologies were utilized to develop a "new tabia" material for rural environments. Local materials, craftsmanship, and construction techniques reflects the texture of rural architecture and public infrastructure.5. Zhang Zhekai (Founder of Studio KAE, the Mainland): “Fabric Formula” furniture, made of fabric and plastic; “Veneer Bleed” furniture, made of birch plywood.
The “Fabric Formula” subverts the traditional production process of fabric furniture by using low-melting-point plastic and redesigned metal moulds to heat press plastic-wrapped fabrics into shape. The “Veneer Bleed”, inspired by the folded pages of a book, uses heat-bent multilayer plywood to retain the "bleed" areas, reducing wood waste while also creating a crisscrossed pattern on the material. Both works explore the applications of contemporary craftsmanship design and sustainable materials.6. Zhu Jingxiang (Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programme at the School of Architecture, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Founder of UNITINNO Architectural Technology Development Company Limited (Hong Kong / Shenzhen), Hong Kong): “Shenzhen Meili Primary School” design drawing, documents, video and model.
Shenzhen Meili Primary School utilized fragmented urban land to build a courtyard-style structure that can accommodate 33 classes and more than 1,500 students. Using a lightweight steel structure system, the construction period took only five months and resulted in a structure that can be reused multiple times, enhancing land use efficiency and enabling flexible urban operations.Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality and The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition will simultaneously open to the public from 24 January, 2025 (Friday). Details of the shows are as follows:
Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality
Exhibition Period |
24 January to 11 May, 2025 |
Opening Hours: |
10:00 – 20:00 (Closed on Tuesdays) 19 visiting sessions everyday |
Venue: |
Hong Kong Design Institute 3 King Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, N.T. (Tiu Keng Leng Station, Exit A2) |
Language: |
Cantonese, Putonghua and English |
Entrance Fee: |
$80 (No cancellations or refunds available) Children must be 8+ years old with a minimum height of 4’6” |
Ticketing Website: |
The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial – Hong Kong Exhibition
Exhibition Period: |
24 January to 13 April, 2025 |
Opening Hours: |
10:00 – 20:00 (Closed on Tuesdays) |
Venue: |
Hong Kong Design Institute |
Entrance Fee: |
Free |
For more exhibition details, visit the HKDI official website at https://hkdi.edu.hk/en/hkdi_gallery/.
Media Enquiry: 3928 2993
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About Hong Kong Design Institute
Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is a member of VTC Group. HKDI was established in 2007 with the mission to be a leading provider of design education and lifelong learning, including architecture, interior and product design, communication design, digital media, and fashion and image design. With a view to providing professional designers for the creative industries, it promotes the “think and do” approach and encourages interdisciplinary synergy in its broad range of design programmes that cultivates students’ cultural sensitivities and sense of sustainability. HKDI maintains a strong network with industry and provides its students with essential practical experience. Overseas exchanges are actively arranged for students to broaden their international perspective.Website: https://hkdi.edu.hk/EN
About HKDI Gallery
HKDI Gallery is a dynamic exhibition arm of HKDI, which is dedicated to present the exposition of cutting edge, top-notch international exhibitions and contemporary issues on design. In addition, HKDI Gallery also aims to support HKDI as one of the centres of design education in the region and promote design culture in Hong Kong.
HKDI Gallery engages with parties at home and abroad, including internationally acclaimed museums, designers and curators. With contemporary design as the cornerstone, it presents a series of top-notch exhibitions every year ranging from; graphic design, architecture, fashion, product design, multimedia and so on. This has included the following; exhibitions for Zaha Hadid Architects, Ma Yansong and MAD Architects, Japanese designer Dai Fujiwara, Oscar-winning artist Tim Yip, Pritzker Prize-winning Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, Hong Kong design legacy Kan Tai-Keung, and German industrial designer Konstantin Grcic etc.
Through international exhibitions, HKDI Gallery turns itself into an education venue where design students, design community and general public can learn from the masters’ works. It also actively engages with institute’s students and external students with tailor-made tours, talk and panel discussions.Website: https://hkdi.edu.hk/en/hkdi_gallery/
About Excurio
With Immersive Expeditions, Excurio offers a unique experience format: thrilling virtual reality adventures to be enjoyed by large crowds of people in free-roaming, in large spaces, combining knowledge and exciting intrigue.Horizon of Khufu, Eternal Notre-Dame, Life Chronicles, Tonight with the Impressionists Paris 1874… Excurio productions have already attracted over a million visitors, from Shanghai to Montreal and Paris, in prestigious cultural institutions and a network of dedicated venues.
Developed in collaboration with renowned scientists and historians, Immersive Expeditions physically and emotionally involve visitors in the discovery of our historical, artistic and scientific heritage. Excurio's mission: making culture accessible through wonder.
Set to become a standard in cultural entertainment, Immersive Expeditions are based on a proprietary technological platform, also developed by Excurio, to manage record visitor flows.
Excurio, originally a brand of Emissive, founded by Emmanuel Guerriero and Fabien Barati in 2005, became the company's new name in 2024 to support these ambitions. Emissive is known for the award-winning virtual reality experiences The Enemy (2015) and Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass (2019).
Website: https://www.excurio.com/
About GEDEON Experiences
GEDEON Experiences is the innovation department of GEDEON Media Group, a major player in the production and distribution of documentary films for 25 years. GEDEON Experiences develops, creates and produces multi-format immersive experiences by leveraging the strengths that have driven its success in documentary production: mastery of storytelling techniques, access to exclusive subjects and the ability to execute large-scale international projects. Since the "Pompeii" exhibition at the Grand Palais (2020), co-produced with the RMN and the Pompeii Archaeological Park, we have been developing our expertise in the original creation of immersive and interactive environments through the production of innovative XR experiences and large-scale exhibitions, in collaboration with major cultural institutions. Specializing in reconstructing lost heritage as close to historical accuracy as possible, we are particularly committed to raising public awareness of archaeology, culture, the arts, science and history. We are constantly seeking new ways to create and share knowledge, enabling all audiences to discover, understand, and dream.Website: https://www.gedeonmediagroup.com/
About Musée d’Orsay
Housed in a former railway station in the heart of Paris, the Musée d'Orsay has the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art in the world. Reflecting Western artistic creation from 1848 to 1914, its collections bear witness to all forms of expression, from painting to architecture, including sculpture, the decorative arts and photography. Some of the most famous artists rub shoulders here: Millet, Courbet, Degas, Monet, Manet, Gauguin and Van Gogh, not to mention Carpeaux, Rodin, Nadar, Vallotton and Vuillard.Composed of 12,000 tonnes of metal structures and 35,000 m2 of glass roofing and walls, the edifice was built on the occasion of the 1900 World’s Fair, before being turned into a museum in 1977 upon the decision of President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, and inaugurated by President François the following year. The interior layout was created by a team of scenographers and architects overseen by the Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti.
In 2023, the Musée d’Orsay received almost 3,900,000 visitors from all over the world.
Website: https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr
About Guangdong Museum of Art
Built in 1997, the Guangdong Museum of Art is among the first batch of national key art museums, and a modern multi-functional art museum integrating collection, research, display, education, exchange, and service. As an important showcase to display the cultural image of Guangdong and promote the culture of South of the Five Ridges (Lingnan), it unswervingly implements the cultural mission of “inheriting Lingnan art tradition, exploring art ecology, promoting international art exchange, and enhancing the artistic literacy of the people”. Based on local conditions, it influences the Greater Bay Area, bears in mind the general picture of the whole nation, and keeps the orientation to the international community. The Museum continuously seeks breakthroughs in high-quality collection, high-level utilization, and high-quality services, and strives to build a national and even world-class art palace. The Baietan Greater Bay Area Art Center was completed and opened to bring new development space and opportunity to the Guangdong Museum of Art. From then on, the new pattern of “one museum and two sections for staggered development” in Baietan and Ersha Island has come into shape.Website: https://www.gdmoa.org/