Hong Kong X Xu Bing
By Leisure and Cultural Services Department
*Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Glass canopy of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Courtesy the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong.
Xu Bing is internationally recognised as one of the most innovative and influential contemporary artists. Following the appointment as Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion in 2024, he initiates a series of large-scale art projects in Hong Kong and nurtures young talent to promote cultural development. “Xu Bing in Hong Kong: Square Word Calligraphy” marks his inaugural commissioning art initiative.
Square Word Calligraphy is a form of writing Xu Bing began developing in 1993, in which English is written to resemble Chinese characters. This writing system highlights the diversity and integration of the Eastern and Western cultures, aligning with the essence of Hong Kong’s East-meets-West characteristics.
In the context of Hong Kong, Xu Bing has made his first attempt to use his internationally renowned Square Word Calligraphy to write phrases that reflect the region’s unique linguistic features, including greetings and idioms. This has led to a “Special Edition for Hong Kong” that enriches the meaning and interpretation of Square Word Calligraphy, opening new avenues for cross-cultural communication.
View of XU BING’s exhibition "Eying East, Wondering West – Square Calligraphy Classroom" at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Courtesy the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong.
Eying East, Wondering West—Square Word Calligraphy Classroom
Date: 26.3.–30.7.2025
Venue: Hong Kong Museum of Art
Date: 29.9.2025–11.1.2026
Venue: Oi!
Making its debut at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the exhibition space is transformed into a classroom with blackboard, desks, writing tools, and copybooks. This allows the audience to engage in learning and writing of this special writing system. Using digital technology, the audience can apply what they have learned by designing words written in Square Word Calligraphy.
View of "Loping and Looking – Art in MTR" at Sheung Wan Station, Hong Kong. Courtesy the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong.
Loping and Looking—Art in MTR
Date: 26.3.–25.9.2025
Venue: Sheung Wan – Platform (bound for Kennedy Town)
Admiralty, Exhibition Centre, and Wan Chai – Concourse (Paid Area)
Apart from exhibitions at museums, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department collaborates with MTR Corporation to display Xu’s Square Word Calligraphy at the platform or concourse of four MTR stations. This marks the first time Xu Bing's creations have been displayed in public transportation spaces worldwide. Xu initiates dialogues with the public by writing “Long time no see” at Sheung Wan Station, and presents the station names of Admiralty, Exhibition Centre, and Wan Chai in this new writing system. This initiative brings art into daily life, integrating it into the passenger journey and allowing the public to encounter masterpieces even amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.
Portrait of XU BING presenting the "Eying East, Wondering West – Square Calligraphy Classroom" exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Courtesy the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong.
About “Xu Bing in Hong Kong: Square Word Calligraphy”
World-renowned artist Xu Bing was appointed as the Ambassador for Cultural Promotion of Hong Kong since March last year, for a period of approximately five years. Following the appointment, he initiates a series of large-scale art projects in Hong Kong and nurtures young talent to promote cultural development. "Xu Bing in Hong Kong: Square Word Calligraphy" marks his inaugural commissioning art initiative. The project features a series of programmes, including exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Oi!, along with new calligraphy works created in collaboration with MTR Corporation to display at four MTR stations: Sheung Wan, Admiralty, Exhibition Centre, and Wan Chai. The project also includes school workshops in partnership with education partner Community Art Network.
Developed by Xu since 1993, Square Word Calligraphy is a system for writing English that resembles Chinese characters. This writing system highlights the interplay between Eastern and Western cultures, aligning with Hong Kong’s vibrant cultural tapestry. Centred around the Square Word Calligraphy Classroom, the exhibition curated by Xu showcases a unique fusion of Chinese and English languages intertwined with Hong Kong’s linguistic culture, offering the public a fresh perspective on his innovative English calligraphy.
Portrait of XU BING. Courtesy the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong.
Artist Introduction
Xu Bing (1955 - ) was born in Chongqing, China, and raised in Beijing. He completed his studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing in 1981, after which he joined the faculty. In 1990, he was invited to the United States as an honorary artist and has since received numerous awards in the international art scene, including the MacArthur Fellowship (1999), the Artes Mundi Prize (2004), the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Graphics Council (2007) and the Xu Bei Hong – Art Creation Award by the CAFA (2018).
Xu Bing masterfully blends traditional Chinese culture with contemporary elements. By transcending cultural boundaries and pioneering new perspectives of thinking, he has garnered widespread attention and acclaim. His works have been displayed in numerous prestigious art museums and venues around the world, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Moreover, he has participated in a number of international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale and the Sydney Biennale.
