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 ar3sts 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 is being 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 exhibiton, 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 impurites.”
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 3mes, spaces, and
angles in ceramics, transforming the past into perpetuity. The late Antonio Mak’s sculptures, primarily
cra`ed from bronze, feature a variety of subjects – the human body, horses, 3gers, trees, books, ladders, and chairs – to delve into the complexi3es and contradic3ons of human existence. Joseph Chan’s large-
scale kine3c 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 par3es 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.
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Exhibition and Fringe Programme Details:
One · Square · Water · Soil (Curated by Almond Chu)
Date: 8 March to 13 April 2025 (Closed on Mondays)
Time: 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Venue: SHOWCASE (UG/F, Landmark South, 39 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang)
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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.
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One · Square · Water · Soil Artists Talk
Hosted by Professor Kurt Chan Yuk-Keung, the talk will feature a thoughful 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
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One · Square · Water · Soil Curator-led Tour
Join the curator Almond Chu and ar3sts 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 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
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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 sub3tles)
Admission Free of charge
Registration: https://hkadc-islandsouth.hk/events/31
About Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Established in 1995, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) is a statutory body set up by the
Government to support the broad development of the arts in Hong Kong. Its major roles include grant
alloca3on, policy and planning, advocacy, promo3on and development and special projects. The mission
of HKADC is to support and promote the development of 10 major art forms in literary, performing and
visual arts as well as film and media in Hong Kong. Aiming to foster a thriving arts environment and
enhance the quality of public life, HKADC is also committed to facilitating community-wide participation
in arts and arts education, encouraging arts criticism, raising the standard of arts administration and
contributing to policy research.
