Hong Kong Arts Development Council presents: "One · Square · Water · Soil" Exploring the art shaped by Hong Kong’s unique landscape and history

The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) proudly presents One · Square · Water · Soil. Curated by acclaimed local photographer Almond Chu, this exhibition features a diverse array of works from seven local artists who grew up in Hong Kong during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s – an era when contemporary art was on the rise in the city, and the space was rich with breakthrough and fusion. Running from 8 March to 13 April 2025, One · Square · Water · Soil will be presented at the  SHOWCASE of HKADC in Wong Chuk Hang.

Inspired by the Chinese saying “a land by the sea that shapes its people”, multimedia exhibition One · Square · Water · Soil follows the belief that a region’s climate, soil, and environment are not only sources of nourishment for thoughts and sentiments, but vital ingredients that fuel creativity and humanity. The exhibition features a remarkable group of home-grown artists whose work reflects how Hong Kong's landscape and history have shaped their artistic perspectives and practices.

One · Square · Water · Soil provides a glimpse into the developmental journey and distinctive characteristics of Hong Kong’s contemporary art scene, centring the artists whose bold, experimental work formed the city’s one-of-a-kind cultural expression.

Almond Chu, Curator of One · Square · Water · Soil, said “Curating this exhibition felt a bit like seeing an old friend. The late Antonio Mak was a close friend of mine before he passed away, and while reaching out to collectors to gather his works for the exhibition, memories of him kept flooding back. I’m grateful this project allowed me to once again connect with Mak’s work, alongside other Hong Kong artists who came up in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. I really respect these artists’ passion and resilience – there’s something unique about art from that era that we can no longer capture. After all, in the 1980s, there wasn’t much of an art market to influence artists’ creations – they purely created for themselves and could do whatever they liked. Art became something pure, without impurities.”

One · Square · Water · Soil gathers artists from various disciplines, including oil painting, photography, sculpture and installation, for a captivating range of subjects and forms. Featured artists include Almond Chu, Antonio Mak, Lulu Ngie, Joseph Chan, Yeung Tong Lung, Fiona Wong, and Eason Tsang.

Probing the evolution of Hong Kong’s contemporary art landscape over the last few decades, the exhibition aims to serve as a catalyst, sparking greater interest in Hong Kong contemporary art and encouraging audiences to explore the future possibilities of artistic development in this unique city.

 

Exhibition Highlights:

In his photography series Pilgrims, Almond Chu imagines humanity's future after aliens have landed on Earth and eerily blended in with its changing climate and environment. Artistically elevating each scene with hand-drawn colour, Chu illustrates the daily lives of otherworldly beings. In his photographic experiments, Eason Tang captures vibrant fake food from local markets, which serve as a metaphor for the shifting dynamics of personal privacy and life circumstances in the digital age.

Artist Yeung Tung Lung’s beautiful oil paintings make their own statements. Working in the same medium, Lulu Ngie sketches, overlays, and wipes away colours and shades to reflect the turbulence of navigating a new phase of life.

Working in sculpture, Fiona Wong narrates the history of Hong Kong from different times, spaces, and angles in ceramics, transforming the past into perpetuity. The late Antonio Mak’s sculptures, primarily crafted from bronze, feature a variety of subjects - the human body, horses, tigers, trees, books, ladders, and chairs – to delve into the complexities and contradictions of human existence. Joseph Chan’s large-scale kinetic sculpture, Walking Railway, is a mechanical marvel from a sci-fi world, exploring the boundary between science fiction and reality, as well as the relationship between machinery and life.

During the month-long exhibition, HKADC will host a series of fringe activities. These events include artists talks, screenings and curator-led tours. Interested parties can register online for free to experience this meticulously curated collection. For more enriching arts experiences, check out HKADC’s “Together to Gather” Open Studio event at the ADC Artspace, taking place from the 22 to 23 March. This event welcomes the public to visit over 20 artist studios at the HKADC premises in Wong Chuk Hang, and promises a rare opportunity to interact with diverse artists inside their creative space.

 

Exhibition and Fringe Programme Details:

One · Square · Water · Soil (Curated by Almond Chu)

Date	8 March to 13 April 2025 (Closed on Mondays)
Time	12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Venue	SHOWCASE (UG/F, Landmark South, 39 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang)

 

One · Square · Water · Soil Docent Tour

Guided tours are available every Saturday throughout the exhibition period. Docents will explain the exhibition, allowing the public to gain a deeper understanding and insight into the exhibition theme and the works on display.

Date	15 March, 22 March, 29 March, 5 April, 12 April 2025
Time	3:00 pm
Language	Cantonese
Admission	Free of charge. No registration is required.

 

One · Square · Water · Soil Artists Talk

Hosted by Professor Kurt Chan Yuk-Keung, the talk will feature a thoughtful discussion with the curator Almond Chu and participating artists, delving into the theme of the exhibition and their creative processes. They will shed light on the opportunities and challenges encountered by local artists, sharing stories and experiences from their creative journeys. The discussion will also explore the current state and future of arts development in Hong Kong, while seeking to uncover its potential and possibilities.

Date	15 March 2025 (Saturday)
Time	1:00 pm
Moderator	Prof. Kurt Chan Yuk-Keung
Artists	Almond Chu, Lulu Ngie, Joseph Chan, Yeung Tong Lung, Eason Tsang
Language	Cantonese
Admission	Free of charge
Registration	https://hkadc-islandsouth.hk/events/33

 

One · Square · Water · Soil Curator-led Tour

Join the curator Almond Chu and artists for an in-depth tour of the exhibition, where they will personally guide you through the artworks, offering insightful interpretations of the theme and pieces from multiple perspectives. They will also share the curatorial concepts and ideas, as well as reveal the stories behind the exhibition.

Session	Session 1: With Almond Chu, Yeung Tong Lung, Joseph Chan 8 March 2025 (Saturday) 3:00 pm Session 2: With Almond Chu, Lulu Ngie, Fiona Wong, Eason Tsang 9 March 2025 (Sunday) 3:00 pm
Language	Cantonese
Admission	Free of charge
Registration	https://hkadc-islandsouth.hk/events/32

 

Still Life Screening

Yeung Tong Lung, one of the participating artists, was invited to take part in a special documentary spanning over three years. This documentary captures his creative process—drawing, smoking, listening to music, and interacting with models—allowing audiences to quietly observe his artistic world and gain a deeper understanding of his unique creative philosophy and attitude.

Date	4 and 5 April 2025 (Friday and Saturday)
Time	3:00 pm
Language	Cantonese (with Chinese and English subtitles)
Admission	Free of charge
Registration	https://hkadc-islandsouth.hk/events/31

For photos of the exhibition, please click here to download.