HSBC #OpenToArt Initiative Continues to Inspire and Cultivate Hong Kong Visual Art and Culture this March 2023!

After presenting the M+ Kusama exhibition and Metaverse Art Gallery last year, the bank is excited to support the arrival of Pharrell Williams and Lorraine Schwartz for the debut of JOOPITER auction platform in Hong Kong this March, together with other exciting inspiring art activations

HONG KONG, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to promoting contemporary visual art culture in Hong Kong, HSBC launched the #OpenToArt initiative in 2022 to develop key partnerships with the city's leading cultural groups and non-government organisations. So far, the creative endeavor has been wildly successful.   The bold actions include becoming lead partner of the M+ Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, presented the wildly popular 'Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now' exhibition as the lead sponsor, and launch of the 'Open to Art' Metaverse Gallery featuring 3 local artists, an immersive digital platform to increase art appreciation with technology.

A Month of Art this March

As Hong Kong prepares to welcome the annual gathering of artists, galleries, collectors, and art patrons this month, the HSBC #OpenToArt initiative will again be at the centre of art and culture activations, supporting various events. On top of celebrating Hong Kong's visual culture at the M+ Welcome Party tonight (Mar 20) with the local art community, patrons of M+, art & culture institutions from around the world; the most exciting happening will be a special #OpenToArt talk (by invitation only) introducing JOOPITER, the digital-first auction platform founded by Pharrell Williams, American multiple Grammy-award winning musician, cultural visionary, and Louis Vuitton's newly appointed men's creative director. The Hong Kong debut entitled "A Journey Through Gems" will feature the creations of world-renowned American jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, who is responsible for iconic bespoke high jewellery coveted by royalty and international A-list celebrities such as Beyonce and Rihanna.

Selected HSBC Global Private Banking clients will also have the privilege to join Pharrell for dinner after the talk for a money-can't-buy experience.

Other high calibre, exclusive and public events for all art & cultural elites & lovers!

As the newest cultural contribution to HSBC's "Open to Art" Initiative - ESKYIU OPEN FOREST, was launched last week. Inspired by the West Kowloon Cultural District's transformations, the interactive spatial installation amplified with Augmented Reality ("AR") technology, explores how the urban and cultural landscape is rapidly changing and adds a new visual dynamic to the waterfront.  HSBC invites everyone to be an inspired explorer and immerse themselves in the space from now till May 12! 

For the city's cultural elite, HSBC is hosting a series of #OpenToArt art talks aboard the magnificent Tatler Catamaran for key patrons and VIP tastemakers on Mar 21 and Mar 23. Four sessions will be presented on the opulent vessel featuring insightful speakers such as established architect, collector turned debut artist William Lim, Nick Buckley Wood, Director of Private Sales at Sotheby's, Queenie Rosita Law, the founder of Q Art Group and Evan Chow, one of the city's most enthusiastic art collectors; as well as prolific art collector Lumen Kinoshita, who will be talking to her artist friends, Stephen Wong Chun Hei and Chow Chun Fai. 

Another notable event on the calendar is the opening of Phillips' new Asia headquarter and its inaugural sale. This Hong Kong location represents the first international auction house – and Phillips is arguably the world's most innovative auction house – to have a permanent exhibition space and auction room in Asia (next to M+). HSBC will present Exclusive curated tours of its contemporary collection and watch and jewellery collection highlights for its clients on March 24, with exclusive brunch cocktails.  

"Our high-net-worth clients have a diverse range of interests and hobbies. To stay relevant with client needs, we are exploring opportunities to provide them with different chic, unique and personalised experience. With art being an international language, these events and sponsorships are helping us to connect customers with the world, the same way HSBC bridges them to a world of opportunities." said Maggie Ng, Head of Wealth & Personal Banking, HSBC Hong Kong.

Other art events open to the public and supported by HSBC include 10 NGO tours in M+, and part of the HKSAR government-led Strive and Rise Program, to boost arts awareness and appreciation among local youths. Two tours of M+ have already taken place, with more to come.

Each activation in its own way, was a transformative and modern avenue for people to access innovative art and culture, and experience it in different forms in Hong Kong, one of the world's biggest art trading centres.

About The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is the founding member of the HSBC Group. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 63 countries and territories in its geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa.

With assets of US$2,985bn at 30 June 2022, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world.