The much-anticipated M+ Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District is finally set to officially open on November 12. Hong Kong residents will be able to enter the venue for free for 12 months from the opening day.
As Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, M+ will showcase around 1,500 works drawn from the M+ Collections in the 17,000 square-metre exhibition space that spans across thirty-three galleries and other display spaces in the museum.
The museum’s opening displays will include six thematic exhibitions drawn from different areas of strength in the M+ Collections, featuring visual artworks, moving image works, design objects, architectural projects and archival items from M+ Collections, which the museum has been building since 2012. Be sure to mark on your calendar for the following exhibitions:
· Hong Kong: Here and Beyond: Divided into four chapters, Here, Identities, Places and Beyond, the exhibition captures the city’s transformation and unique visual culture from the 1960s to the present;
· M+ Sigg Collection: From Revolution to Globalisation: A chronological survey of the development of contemporary Chinese art from the 1970s through the 2000s drawn from the M+ Sigg Collection;
· Things, Spaces, Interactions: A thematic and chronological exploration of international design and architecture over the last seventy years and their relevance to our lives today;
· Individuals, Networks, Expressions: A narrative of post-war international visual art told from the perspective of Asia;
· Antony Gormley: Asian Field: An expansive installation of tens of thousands of clay figurines created by the world-renowned British sculptor together with over 300 villagers from a Guangdong village in five days in 2003, reflecting the country’s vast territory and population; and
· The Dream of the Museum: A global constellation of conceptual art practices at the heart of M+’s unique Asian context.
In addition to the main exhibition galleries, M+ will present a series of commissions and displays throughout its public spaces, including the M+ Facade, the Grand Stair, the Studio, the Roof Garden, and the Found Space.
Designed by a global team of the world-renowned architecture practice Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, the 65,000-square-metre M+ building is among Hong Kong’s most iconic landmarks, both monumental in its architectural form and radically open in its position in the urban landscape.
Located on the Victoria Harbour waterfront, the monumental architecture consists of a striking terracotta tile-clad tower, featuring a dynamic LED system on the south facade for the display of M+ content. The Found Space, M+’s signature display space for major installations, is a striking setting at the B2 level defined by the alignment of the underground rail tunnels above which the M+ building sits.
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the one-of-a-kind dynamic experience in the M+ building, which features amenities including two museum shops, restaurants, and the Roof Garden which commands spectacular views of Hong Kong’s historic skyline. Among them, The Other Shop and CURATOR Creative Café at M+ located at B1 level of the building are already open to the public.
