The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) supports IAM international art moves project to help young students from Hong Kong Baptist University's Academy of Visual Arts to present their visual arts exhibition "Pathfinder" to the Berlin audience from January 11 to 19, 2020 at the art centre Kunstquartier Bethanien.
 
     As one of 23 partners of IAM's extensive network, students from Hong Kong Baptist University are given the opportunity to display artworks in various forms from paintings, sculptures, photography, and prints to moving images and performances. In total 18 works interpreting how the past is associated with the future are exhibited.
 
     During a workshop in Hong Kong in May 2019, the students drew up curatorial plans for the upcoming exhibition under the supervision of IAM founders Anne and Martin Müller. Five students were nominated to travel to Berlin to conduct the set-up, exhibiting and dismantling process of the show. The workshop and the art exhibition provide a unique real life experience for Hong Kong's young art students to participate in and organise an intercultural exhibition project.
 
     At the opening ceremony of the exhibition on January 10, HKETO Berlin's Director Mr Bill Li expressed his support for cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Germany and commended the exhibition for allowing young creative talents to nurture their development through this international exchange. 
 
     Mr Li outlined the importance which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) attaches to the development of creative industries. "Hong Kong has emerged as a leading design and innovation centre, and is home to a flourishing fashion and film industry. The city celebrates artistic expression and creativity. Its 14 public museums draw about 5 million visitors annually. Signature events such as the Art Basel Hong Kong have established themselves as trendsetters for the whole of Asia and beyond," he said.

     There are several projects and developments under way that help foster the arts sector even further. With inspiring projects like the West Kowloon Cultural District which is one of the world's largest cultural infrastructure projects, Hong Kong is continuously developing into a vibrant cultural place at the forefront of the global art scene. Also, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has recently undergone major refurbishment and reopened in November 2019.

     Creative industries in general are important economic drivers for Hong Kong, enhancing the economy's innovation capacity and driving its growth in future. With the aim of attracting highly qualified, talented professionals from around the world, the government has drawn up the Talent List which comprises 11 professions which receive facilitated access when settling to Hong Kong. As part of the Talent List, Hong Kong has a leading edge in key creative sectors such as arts, design, architecture, film, television, music, advertisement, animation, digital entertainment, and publishing.
 
     More information about the exhibition at the Kunstquartier Bethanien including opening hours can be found here: www.kunstquartier-bethanien.de
 
About HKETO Berlin

     HKETO Berlin is the official HKSAR Government representation in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in the Czech Republic as well as Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Ends/Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Issued at HKT 0:20

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