The Hong Kong Palace Museum has launched its inaugural outdoor public art exhibition, featuring six large-scale installations that are projected to draw at least 500,000 visitors during their year-long display. The groundbreaking exhibition marks the first time the museum has showcased artworks in its outdoor public plaza, offering free access to visitors without requiring museum admission tickets.

Museum Director Louis Ng Chi-wa emphasized that this exhibition continues the institution's mission to foster dialogue between Hong Kong artists and traditional Chinese culture through contemporary artistic expression. The exhibition centers on traditional Chinese garden aesthetics and will run from Saturday through November 2 of next year, displaying works across the museum's plaza area.

The featured artworks include sculptures and multimedia installations created by six local Hong Kong artists, including renowned architect Rocco Yim Sen-kee, who designed the Hong Kong Palace Museum building itself. Yim's contribution, titled "Dancing Bamboo," utilizes locally sourced bamboo to create an immersive forest-like outdoor installation. Director Ng noted the special significance of having the museum's architect create artwork displayed in front of the very building he designed, calling it "deeply meaningful."

Ng explained that Yim hasn't created installation art in many years, with his last major artwork displayed in Berlin approximately 20 to 30 years ago. The exhibition strategically includes artists from different generations, featuring a diverse mix of young, middle-aged, and elderly creators to represent Hong Kong's artistic community across age groups.

Another prominent piece in the exhibition is "When the Earth Remembers" by media artist Chloe Cheuk, which draws inspiration from the textures of jade artifacts housed within the museum. Cheuk's large-scale installation reinterprets a traditional jade pendant as a portal through time, with the exterior designed to resemble an enlarged pendant. "I see many families pass down jade pieces to the next generation. This is very meaningful, so this is why the exterior resembles an enlarged pendant," Cheuk explained.

The strategic placement of this free outdoor exhibition addresses the museum's observation that many visitors, particularly those from mainland China, often have limited time in Hong Kong and may only visit the public square area to take photographs. "This exhibition allows them to experience our exhibits even if they only visit the public square," Ng stated, adding that the museum predicts between 500,000 to 600,000 people will view these works over the next year.

Exhibition curator Grace Cheng emphasized that the artworks are designed to be interactive, inviting visitors not only to view but also to photograph and engage with the pieces directly. "When visitors come to the exhibition, they will not only be viewing a piece of art, but also gaining insights into Hong Kong and Chinese culture," Cheng noted, highlighting the educational and cultural bridge the exhibition aims to create between traditional and contemporary artistic expressions.