STAR FAIRY, a playful, critical and engaging project initiated by Norman Ford, will feature the works of three experienced international artists Map Office (Gutierrez + Portefaix), Amy Cheung and Hiram To at the 52nd Venice Biennale in June this year.

This is the fourth time the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) will present the works of Hong Kong visual artists in an international arts arena, with an aim to enhance exchange and communication between Hong Kong and other countries in the world.

This year, the project STAR FAIRY is chosen to take part in the Venice Biennale. Under the curatorial direction of arts veteran Norman Ford, STAR FAIRY sets out to ask questions on how Hong Kong shows itself to the world. In the curator's words, Hong Kong presents itself to the world in many ways: whether through tourist imagery, cinema, advertising, architecture, TV or photography.  The project will question this process, where a city seeks fame, and then purposefully engages with the various strategies a city might use to represent itself.

STAR FAIRY offers some playful and engaging responses to these questions. Map Office presents "Concrete Jungle / Parrot's Tale", an artificial, mist and plant filled "urban jungle" with talking parrots peppering visitors with humorous, critical questions. Amy Cheung's ambitious two-part project "Devil's Advocate," consists of an elegant ferris wheel like structure with frozen figures and bumper-cars that destroy each other, both connecting with a carnivalesque mystery. Lastly, Hiram To's elaborate installation "I Love You More Than My Own Death" plays with a multi-layered references like game shows, cinema, contemporary art and Hong Kong's fascinating relationship with fame. The exhibition creates a playful, critical and entertaining experience for the audience through the combination of sound, image, text, video and objects.

The Venice Biennale, a world-renowned visual arts exhibition, was first held in 1895. The exhibition attracts participants from around 100 cities and countries. This year, the exhibition's preview starts from 6 June and will be officially open from 10 June to 21 November in Venice.

The ADC has been taken part in the Biennale in the name of Hong Kong, China since 2001. The total number of visitors of the past three exhibitions amounts to 100,000.

Details of the project will be announced nearer the event.