HKETO Newsroom

Internationally renowned digital media artist Dr Hung Keung from Hong Kong will participate in Nuit Blanche, the largest contemporary art festival in Toronto, Canada, on October 5. He will feature an extraordinary collaborative project with Canadian artist Lauren Runions in the form of a large-scale digital art installation titled “Dim Sum Without Distance”, which celebrates the culinary heritage of dim sum. This marks the first time that Hong Kong artists have participated in this annual mega event in Toronto. To share his experiences and updates about Hong Kong's art scene with Canadian artists and students, Dr Hung delivered a talk at York University on October 2.

During the talk, themed “Creative Collaboration: From Research to Artistic Practice”, Dr Hung provided insights into his artistic process and the significance of cross-cultural dialogue in contemporary art.  Attendees had the opportunity to interact directly with Dr Hung, further enriching their experience with this ground-breaking cross-cultural project that intertwines visual art with the culinary heritage of dim sum.

Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO), Ms Emily Mo, delivered a welcome message at the talk.  She said that Hong Kong has always been a place where East meets West in arts and culture.  “‘Dim Sum Without Distance’ is not just an art installation; it is a celebration of cultural exchange and collaboration,” she said. “The project is a testament to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's vision to develop Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange and an international cultural metropolis grounded in Chinese traditions and enriched by different cultures.”

Dr Hung is a digital media artist and professor at the Education University of Hong Kong. He blends Chinese philosophy with digital media in an innovative artistic practice that explores interactive performance and experimental art. His large-scale installation piece, “Dim Sum Without Distance”, will be showcased at Love Park along the Toronto waterfront on the night of October 5 through October 6. The project aligns with this year's festival theme, “Bridging Distance”, engaging visitors with the profound connections between Hong Kong and Toronto through traditional Chinese landscape painting theory, new media, and the culinary art of dim sum.

Visitors to Nuit Blanche will have the opportunity to explore this vibrant intersection of art and cuisine and experience the connections that unite people, regardless of distance.

Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art, produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community. The "Dim Sum without Distance" project was sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board with the support of Hong Kong Arts Centre.

For more information on the installation and other projects at Nuit Blanche, please visit the thematic website at www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/nuitblanche/all-art-projects/?project_id=10d3b950-790a-4f3e-aad0-fa65b4edb791#location=&lat=&lng=&zoom=.