Explore ''Old Factory, Emerging Arts'' exhibition at HK Racing Museum

16 December 2008

From today (16 December) until 28 June 2009, a new thematic exhibition at The Hong Kong Racing Museum in Happy Valley will let the public take a journey through time to learn about the transformation of a vacated Shek Kip Mei industrial building into a vibrant new local hub for the creative arts.

Entitled Old Factory, Emerging Arts - from Shek Kip Mei Factory Estate to Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, the exhibition was officially launched today by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman John C C Chan and Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Mrs Carrie Yau and Chairman of the Sham Shui Po District Council Dr Chan Tung.

The Club has long been committed to the promotion of arts and culture in the community. Club donations of HK$94.4 million, through its Charities Trust, have enabled the former Shek Kip Mei Factory Estate building to be converted into the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), which provides affordable venues where budding artists and arts groups can create artworks in their own studios and display them or give experimental performances in the public spaces within the Centre. Since its opening in September 2008, the Centre has been proactive in promoting arts and culture to the community through a wide range of activities.

By means of display panels, photos and videos, the Exhibition provides fascinating insights into the history of Hong Kong's light manufacturing industries and the Shek Kip Mei Factory Estate, the conversion and revitalisation of this nine-storey industrial building, and the architectural characteristics and facilities of the new JCCAC.

To complement the exhibition's theme, resident artists of the JCCAC were invited to make use of remnants of products manufactured in the old industrial building - for example, plastic hangers, watch accessories, bamboo steamers and candlestick holders -  to create modern art pieces and installations. And like the old factory building that has now been injected with life, these artists have done the same with the leftover materials of days past.

Mr Chan said at today's exhibition opening ceremony that he hoped the displays would help increase public awareness of JCCAC and stimulate the development of local arts and culture. ''The JCCAC, in addition to being Hong Kong's first arts village, will serve as a good example of heritage revitalisation. The building's original facade has, by and large, been retained while its interior design incorporates modern architectural elements,'' he noted.

Guided tours of the exhibition will be provided at 3 pm on Tuesdays to Fridays and at 11 am and 3 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. Advance booking is welcomed for groups of 10 or more. Located on the second floor of the Happy Valley Stand at Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, the Racing Museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesdays to Sundays and most public holidays (closed on Mondays). For enquiries please contact the Racing Museum on (852) 2966 8065.