The 10th edition of Art Central recently kicked off at the waterfront event space in Central, bringing together top galleries and emerging artists from around the world. The five-day exhibition has once again become one of the city’s most popular events.
Perhaps the sneak preview a few days ago wasn’t satisfying enough, so now we bring you the exhibition guide!
This year, Art Central not only continues its mission of discovering emerging artistic talents but also boldly explores contemporary social issues. From Venezuelan artist Eduardo Enrique’s large installation challenging brand power, to artist Roxane Revon’s innovative works that blend childhood memories, and Reen Barrera’s philosophical reflections on the essence of existence, the exhibition presents a diverse and profound artistic dialogue. Among the 108 galleries, we’ve curated a personal selection of ten must-see highlights, encouraging everyone to take a closer look at the unique interpretations of each artist amidst the plethora of works!
1. Donald Tan “A Brazen Rift (After Branzi)”, 2025
Location: P1 | Nadim Abbas
Hong Kong artist Donatien G, commissioned to create a large-scale installation work titled “A Brazen Rift (After Branzi)”, draws inspiration from the innovative thinking of Italian architectural master Andrea Branzi in the 1960s towards modernist architecture. The work reinterprets his decentralized urban vision while cleverly paying homage to him. Through the deconstruction and reassembly of architectural drawings, Donatien transforms Andrea Branzi’s two-dimensional perspective into a three-dimensional installation, exploring the possibilities of architectural blueprints as a medium for spatial imagination. This site-specific work cleverly resonates with the flow of exhibition crowds, reflecting the vitality of the city and showcasing the artist’s continuous exploration of visual imagery over the past twenty years.
2. Roxane Revon “Symbiosis”, 2025
Location: P2 | The Locker Room
This large mixed media installation begins with the artist Roxane Revon’s private childhood photographs, showcasing a visual narrative about the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. The work cleverly integrates natural elements such as living mycelium and root systems with photographic art, creating a series of progressive visual transformations.
From the initial clear portrait to being gradually eroded and enveloped by natural materials, and finally transforming into an abstract form, the entire process beautifully interprets the mystery of the life cycle. Curated by Aurore Vullierme, the work profoundly showcases the inseparable symbiotic relationship between humanity and the Earth, as well as the eternal connection between all living things and the land.
3. Eduardo Enrique “Untitled,” 2024｜
“All-American Performance (3:51),” 2025
Location: C21｜SHANKAY
Venezuelan artist Eduardo Enrique presents the large installation work “All-American Performance,” which, through 351 baseball bats and the unauthorized use of the “Swoosh” logo, delves into the intersection of ideology, competition, and contemporary adversity.
The work cleverly references the opening lines of Psalm 35 to critique the weaponization of faith, revealing how Western brands transcend commercial aspects and become deeply embedded in structures of power and cultural dominance. Inside the exhibition, two large murals created by Malaysian artist Teebai, featuring reimagined symbols of “GOD” and “EVIL,” further challenge the binary oppositions present in competitive sports.
This work challenges the illusion of brand neutrality and exposes the contradictions of cultural commodification and systemic inequality within the economic system.
4. Kazy Chan “Long Dream” 2025
Location: A8 | JPS Gallery
Hong Kong artist Kazy Chan has created a unique installation art piece that blends the past and present by reshaping a childhood headboard. The front of the piece is covered in old stickers that bear the marks of time, a finished product of Kazy’s painstaking process of carefully removing the colors from each sticker with paint thinner, reflecting his childhood memories. The back is reconstructed from recycled cabinet doors, embellished with sticker remnants that resemble clouds, reminiscent of the main character’s room in “TOY STORY,” exuding a sense of nostalgia.
The bold and vivid creations on the cabinet doors create a striking contrast with the faded stickers, symbolizing a dialogue between the present and the past. This piece not only showcases Kazy’s personal memories but also invites the audience to reflect on their own growth experiences, pondering the eternal marks that creativity leaves in life.
5. Chung Meng-Hong
Position: A2｜Avocado Art Lab
Zhong Menghong is a renowned director, screenwriter, and cinematographer, known by the alias “Nakahara Nagao” when working as a cinematographer. He won the Best Cinematography award at the Golden Horse Awards for “Buddha Blessing.” His works encompass advertisements, music videos, documentaries, and feature films, and he has been awarded the Best Director award at the Golden Horse Awards twice.
This is his first exhibition of photographic works at Art Central in Hong Kong, and Chung Mang-hung’s journey in photography can be traced back to his university days. Since 2008, he has worked as a cinematographer under the name “Nakahara Nagao,” with his recent works “Waterfall” and “Embers” filmed under his real name. In 2021, he published a photography text collection titled “Not Here, But on the Way There,” showcasing his unique visual aesthetics.
The works showcased this time continue their delicate visual style, capturing poetic moments in everyday life — from hometown landscapes to street scenes in Turkey, each piece presents Zhong Dao’s unique perspective, transforming ordinary scenes into visually charged narratives.
6. Eikoh Hosoe
Location: A10 | see+ Gallery
Eikoh Hosoe (1933-2024) was one of the most influential creators in Japan’s photography scene after World War II. He broke through the confines of traditional documentary photography, exploring themes of death, eroticism, and the depths of human psychology through his unique black-and-white imagery. His works not only display a strong personal style but also contain profound philosophical reflections.
As a cross-disciplinary artist and cultural promoter, Hidenobu Shigeoka’s collaborations with important figures in the cultural sphere such as Yukio Mishima and Tatsumi Hijikata have initiated innovative dialogues between photography, literature, performing arts, and film. In 1968, he organized an exhibition introducing works by Western photography masters, infusing new perspectives into the Japanese photography scene while nurturing a new generation of photographers like Daido Moriyama.
Hideki Hosoe’s creations merge traditional Japanese elements with modern ones, employing unique compositional techniques and a visually dynamic language that not only redefines the aesthetic style of post-war Japanese photography but also profoundly influences the shaping of contemporary Japanese culture as a whole.
7. Phil Shaw “The Big Question (Frequently Asked Questions 3)” 2024
Location: A15 | Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery
British artist Phil Shaw is renowned for his hyper-realistic images of bookshelves. These works are not only visually striking but also contain profound conceptual meanings. Each piece cleverly employs real book titles to narrate fairy tales, recreate names of London Underground stations, or conceal Shakespearean monologues, showcasing the transformation and possibilities of print culture in the digital age. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that each book title responds to the one before it (when viewed from left to right).
Phil Shaw’s artistic technique is uniquely distinctive, merging the qualities of painting and photography. He constructs images digitally that are hand-drawn, and then expertly printed in high-density water ink on exquisite Hahnemühle paper, revealing astonishing layers of color. During the pandemic in 2020, his work “Shelf Isolation” garnered global attention, becoming a cultural phenomenon. His works are often exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts and are part of significant collections such as the UK Government Art Collection. In 2013, he was commissioned by then-Prime Minister Cameron to create a commemorative piece for the G8 summit, showcasing his artistic influence.
8. Eisa Jocson “Princess Parade” 2018 |
“Becoming White” 2018-2020
Location: B9 | The Columns Gallery
The installation work “Becoming White” (2018-2020) by artist Eisa Jocson explores the complex aspects of emotional labor among migrant workers through the image of Snow White. This piece, which was exhibited at the Bangkok Biennale in 2018 and at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, intertwines performance, archival materials, images, and sound installations to delve into issues of race and labor within the context of globalization.
The work focuses on Filipino workers at Hong Kong Disneyland, revealing the “happiness” performances they are expected to exhibit in their daily jobs. These migrant workers are often excluded from leading roles, relegated to portrayals of characters such as the zebra in The Lion King, coral in The Little Mermaid, and monkeys in Tarzan, highlighting the underlying racial discrimination in the workplace. It aims to provoke reflection on the complex relationship between labor and identity in contemporary society.
9. Reen Barrera
Location: A11｜Vinyl on Vinyl
Artist Reen Barrera explores the human fear of the unknown through his iconic characters Ohlala, Duge, and Tori, which symbolize the struggle of life. In Reen Barrera’s view, this fear of the unknown is not merely an obstacle, but a survival skill forged through experience.
The work explores the tension between fate and free will, interpreting fear as a survival instinct and a driving force for growth. Through the journeys of these characters, Reen Barrera showcases the timeless theme of humanity’s quest for meaning in the face of uncertainty, prompting audiences to reconsider the various possibilities between life and death.
10. Dai Ying “Temple 2” 2025
Location: P6 | Yiwei Gallery
Artist Dai Ying’s large installation work “Temple 2” is presented by Yiwei Gallery as part of the “Other Bodies” exhibition. The entire piece constructs a sacred space symbolizing the female womb using red Xuan paper, creating a vibrant visual language through dynamic circular and ring patterns.
The work not only explores the fundamental function of the uterus as an organ for nurturing life but also elevates it to a philosophical height as the source of all things. The audience is invited to walk into this deeply meaningful spatial field, where through an intimate spatial experience, they can reconnect with the bodily memories of birth experiences and reflect on the essence of life’s existence. “Temple 2” is a poetic dialogue of visuals and space that celebrates feminine qualities and the cycle of life, showcasing the artist’s profound contemplation of the origins of life.
