Art in Place (AIP) is an Urban Land Institute (ULI) initiative that aspires to build stronger connections between artists and real estate enterprises through creative placemaking. Tatum Lau and Wendy Tsai of The Oval Partnership, with the coaching and support of ULI Americas, are part of the core team cofounders spearheading the planning and community outreach for Art in Place in Hong Kong. As the first AIP chapter in Asia – connecting communities for a more inclusive and participatory real estate development process – AIP has identified ample opportunities in Hong Kong, where vacant real estate opportunities like shopfront windows and street-side breakout spaces can be utilised for art and cultural purposes, and in return, revitalise a collective neighbourhood identity.
During the summer of 2023, AIP team premiered its inaugural project featuring Fairland Holdings’ Spark City in Mong Kok and Hong Kong artist Joanne Chan. Inspired by her daily encounters and intuitive observations of her surroundings, Joanne’s abstract painting style injects a vibrant energy into the physical facades and the social fabric of the neighbourhood. With a passion to engage the community through an experiential creative process, Joanne and the team invited the public to attend guided workshops to co-create a 9.6-metre-long mural that highlights the neighbourhood’s unique feature and colour palette. School children, local residents and curious passersby were among the first participants who contributed to this collaborative urban art piece. Bringing together the community and creating places where people want to be, AIP continues the core values of The Oval Partnership in many ways. The concept of the mural also inspired the “What Sparks Joy?” campaign, where local café-goers were asked to share what sparks joy for them via sketch and text on postcards. Some of the artworks from the collected postcards were integrated into the mural by Joanne, encouraging us to appreciate the simple pleasures and beauty around us that are easily missed.
This creative collaboration culminates in the Art in Place Exhibition Opening on 7 December 2023 at Spark City Mong Kok. Guests are invited to view the mural, understand the process, and see the 100+ postcards collected during the “What Sparks Joy?” campaign, with opportunities to interact with the artist, the landlord, and the AIP team.
Join us here for the exhibition opening.
