Hong Kong’s ‘Art March’: Henderson Land construction site adds splash of colour to Central harbourfront with illustration-covered hoarding
- Illustrations by two local artists cover 220-metre-long hoarding wrapped around construction site at city’s most expensive commercial plot, known as ‘land king’
- Revamp at Central harbourfront location coincides with string of events under ‘Art March’ banner, such as Art Basel and Art Central, both opening this week
Hong Kong’s Central harbourfront has been given a splash of colour with a recently unveiled 220-metre-long (722 feet) hoarding covered in illustrations at the construction site of the city’s most expensive plot of commercial land to coincide with “Art March”.
The revamped temporary facade was said to be largest of its kind for a local construction site, with colourful depictions of well-known spots such as The Peak and the Central piers, as well as Star Ferry vessels and franchised buses against the backdrop of the city’s hilly landscape.
The project’s mastermind, Cathy Lee Chui Chi-kay, daughter-in-law of Henderson Land Development founder Lee Shau-kee, said on Monday that the decoration at the company’s site aimed to give residents a chance to pause amid their busy lives.
“I wanted to create an art mural that doubles as an urban oasis from the demands of our everyday life – a reminder to slow down, unplug from our devices, appreciate the present and find meaning in the seemingly ordinary, as residents, office workers and visitors alike pass by Central,” said Lee, who is married to Martin Lee Ka-shing, chairman and managing director of Henderson Land.
Martin Lee’s father was rated Hong Kong’s No 2 richest person after “superman” Li Ka-shing by Forbes in 2024.
Local artists Elaine Chiu, a specialist in landscape painting, and Zoie Lam, a fashion designer by trade, produced the illustrations for the project under the theme “Realising Central Cityscapes”. The project was funded by Henderson Land.
This month, labelled “Art March” by the government, the city hosts a spate of events such as the three-day high-profile International Cultural Summit at the West Kowloon Cultural District, which debuted on Sunday, as well as Art Basel and Art Central, which begin later in the week.
