https://www.scmp.com/rss/23/feed Find all the latest movie and music reviews, listings, celebrity news and interviews en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Quentin Parker Quentin Parker More than three years ago, I articulated concerns regarding the existential threat of artificial intelligence in a piece entitled “How Hong Kong can play a role in preventing AI Armageddon”. There is an increasing number of articles about exactly this. Here I concentrate on a more insidious encroachment on our humanity – how AI is capturing our creative expression and replacing us in a way that is making it harder to discern what is creatively human. As a scientist, my inclination is to filter... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3368408/dont-let-ai-take-over-our-human-creative-expression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3368408/dont-let-ai-take-over-our-human-creative-expression?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Sheryl Chow Sheryl Chow Comprising 100 performers, led by conductor Yan Huichang, “Thousand Reeds, One Universe” was both the beginning and the end. The concert on September 20 was the conclusion of the International Sheng and Reeds Festival 2026 and a successful commencement of the 2026/27 season of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO). Continuing the vision of the festival to forge a borderless world in harmony, the concert brought together a family of reed instruments from around China and the world, including the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368507/traditional-wind-instruments-both-east-and-west-blow-storm-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368507/traditional-wind-instruments-both-east-and-west-blow-storm-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:15:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. All about Hong Kong’s herbal teas and how Gen Z is reviving the health tradition Long before modern chain pharmacies and over-the-counter painkillers were readily available in Hong Kong, there were leung cha: intensely bitter herbal “cooling teas” brewed in massive brass cauldrons in traditional open-front shops. 2. How... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3368592/hong-kongs-gen-z-revives-herbal-teas-experts-couple-intimacy-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3368592/hong-kongs-gen-z-revives-herbal-teas-experts-couple-intimacy-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 06:15:06 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Global theatre producer Crossroads Live UK has announced a worldwide recruitment drive for wigs, lighting and automation roles ahead of an upcoming multi-year world tour of the hit musical Hamilton. According to Crossroads Live’s website, the production “will visit a multitude of territories, starting in Asia in late 2026”, with salaries for the roles to be “discussed upon offer”. Meanwhile, recent social media posts appeared to show screenshots of a Hamilton website listing performance dates in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368600/could-hit-musical-hamilton-be-coming-hong-kong-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368600/could-hit-musical-hamilton-be-coming-hong-kong-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:52:56 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak A short film depicting an unexpected friendship between a Pakistani tailor and a Hong Kong florist has scooped the top Hong Kong prize at this year’s Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival. Between the Unsaid, produced by Kaneeta Arshad and directed by Qasim Khan, champions integration and how different communities in the city should work and learn together. “We see this very commonly in Hong Kong with our parents or someone who comes from outside Hong Kong,” Khan says. “There’s a communication... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Mongolia and heavy metal are rarely mentioned in the same sentence, but folk metal band Uuhai are here to prove the music genre fuses surprisingly well with the nomadic culture’s distinctive vocal and instrumental traditions. Founded in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar in 2020 by drummer and producer Otgonbaatar “Ombo” Damba, the band’s current line-up features Damba, Khurtsgerel Damiranjav (horsehead fiddler and vocalist), Zorigoo Battsooj (horsehead fiddler and throat singer), Saruul... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo While mass-produced Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns of every size, shape and style can be bought with a single click these days, a dedicated few in Hong Kong are defying the fast consumerism trend by keeping the objects’ traditional craftsmanship alive. Among them is Hong Kong fashion designer and lantern artisan Wan Wong, 52, who spends hours every year crafting traditional bamboo, wire and cellophane lanterns by hand. Lanterns remain a cherished centrepiece of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a Southeast... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3368319/how-mid-autumn-festival-lanterns-are-traditionally-made-and-artisan-defending-craft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3368319/how-mid-autumn-festival-lanterns-are-traditionally-made-and-artisan-defending-craft?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:15:04 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service George Lucas and Mellody Hobson want their massive spaceship of a museum to be an experience. Across 300,000 sq ft (27,000 sq metres) and 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of park space, there is a lot to take in. Staring up at the 90-foot (27.4 metre) oculus four storeys above the entrance plaza makes one feel like a speck in the galaxy. Instead of trying to conquer everything at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on the first visit – there are more than 1,300 works – maybe focus on some of the highlights... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367839/7-best-attractions-lucas-museum-narrative-art-star-wars-banksy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367839/7-best-attractions-lucas-museum-narrative-art-star-wars-banksy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:45:04 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Uzbekistan, with its rich history of ancient Silk Road craftsmanship and later influences from Imperial Russia to the Soviets, is a country shaped by layers of conquest, trade and intellectual exchange. At the Uzbek capital’s new Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent (CCA), the inaugural exhibition – titled “Hikmah” and featuring sculptures and installations by 10 artists from around the world, including Palestine and the United States – sets out to explore the complexity of that cultural... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368236/uzbekistan-has-brand-new-arts-centre-can-it-rival-dubai-next-global-art-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368236/uzbekistan-has-brand-new-arts-centre-can-it-rival-dubai-next-global-art-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Vincent Leung Vincent Leung “Photography is a universal language that transcends the barriers of culture and time.” These wise words from Fan Ho perfectly encapsulate the premise of a new exhibition celebrating his poetic camerawork at the Palazzo Falletti di Barolo in Turin, Italy. A Baroque noble residence might not be the first place that comes to mind when looking to discover Ho’s mid-20th century Hong Kong compositions, but the show invites viewers to look beyond the obvious and make connections to those scenes from a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368204/fan-hos-poetic-photos-mid-20th-century-hong-kong-show-unlikely-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368204/fan-hos-poetic-photos-mid-20th-century-hong-kong-show-unlikely-place?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:20:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press After a wait of almost 1,000 years and a journey of hundreds of miles, the Bayeux Tapestry’s big moment is here. The embroidered panorama depicting the last successful invasion of England has gone on public display at the British Museum in London this month, back on British soil for the first time since the 11th century. Tickets have sold out months in advance, and the museum expects 1 million visitors to see the tapestry before the exhibition ends in July 2027. Schoolchildren across the UK will... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367798/tapestry-depicting-english-historys-most-important-event-back-uk-after-1000-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367798/tapestry-depicting-english-historys-most-important-event-back-uk-after-1000-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Patsy Lo has just flown into Hong Kong from Tokyo, where she is now based, and the humidity is doing what humidity does. It is a far cry from Patagonia, where just months ago, Lo and a small arts team from Asia spent days hiking in punishing conditions to shoot Anamnesis II. The 10-minute experimental dance film blends contemporary movement with the raw, unforgiving beauty of the Patagonian Steppe shared by Argentina and Chile. Shot in the shadow of Mount Fitz Roy, the film is the second... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367846/inspiring-story-hong-kong-dancer-and-filmmaker-who-began-48-after-leaving-apple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367846/inspiring-story-hong-kong-dancer-and-filmmaker-who-began-48-after-leaving-apple?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak As someone who started playing the piano at age two and later trained in violin and singing, Astrid Jorgensen has always had a close relationship with music. Still, something felt off. “I’ve always been a really musical person looking for that outlet of music and creativity, but I didn’t really find it,” says the 36-year-old vocalist and conductor. Born in Hamilton, New Zealand, to a Singaporean-Chinese mother and a father of European descent, Jorgensen emigrated to Australia as a child,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367966/how-astrid-jorgensens-pub-choir-shows-anyone-can-sing-no-auditions-no-judgment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367966/how-astrid-jorgensens-pub-choir-shows-anyone-can-sing-no-auditions-no-judgment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Few figures in Qing dynasty (1644-1912) history embody the tragedy of shifting tides quite like Duanfang, a Manchu statesman born in 1861. Duanfang rose through the imperial ranks, earned distinction for his service during the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) and went on to hold major regional posts, such as governor of China’s Hubei province and viceroy of the Liangjiang region. His career took a bizarre turn when he was stripped of his viceroyalty in 1909 for supposedly showing disrespect by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3367584/tragic-qing-dynasty-politician-whose-legacy-lives-descendants-new-novel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3367584/tragic-qing-dynasty-politician-whose-legacy-lives-descendants-new-novel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo “When you’re my age, you start to think about legacy,” says 79-year-old Fredric Mao Chun-fai, a Hong Kong theatre veteran behind many of the city’s original stage productions and a pioneer in connecting the local theatre industry to the world. This month, he launched the Mao Chun-fai Performing Arts Charity Foundation to further talent development, research and creation across Hong Kong’s theatre landscape. The foundation aims to: nurture the next generation of theatre talent and develop... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367573/hong-kong-theatre-legend-fredric-mao-launches-foundation-boost-citys-performing-arts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367573/hong-kong-theatre-legend-fredric-mao-launches-foundation-boost-citys-performing-arts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu What advantage does a left-handed conductor have? Before answering that, it is worth looking at another of Holly Hyun Choe’s strengths. In keeping with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s tradition, the guest conductor opened the concert with an introductory speech, immediately establishing herself as an excellent communicator. She recalled her excitement upon discovering that the orchestra had long been led by a female music director. Enthusiastic applause followed when Choe acknowledged music director... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:15:06 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Despite a title that sounds like a barked order, “You Must Change Your Life” may be one of the most sensitive, nuanced and fulfilling biennale shows in recent memory. And no, this is not just the relief of a smaller, less foot-blistering marathon of a show than usual, though that too is very much part of the curatorial philosophy. The strong selection of artworks in the main exhibition of the 16th Gwangju Biennale is blessedly free of the moralising, clichéd tone that taints so many recent... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367186/16th-gwangju-biennale-rises-above-controversies-one-art-worlds-best-recent-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367186/16th-gwangju-biennale-rises-above-controversies-one-art-worlds-best-recent-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:15:06 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Christophe Leribault, president of the Louvre Museum, is encouraging Asian art lovers to help fund a more than €1 billion (US$1.2 billion) architectural overhaul aimed at easing overcrowding and transforming the visitor experience at the Paris landmark. Leribault arrived in Hong Kong on September 9, fresh from opening a Renaissance exhibition in Tokyo that featured Leonardo da Vinci’s rarely loaned La Belle Ferronniere (circa 1490). Speaking at the French consulate in Hong Kong, he outlined his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367141/why-frances-louvre-museum-looking-east-help-fund-its-eu1-billion-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367141/why-frances-louvre-museum-looking-east-help-fund-its-eu1-billion-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Hong Kong artist Lau Wai has spent the past two months turning the De Sarthe gallery in Wong Chuk Hang into an open studio, building a new body of work that asks a question many are only beginning to grapple with: as artificial intelligence advances, what will be the ultimate role of humans? The answer, in the artist’s new solo exhibition “After Intelligence”, is not a comforting one. The exhibition, which runs until September 25, unfolds like a closed loop: humans undergo AI training while AI... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367139/hong-kong-artist-lau-wai-looks-unsettling-future-humans-and-ai-solo-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367139/hong-kong-artist-lau-wai-looks-unsettling-future-humans-and-ai-solo-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui There has been much hyperventilating over two recent controversies at M+, Hong Kong’s museum of visual culture. The first was a series of mahjong social nights charging museum members and patrons up to HK$2,500 (US$319) for a package including an exhibition tour, a meal and social tile-shuffling in the members’ lounge. Mahjong may have had a Chinamaxxing makeover in the West, but in Hong Kong, the game is still considered a tad unwholesome for a museum even when no money changed hands. Frankly,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366824/hong-kongs-contemporary-artists-deserve-bigger-stage-its-museums?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366824/hong-kongs-contemporary-artists-deserve-bigger-stage-its-museums?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given their proportions and lack of upright agility on their hind paws, the very notion of giant pandas dancing a waltz sounds, dare I say, absurd. So going by its title alone, any chance of a cheeky lilt in 3/4 time or a nostalgic nod to the Strauss clan in Yao Chen’s panda-themed Waltz of the Rolling Giants, the opening piece in the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s “Chengdu Pre-Tour Concert: Eric Lu Plays Chopin”, seemed slim. Thankfully, though, Chen’s waltz – an HK Phil world premiere written... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:15:06 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo For those too young to have attended a live concert by Hong Kong Cantopop icon Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, who died on April 1, 2003, appreciation often relies on recordings of his performances and exhibitions dedicated to his career and legacy. While many retrospectives over the years have celebrated Cheung’s achievements and influence in film and music, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s latest offering, “Miss You Much. Leslie 70th Birthday. Exhibition”, offers a much more intimate and rare look at... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366896/leslie-cheung-70th-birthday-exhibition-offers-intimate-look-cantopop-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366896/leslie-cheung-70th-birthday-exhibition-offers-intimate-look-cantopop-star?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Two Renoir paintings stolen from a small French museum on September 8 have yet to be recovered, but if the thieves are hoping to cash in on the artwork, they will be hard-pressed to find a buyer. Selling well-known, stolen art is impossible to do at an auction house or through other public channels without raising eyebrows. Even under the table, the value plummets. And unlike other eye-catching artefacts such as jewels, paintings cannot be chopped up and sold for parts without losing their... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366913/worth-zero-why-stolen-renoir-paintings-have-little-black-market-value?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366913/worth-zero-why-stolen-renoir-paintings-have-little-black-market-value?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu The peak summer heat is finally easing in Hong Kong, and a lot is going on in the city in the coming days. Whether you are in the mood to check out cool art, browse exclusive fashion pop-ups or go on a forest soundwalk, here are five things to do in Hong Kong this weekend. 1. Chilai Howard at the Goethe-Institut Hong Kong interdisciplinary designer and artist Chilai Howard’s solo exhibition, “A Self-Portrait: The Process of Erasing” is running at the Goethe-Institut Hongkong until October 6.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366989/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-september-11-13?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366989/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-september-11-13?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Hong Kong is no stranger to equine sports, hosting both horse racing and world-class equestrian events such as the Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, where elite showjumpers compete. But Cavalluna – Gate to the Otherworld, an equestrian spectacle from Europe that combines high-level horsemanship, dance, acrobatics and theatre, takes equestrian experience and entertainment to another level. The production, which is presented by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and runs until September 13 at... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366925/54-horses-dazzle-cavallunas-hong-kong-debut-despite-cliche-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366925/54-horses-dazzle-cavallunas-hong-kong-debut-despite-cliche-story?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo When Hong Kong Ballet’s resident choreographer Ricky Hu Songwei and his wife, fellow choreographer Mai Jingwen, were assigned to create a new production inspired by Dunhuang for the company, they had what they describe as “an immediate headache”. Dunhuang, in northwestern China, is known for the Mogao Caves, a Unesco World Heritage site on the ancient Silk Road featuring more than 1,000 years of Buddhist rock art. Over the years, its murals and statues have inspired numerous dance productions... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366747/hong-kong-ballet-takes-chinas-mogao-caves-dunhuang-search-light?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366747/hong-kong-ballet-takes-chinas-mogao-caves-dunhuang-search-light?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Politics has had a habit of barging into art biennales of late, from the current Gwangju Biennale in South Korea to the Venice Biennale earlier this year. However, at the Busan Biennale, political noise is not an unfortunate sideshow: it is the whole curatorial premise. The curators, Bahraini-Singaporean artist Amal Khalaf and Brussels-based writer Evelyn Simons, have called their edition of South Korea’s oldest biennale, “Dissident Chorus”. The biennale seeks to move away from “the ruins of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366251/not-so-dissident-chorus-busan-biennale-2026-makes-some-political-noise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366251/not-so-dissident-chorus-busan-biennale-2026-makes-some-political-noise?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:45:06 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Frieze Seoul’s fifth edition opened in a subdued art market, where prolonged uncertainty has made collectors more cautious and galleries more attentive to affordability. Held from September 2 to 5 at the Coex centre in Gangnam, the fair introduced new sections aimed at attracting buyers in a more austere market. Patrick Lee, director of Frieze Seoul, said the slowdown in the art market had been protracted, with established collectors taking a more measured approach amid broader macroeconomic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366249/seoul-art-week-2026-sees-galleries-change-tactics-woo-buyers-cooler-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366249/seoul-art-week-2026-sees-galleries-change-tactics-woo-buyers-cooler-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 10:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Lau Siu-ming, the veteran Hong Kong actor who played some of the most unforgettable villains in Chinese-language film history, has died at the age of 94. His story – from war refugee to classically trained dancer, and from stage to silver screen – is all the more remarkable because his career was built not on youthful leading-man looks but on artistry, physical precision and a mentoring spirit that shaped generations of actors who followed. Lau’s artistic journey is one of reinvention, shaped by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366209/remembering-lau-siu-ming-pioneering-hong-kong-dancer-and-revered-actor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366209/remembering-lau-siu-ming-pioneering-hong-kong-dancer-and-revered-actor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee South Korea is the epicentre of the Asian art calendar this week, with Frieze Seoul and the Korea International Art Fair converging alongside the opening of the Busan and Gwangju biennales. Yet behind the art-week frenzy – with some 300 galleries courting buyers at the two art fairs – questions remain about the depth and prospects of the Korean art market. The Korea Art Authentication and Appraisal Institute’s midyear report notes that local auction sales nearly doubled to 111 billion won (US$81... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365814/seoul-art-week-2026-korean-collectors-their-passion-artists-watch-shows-catch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365814/seoul-art-week-2026-korean-collectors-their-passion-artists-watch-shows-catch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:15:45 +0000 Elaine Wong Elaine Wong The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong (CCOHK) has never been one to stick to the classical canon. After Wild (2022) and Shark Symphony (2024), the orchestra continues its run of original family musicals with Space Fantasy, created by founder and artistic director Leanne Nicholls. The premiere took a bold, if slightly wobbly, leap into the cosmos. And while the narrative didn’t always land, the sheer visual spectacle was hard to resist. The story is simple enough: 10-year-old Astrid, practising... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365793/ccohks-space-fantasy-visual-spectacle-great-whole-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365793/ccohks-space-fantasy-visual-spectacle-great-whole-family?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Emma White Emma White More than 130 artists aged between 55 and 90 are set to take the stage for the coming second Hong Kong Creative Aging Arts Festival, a powerful celebration of how the arts can help seniors lead happier lives Running from September 9 to 20 at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, the mainly Cantonese event will feature more than 40 performances, including an opening performance titled Measuring Love directed by the award-winning UK theatre director Alan Lyddiard. Other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365429/how-arts-can-help-seniors-live-happier-lives-celebrated-hong-kong-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365429/how-arts-can-help-seniors-live-happier-lives-celebrated-hong-kong-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Dr Brian Ip Pak-in’s Kabinett art space taps into the look and feel of a Scandinavian cabin, complete with pine panels and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking green hills. It acts as a fast-acting dose of Nordic tranquillity. But the practising psychiatrist did not design it with wellness retreats in mind, and neither is this an art therapy centre. Instead, Kabinett is where he can freely show pieces that he deems not safe for work, or, at least, not safe for his work. “I have to be very... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365552/how-hong-kong-psychiatrist-taste-nsfw-art-built-gallery-unsuitable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365552/how-hong-kong-psychiatrist-taste-nsfw-art-built-gallery-unsuitable?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu At the tender age of 18, Zhang Aozhe, the 2025 winner of the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition’s top prize, has just made his Hong Kong debut. This should have been a major attraction, but from my observation, the seats at the City Hall Concert Hall were about half empty. Was the low attendance due to the summer holidays, or was it a case of insufficient publicity? It was difficult to tell, but the truth is that many people, including frequent concertgoers, missed a show that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365530/chinese-violin-virtuoso-zhang-aozhe-18-makes-magical-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365530/chinese-violin-virtuoso-zhang-aozhe-18-makes-magical-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese avant-garde artist whose obsessive polka dots, towering pumpkin sculptures and mesmerising Infinity Mirror Rooms captivated audiences worldwide, has died at the age of 97. The artist died on August 14 at a hospital in Tokyo due to multiple organ failure. Her studio and the city’s Yayoi Kusama Museum confirmed the news on August 27. “Throughout an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, Kusama pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365407/yayoi-kusama-japanese-artist-famous-pumpkins-and-polka-dots-dies-aged-97?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3365407/yayoi-kusama-japanese-artist-famous-pumpkins-and-polka-dots-dies-aged-97?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:39:43 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui On the hottest day on record in Hong Kong – when the temperature nudged 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) – contemporary art’s best-known orchestrator of angst found herself forcing her way through the crowd at a former prison compound. This was not the frosty, theatrically sullen Anne Imhof often seen in magazine shoots and society pages. Dressed in her customary black, she appeared not like the enigmatic art-world diva whom Marina Abramović picked as one of the most influential women... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364818/german-artist-anne-imhof-love-lgbtq-visibility-and-control-ahead-her-hong-kong-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364818/german-artist-anne-imhof-love-lgbtq-visibility-and-control-ahead-her-hong-kong-show?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service A nearly eight foot (2.4-metre) canvas by the great 18th century English portrait painter Joshua Reynolds recently made the journey from London’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG) to the Getty Museum in Brentwood, Los Angeles, where it will make its grand West Coast debut next month. The Portrait of Mai, which depicts a regal-looking young Tahitian man who arrived in London with Captain James Cook in 1774, was bought by the Getty two years ago in a celebrated and rare joint acquisition with NPG... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364683/what-new-analysis-joshua-reynolds-masterpiece-portrait-mai-tells-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364683/what-new-analysis-joshua-reynolds-masterpiece-portrait-mai-tells-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui A fierce row has erupted between Taiwan and South Korea’s Gwangju Biennale, Asia’s oldest contemporary art biennial, after the self-ruled island complained that its art showcase at this year’s event, which opens on September 5, is not being promoted as the “Taiwan Pavilion”. Instead, it is being promoted as the “NTMoFA Pavilion” – based on the participation of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts – sparking accusations of political censorship. The clash underscores the political nature of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364556/taiwan-vs-south-korean-art-biennale-inside-fierce-political-row-over-pavilion-name?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364556/taiwan-vs-south-korean-art-biennale-inside-fierce-political-row-over-pavilion-name?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:21:00 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung For House of Linglong, one of mainland China’s most active drag houses, the weekend takeover at Hong Kong’s Eaton HK hotel on August 14 and 15 represented a rare opportunity to create, celebrate and simply exist. Despite the challenges facing queer artists in mainland China, the collective – established in 2022 by the visionary Lian Longqing, better known as Kudos – has become a tour de force, making its mark in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai and Xian. The group... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364399/how-mainland-chinese-drag-collective-house-linglong-defying-odds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364399/how-mainland-chinese-drag-collective-house-linglong-defying-odds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:15:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Could merely glimpsing a 357-year-old Buddhist manuscript really grant you seven lifetimes of good fortune? An old Chinese folk belief regarding the Tibetan Dragon Canon has recently been revived on social media as the monumental Qing dynasty (1644-1911) scripture takes pride of place in “Tibetan Dragon Canon: A Symphony of Imperial Power, Belief and Art in a Golden Age”, an exhibition at Taipei’s National Palace Museum. While it is impossible to trace the origin of the qishi fubao – good karma... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364369/357-year-old-buddhist-text-taiwan-said-bring-lifetimes-luck-one-glimpse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364369/357-year-old-buddhist-text-taiwan-said-bring-lifetimes-luck-one-glimpse?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:15:08 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Imagine stepping into a theatre where the audience are not told to sit down and the script is written on the fly based on their choices. This is what happens in musician and theatre director Jing Wong’s latest project, When the World is Your Enemy – Epic Edition, a highly interactive show at the West Kowloon Cultural District where the boundary between board game and live drama completely blurs. Though Wong is mostly known as an indie folk musician, for this project he drew from his current PhD... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364017/board-game-theatre-project-hong-kong-audience-are-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3364017/board-game-theatre-project-hong-kong-audience-are-players?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Alex Howlett Alex Howlett Artist, inventor and professor Jiabao Li was almost not born. When her mother became pregnant with Li during the era of China’s one-child policy, she had to battle to keep her because of her gender. Over 330 million abortions were performed in China between the policy’s introduction in 1979 and 2013. “My mum had to fight not to abort me,” Li says. Today, the 33-year-old Harvard graduate is an associate professor in the art and design department of Northeastern University in Oakland, in the US... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363883/breast-milk-menstrual-blood-how-artist-jiabao-li-challenges-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363883/breast-milk-menstrual-blood-how-artist-jiabao-li-challenges-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok In the world of fine dining, the amuse-bouche is arguably one of the most important mouthfuls a chef can serve their patrons. As a taste of what is to come, it has the potential to pack a world of information in a single bite. In this respect, the opening act for the sold-out A Taste of Home, by Windmill Grass Theatre – the troupe behind the hit Black Comedy Di-Dar – is one of its weaker moments, like a broth that needs more time to develop flavour. Moving across the stage while pushing glowing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363881/taste-home-wonderful-bittersweet-tribute-hong-kongs-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363881/taste-home-wonderful-bittersweet-tribute-hong-kongs-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Aaina Bhargava Aaina Bhargava In June, I arrived at Sung Tieu’s Berlin studio on the second floor of a gated complex in the city’s northern Wedding district. It was 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit), the start of a punishing European heatwave, and the vast space was flooded with sunlight from large windows overlooking a green courtyard. The studio is divided into two rooms: one for “messy work”, with tools, wide tables and raw materials; the other is a more office-like space that doubles as a library. Tieu... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363055/3-million-mosaic-pieces-later-artist-sung-tieu-asks-germany-wake-its-immigrants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363055/3-million-mosaic-pieces-later-artist-sung-tieu-asks-germany-wake-its-immigrants?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:15:06 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Ever since Hong Kong-born illustrator John Ho Tat-hung moved abroad, homecomings have hit especially hard. “Coming out of the airport, passing over Tsing Ma Bridge and seeing the sea – I realise I haven’t seen such a vast expanse of ocean in a long time,” he says. “It takes my breath away. But maybe people who’ve lived here their whole lives wouldn’t notice it.” That sense of rediscovery – seeing home through fresh eyes after time away – is at the heart of Ho’s new exhibition, “100 Corners of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363487/why-hong-kong-illustrator-depicts-beautiful-factories-estates-and-crowded-streets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363487/why-hong-kong-illustrator-depicts-beautiful-factories-estates-and-crowded-streets?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Sean Cheng Sean Cheng For the crowds that are flocking to the newly opened Shenzhen Natural History Museum, the sprawling structure is commanding as much of their attention as the dinosaur fossils and other specimens that it houses. The 3.5 billion yuan (US$518 million) cultural landmark in the city’s Pingshan district is striking because of its size – the 42,000 square metre (452,000 sq ft) site is the equivalent of six football fields – and the fact that it is a masterclass in biomimicry and sustainable design that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363253/how-shenzhen-natural-history-museum-was-designed-reflect-its-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363253/how-shenzhen-natural-history-museum-was-designed-reflect-its-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak In ancient times, treasured jewellery pieces were often a marker of status, wealth or spiritual devotion. In more recent centuries, customised jewellery took on personal meaning, referencing relationships, cultural heritage or self-expression. Importantly – before the advent of fast fashion – the making of jewellery took time and care. The Polska Traveller, an independent jewellery maker in Hong Kong, still honours this tradition. Its artisans, like silversmiths in the olden days, make rings,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3362371/how-hong-kong-jewellery-maker-polska-traveller-transforms-memories-wearable-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3362371/how-hong-kong-jewellery-maker-polska-traveller-transforms-memories-wearable-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:45:04 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) has increasingly been pushing audiences to embrace the unfamiliar, and its 55th edition is certainly breaking new ground. On August 6, the first batch of confirmed highlights in the 2027 festival reveals that the finale will be performed by the State Ballet Company of the Astana Opera (Kazakhstan). Furthermore, while HKAF once brought over the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company for classical renditions of the Bard’s works, this edition really leans into the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363281/what-not-miss-2027-hong-kong-arts-festival-classical-music-shakespeare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363281/what-not-miss-2027-hong-kong-arts-festival-classical-music-shakespeare?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:25:13 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Are Hong Kong’s restaurants fighting a losing battle against Shenzhen? In Hong Kong neighbourhoods that once hummed with the sound of clinking glasses and chattering diners, independent kitchens sit closed behind metal grilles and many of the restaurants that remain open rarely fill. 2. Hong Kong TV star Kenneth Chan... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363111/hong-kongs-dining-battle-tv-host-fights-insomnia-depression-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3363111/hong-kongs-dining-battle-tv-host-fights-insomnia-depression-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:15:05 +0000 Emma White Emma White In a coolly lit gallery in Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun neighbourhood, guests can find a maze with a mind of its own. Hanging from the ceiling are square, grey panels that shimmer in the light. Some are raised high, illuminating a clear path through the structure, while others hang low, obscuring the way forward. A cord dangles from the ceiling. Pulling it triggers both sound and movement as the panels slide up and down, exposing new paths in the labyrinth and sealing off others. This kinetic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362208/thai-artists-shifting-maze-hong-kong-reflects-choices-we-make-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3362208/thai-artists-shifting-maze-hong-kong-reflects-choices-we-make-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:15:04 +0000