Asia Art Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 21 Week of 30 June 2025
(1) China and South Korea bond over ink traditions
An exhibition at the National Art Museum of China showcases modern ink works by Chinese and South Korean artists, highlighting shared cultural innovation and evolving artistic traditions.
(2) ‘Neon Heroes’ shines light on Hong Kong’s illuminated heritage
Artist Jerry Loo and his grandfather Master Wong, Kin Wah have created a neon sculpture exhibition at PMQ to honour Hong Kong’s fading neon heritage and celebrate its artistic legacy.
(3) HSBC Celebrates 160 Years with Murals Honouring Hong Kong’s 18 Districts
HSBC has teamed up with local artists to create murals across all 18 districts of Hong Kong, celebrating the city’s heritage and community spirit.
(4) South Korea promotes art payment for inheritance tax in cultural seminar
A government seminar will explore ways to expand Korea’s policy allowing art to be used as payment for inheritance tax.
(1) China and South Korea bond over ink traditions
(Photo Credit: Jiang Dong/ China Daily)
The National Art Museum of China in Beijing is hosting a major exhibition of modern ink art from China and South Korea, running until 11 August 2025. Featuring 120 works by artists from both countries, the show highlights how ink painting has evolved in the 20th and 21st centuries through innovation in style, materials and technique.
The exhibition includes pieces from the collections of both the Beijing museum and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. It explores themes of identity, tradition and artistic reform, with artists blending classical genres like landscapes and bird-and-flower painting with abstract and experimental approaches. Materials such as fabric, straw and stone are used to push the boundaries of ink as a medium.
Notable works include Samsara 2 by Korean artist Hur Jin and Wisteria Vines by Chinese master Wu Changshuo. The exhibition also features personal stories, such as Hur’s connection to his grandfather’s legacy and his own journey with hearing loss. Curators say the show offers a chance to rediscover ink art as a living, expressive form that bridges cultures and generations.
News Source: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202507/03/WS6865c7e5a31000e9a5739d25.html
(2) ‘Neon Heroes’ shines light on Hong Kong’s illuminated heritage
(Photo Credit: SCMP)
Hong Kong artist Jerry Loo has teamed up with his grandfather, Master Wong, Kin Wah, one of the city’s last neon craftsmen, to create an outdoor exhibition called “Neon Heroes: Illuminated Dreams” at PMQ. Running until 7 July 2025, the event features six interactive neon sculptures that merge Wong’s decades of expertise with Loo’s modern artistic style and passion for superheroes.
Each artwork explores different themes, from courage and nostalgia to personal inspiration. Highlights include Superhero Landing, symbolising bravery, and The Luminous, which pays tribute to anime icons. The most personal piece, Eternal Glow: Legacy in Neon, co-created by the duo, honours Hong Kong’s neon art tradition and those who kept the craft alive.
The exhibition closes with Neon Waltz, an animated short film tracing Master Wong’s life and career, highlighting his role in shaping the city’s neon-lit skyline. Together, the works celebrate the fading but still cherished legacy of neon signs in Hong Kong and the people behind them.
News Source: https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3316018/neon-heroes-shines-light-hong-kongs-illuminated-heritage
(3) HSBC Celebrates 160 Years with Murals Honouring Hong Kong’s 18 Districts
(Photo Credit: HSBC)
To celebrate its 160th anniversary, HSBC has partnered with Grey Hong Kong and five local artists to create vibrant murals across all 18 districts of the city. Each mural reflects the unique culture and character of its district, from dragon boat races in Stanley to nostalgic cafés in Yau Tsim Mong. The project aims to bring colour and pride to local communities while honouring Hong Kong’s rich heritage.
The initiative, titled HSBC 18 Districts Mural Stories, transforms blank walls into public artworks that tell the stories of each neighbourhood. HSBC also collaborated with the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong to provide audio descriptions, ensuring the murals are accessible to people with visual impairments. The murals are designed to be both visually engaging and inclusive, encouraging residents and visitors to explore the city through art.
Artists used creative techniques and local materials to make each mural meaningful. For example, in Tai Hang, incense ash from the traditional fire dragon dance was used in the artwork. HSBC and Grey Hong Kong hope the murals will inspire community connection and serve as lasting tributes to the city’s diverse identity.
News Source: https://lbbonline.com/news/HSBC-Celebrates-160-Years-with-Murals-Honouring-Hong-Kongs-18-Districts
(4) South Korea promotes art payment for inheritance tax in cultural seminar
(Photo Credit: ChosunBiz)
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host a seminar on 3 July 2025 at Art Korea Lab Agora, in collaboration with the Korea Visual Arts Copyright Association. The event will focus on policies promoting the use of artwork to pay inheritance tax, a system introduced in 2023 to support cultural preservation and ease tax burdens.
The seminar is titled “A System That Preserves the Value of Creation” and will explore the current status of this tax policy and the challenges it faces. It aims to encourage both the acceptance and donation of art by examining how the system can support creative value while functioning as a practical financial tool.
Professor Choi Byeong-sik of Kyung Hee University will begin the seminar by addressing key issues around the inheritance and donation of art. He will be followed by Professor Hwang Seung-heum of Kookmin University, who will present a proposed management framework for national art collections to help improve the long-term handling of donated works.
News Source: https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-culture/2025/07/03/QKOV46RZHBGVTBC6V4IADM2PVA/
